marriage in Barranquilla

[Beattledog]

... in response to You can't be serious, posted by utopiacowboy on Oct 19, 2005

good point. he could be on a wanted person or something to hide

beattledog

[Kiltboy1]

... in response to marriage in Barranquilla, posted by jey on Oct 19, 2005

When i was on my honeymoon in San Andres, we met a guy from texas with his Fiance and got to be friends. I was telling him about how the visa laws were getting ready to change and that DCF was no longer going to be allowed and that it would take the better part of a year to get his fiance back to the states. Well, he did not want to go that route, so he went to a catholic church, talked to the preist, told him he would help his family and church out if he could marry them and get them a noterized copy of the certificate. Well, they struck a deal for 300US and we went with them to the church to get married, they were married, the notery showed up to sign the certificate and in like 4 months later, she was in texas with him. So i think in the more remote samll cities your friend would have a better chance of getting away with less documentation

KB

[teoblas]

... in response to marriage in Barranquilla, posted by jey on Oct 19, 2005

...marriage is a legal contract between two people.

In Colombia, in accordance with Colombian law, there are two methods for executing this legal contract.  The first method is the Civil Law process and the other is the Roman Catholic Church process.   The web page link you showed is a very good source of info on the topic.

So, if by marriage you mean a legal contract between two people, your original questions could be refrased as "Anyone know how to enter into a legal marriage contract between two people quickly and easily, like without all the legeally required documents?"  It is like trying to bake a cake intended for eating (if you want to eventually bring her to the US) but using just mud and hydraulic fluid as ingredients.  

However, if by marriage you somehow mean a non-legally binding and non-legally recognized contract between two people, you can invent your own ceremony, just remember it has NO significance.  My suggestion for a "ceremony" is the couple should strip down naked and throw hot candle wax on each other and then light each other's hair on fire.  Remember to take photos and post them for us to see....  I am sure www.onlinepretendweddings.com will have some other suggestions.  

Teo Blas

[Ray]

... in response to marriage in Barranquilla, posted by jey on Oct 19, 2005

Why would he not want to get a certified copy of his divorce decree? Does he have something to hide?

I don’t know if he can get married without presenting his divorce decree, but he will never be able to petition her for a visa without it. He will need to submit a photocopy of his complete divorce decree with the visa petition and his spouse will need a certified copy also to present with the documents needed for her visa interview.

If he were to attempt to hide the fact that he was previously married, he would have to falsify a lot of official documents and could face up to 5 years in prison and a heavy fine for falsifying or concealing a material fact.

Ray

[Cali James]

... in response to Re: marriage in Barranquilla, posted by Ray on Oct 19, 2005

If he got married in the Catholic Church, the failure to notify the eccleastic authorities about a prior marriage would raise grave doubts about it's validity.  It's never a good idea to conceal or to speed up the process by trickery.

[Gator]

... in response to Re: marriage in Barranquilla, posted by Ray on Oct 19, 2005

[This message has been edited by Gator]

correct and that's the big hitch in this plan.  If he is found out in Colombia the marriage COULD/WILL be invalidated.  Another poster, Kiltboy1, stated, to the affect, the notary showed up at the church and signed the certificate.  That's not the way it happens in Colombia.  You take your documents to the notary.  There is ONE notary on San Andres, Rafel Acosta and ONE on Providencia, Ligia Pallares de Armas.  There are TEN notaries in Barranquilla.

DO NOT make the mistake of equating a Colombian notary with the jack legs who are all over the USA.  Most are attorneys and are important and powerful people.  They do NOT come to you, you go to them and their office will be jammed. There is a lengthy course and examination needed to be certified as a notary in Colombia and you MUST go to Bogotá for the school and to take the examination. The appointment comes directly from the Minister of Justice.

Best advice for him:  DO IT RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cali James]

... in response to Ray Is..., posted by Gator on Oct 19, 2005

You're right Gator, the notary does not come to the church after getting married.  You must take the documents to the notary yourself.

I was married by a notary and then two weeks later by the Catholic Chuch at San Antonio's in Cali.  In our case, there was no need to file with the notary after our Church wedding because we were already legally married.