Question???

[wizard]

My novia traveled to her home city to gather documents for our wedding in a couple weeks... She had to get copies of her birth certificate and baptismal records... Well, she got the birth certificates ok, but she cannot obtain a copy of her baptismal records... The church where she was baptised cannot locate her records... We don't need it for the civil ceremony, but the US Embassy states that it is a required document for obtaining a Visa...

Is this a deal-breaker for the US Embassy???

[wizard]

... in response to Question???, posted by wizard on Apr 14, 2003

Well, my novia never was able to get an "official" copy of her baptismal records from the church... The page in the baptism book with her records is just gone... I spoke with her this morning and told her that a sworn statement from the priest would suffice... She goes back to the church to see what she can do...

She calls me back a little later and was very upset...  She said the priest would not sign a sworn statement regarding her baptism, as he wasn't at this church when she was baptised... The priest told her that they will search for the records and "send" them to her in Bogota when they find them... Yeah, right... He was just trying to get rid of her and we NEED this document to get her visa...

Well, I see that a little "greasing of the wheels of progress" is in order... I suggested that she make a "contribution" to the church coffers, say "por favor" many times and tell the priest that she would not be able to be married unless she had this document... Well voila, the priest creates a document and goes with my novia to have it notarized...

As usual, pesos make the world go round...

Hope this helps in case any of you guys run into this situation...

Ah, speed bumps... Makes life interesting...

[Pete E]

... in response to Follow Up..., posted by wizard on Apr 15, 2003

Your intuition was right,pesos,or dollars talk,even with the church.Frank Sinatra got an annulment after 3 kids and 15 years or so of marriage.I bet that wasn't cheap.Of course to get a divorce would be out of the question,but with such liberal annulments who needs it?Tina Sinatra didn't think it was right.My parents were never really married?Then who are we,the 3 children?
But you did what you had to do.Sometimes its just worth it to speed things up with a little cash.The priest may have smeled gringo money from the start.I wonder what he is going to spend it on.

Pete

[HeyNow]

... in response to Re: Follow Up..., posted by Pete E on Apr 16, 2003

Money TALKS,  especially with those popes and priests

[wizard]

... in response to Question???, posted by wizard on Apr 14, 2003

I found the answer to my own question on the US Embassy website...

People born after 1939 must present their birth certificate (copia del folio del registro civil) as well as their baptismal certificate (fe de bautismo). The abbreviated forms are not acceptable; only the (copia del folio del registro civil) will be accepted. The baptismal certificate must contain the marginal notes. If one of these certificates existed but now is impossible to obtain for any reason, you must get a Sworn Affidavit from the church or a court, indicating the reasons why the document cannot be produced. If you do not have one of these documents, you must obtain a Sworn Statement.

[Cali vet]

... in response to Never Mind..., posted by wizard on Apr 14, 2003

Good to know...and everyone with novias born before 1939 can rest easy.

[HansErich]

... in response to Never Mind..., posted by wizard on Apr 14, 2003

Hi Wizard,

from what country your soon-to-be wife is??(sorry I am new here)

I never heard of this in Brasil or in Argentina.

bye.
HE

[pablo]

... in response to Re: Never Mind..., posted by HansErich on Apr 15, 2003

It's good to see you found another list besides the LWL.  Welcome to P-L and I'd like to echo what Wizard said by saying we hope you contribute about your experiences in Latin America.

[HansErich]

... in response to Welcome Hans, posted by pablo on Apr 15, 2003

Hi,

thanks guys. But I don't know what lwl is??

If i can help i will try to do so. I was however never in Colombia.(and I read that many things here are about that country)
I have traveled in most South-American countries except for Ecuador,Colombia,Chili,Guyana,Suriname,Fr.Guyana and the Falklands. Besides that I was also in Kuba,Dom. Republik and in Trinidad.
Central America is also an unknown area for me.

I know most about Argentina (I lived there with my ex-wife),offcourse Brasil(were I live now),Venezuela,Peru,Bolivia and Paraguay.(Uruguay I was only once,and only 1 day during a stopover)

Since my last visit to Argentina is about 3 years ago,so my info is somewhat outdated.

bye
Hans-Erich.

[pablo]

... in response to Re: Welcome Hans, posted by HansErich on Apr 15, 2003

stands for Latin Women's List, another discussion board using an email format.

[wizard]

... in response to Re: Never Mind..., posted by HansErich on Apr 15, 2003

Hi Hans...

My novia is from Colombia... She is living in Bogota, but she was born in Villavicencillo...

Welcome to the PL forum... Things are a little slow around here now, but usually there are some interesting discussions... I look forward to your contributions regarding Brazil...