It's simpler than almost everyone fears: no apostille, no translation, and in most counties they don't ask for proof of immigration status in order to marry. You get a marriage license at the county office and with that you marry. Requirements are set by each state and sometimes each county, and the practical difference that matters most is the waiting period: in some counties you marry the same…
This comes first for one reason: marrying is easy and reversible; a badly declared entry isn't. If the foreign partner entered without inspection, has a prior order, overstayed, or entered on a tourist visa with the plan already made to stay, the order of moves matters enormously and a prior…
It's the most common search mistake. Go to the county clerk's site for the county where you'll marry and confirm three things: whether both must appear in person to request the license, whether there's a waiting period between license and ceremony, and how many days the license is valid once…
For the foreign partner a valid passport is normally enough. What does often fail is a prior divorce: several counties require the decree as a certified original, not a copy or printout, and getting one remotely takes weeks. If the divorce was in another country, some counties ask for it translated…
In most counties both must appear to request it. Ask about payment methods before going: several accept cash or money order only, and have no ATM. If there's a waiting period, the ceremony can't be sooner; if there isn't, you can marry the same day, and in many counties the judge officiates without…
The certified certificate is issued by the county or state a few days later, and it's worth requesting two or three copies: each process keeps one. If the certificate will be used outside the United States — to register it in Mexico, for a sponsorship in Canada or any foreign process — it must be…