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NOTE:  For those of you that haven't checked out Gary's website, there is a wealth of useful information...

Gary:

1.  On your website at

http://www.usaimmigrationattorney.com/colombiamarriage.html

You indicate that one of the requirements for a USA gringo to marry a Colombiana is a "Certificate of Singlehood issued by county records office or vitial statistics" proving that you are currently unmarried.  You further state that "An affidavit from family member or two close friends can sometimes substitute".

This requirement makes perfect sense as you have explained it.

However, when I go to the US Embassy Site for Colombia, they don't even mention the possibility of a county records document, they simply mention "family/friend affidavit" as the ONLY option:

http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsmare.shtml

"Certificado de soltería: The U.S. citizen must present a notarized, written statement, executed by a family member or close friend who has known him/her for more than ten years, stating that he/she has never been married. If issued in a language other than Spanish, this statement must be translated into Spanish by an official translator and must have an Apostille."

What's up with that?

2.  You also have some notaries listed on your site for different cities that also typically perform weddings.  However, the US Embassy has a list of "approved translators".

Is it likely that the required married documents can be sent directly to the notary for that city (in my case BAQ), and the notary can be a one stop shop (i.e. translation, notary services, and perform the wedding)?

I suspect your answer may be "depends on the notary", but I was just curious if, in your experience, notaries that perform weddings can do the translation of the US documents even if they are not on the embassy's published "approved translator" list?  

... in response to Gary Bala, Colombian Weddings, etc., posted by Looking4Wife on Dec 9, 2005

[This message has been edited by doombug]

I've gotten one of these home-made, "certificados de solteria."  Was a big hassle, scouring the internet, calling or emailing Peruvian consulates in New Jersey, Los Angeles, D.C., San Francisco, running here and there, inquiring from a variety of notaries, paying him and her, short trips, some waiting, long trips, and even more waiting.  And in the end, after it fulfilled its purpose, I never got the thing back.  The municipality in San Borja, Peru, kept everything I'd submitted.  Anyhow, here's how I went about fetching the mysterious "Certificado de Solteria":

First step:  Went to the county recorder's office, and requested they do a search of their records to confirm that I'd never been married within the county.  They presented this quickly, and embossed the letter with a seal.

Second step:  Took this document to the Secretary of State's office to have it authenticated.

Third step:  Went to the Peruvian consulate's office in San Francisco.  On one floor of the building, there's a notary that does certified/notarized translations of documents from English to Spanish.

Fourth step:  Went up a few floors, to the consulate's office, where they authenticated the document for acceptance in Peru, thus providing me a workable "Certificado de Solteria."

As I mentioned above, the document was accepted by the municipality official.  No questions asked.

Peace wit dat, yo!

... in response to Gary Bala, Colombian Weddings, etc., posted by Looking4Wife on Dec 9, 2005

[This message has been edited by Gary Bala]

about your Barranquilla wedding L4W, if you are reading marriage requirements on my website and on that of the U.S. Embassy, Bogota as closely as you are.

Since the public "notarios" perform civil marriages in Colombia, as opposed to the U.S. Embassy, Bogota, it's probably more accurate to follow the Notary's recitation of marriage requirements and general dictates.

Here are the Notary "requisitos para matrimonio civil" (Colombia) in Spanish.

http://usaimmigrationattorney.com/RequisitosParaMatrimonioCivilColombia.html

CERTIFICATE OF SINGLEHOOD
Notice that under requirements for foreigners, Number 2 states a "certificate of singlehood" or the equivalent.

Generally, notaries understandably want appropriate documentary proof that you are are currently single and not already married, as a condition to marrying you in Barranquilla.

This document can take different forms, if a foreign citizen such as a U.S. citizen is involved.

Acceptable to most notaries, and what I typically ask my clients to first TRY and secure is a certified (and apostilled) "government-style" document of singlehood. For most U.S. citizens, this is a document which might be available from a local county records office or clerk's office as a result of asking for a name search for marriage under your name in that county. What results is a statement or document of "no record of current marriage" in that county for your name. This is the same as a "certificate of singlehood".

Of course, it is only a single county record, not a state or national document, but it is official and usually acceptable to get you married with the notary.

Of course, also, the affidavit of close friends and family described on the Embassy website is usually also acceptable to most notaries.

NOTARIES AND TRANSLATORS
Most notaries work with approved translators who appear with the Notary at the wedding to perform verbal and written translations, as needed.

Are you planning to get married in a civil ceremony in Barranquilla? Why not use a Notary I know very well in Barranquilla who has married many of my clients and many Americans over the years. Antonio, who is Notario Tercero at the World Trade Center, works closely with an Embassy-approved translator in Barranquilla, Michael, who is also a friend of mine. Feel free to mention my name to the both of them.

PS Last year I myself attended a marriage ceremony in Barranquilla presided over by Antonio, and assisted by Michael. My clients (bride and groom) were thrilled to have all of us, Notary, Translator and Immigration Attorney all at their wedding together..."one-stop shop" as you put it. :)

Buena suerte...Gotta run.

Notario Tercero
Antonio Guzman Naranjo
Tel: 348-9207
Calle 76, Cra. 54 Esquina
No. 54-11, Nivel L-15

Embassy-approved Translator
Michael Taboada
Tel: 360-9864 or 9865
Cra. 52, No. 72-114
Local D-48, Piso 2nd

... in response to (Long) Looks like you are getting seriou..., posted by Gary Bala on Dec 10, 2005

Gary:

Thanks for the clarification, and the contact info for the BAQ notary and translators.

Also you may or may not choose to add the following info to your site...

Both my novia and the BAQ translator, Michael Taboada, said that a Limited Power of Attorney is required (at least in BAQ?) that will allow my novia to present my required pre-marital documents for me in BAQ.  Michael is going to email this form to me.

... in response to Thanks Gary!  Plus info you may want to ..., posted by Looking4Wife on Dec 13, 2005

.

... in response to Thanks Gary!  Plus info you may want to ..., posted by Looking4Wife on Dec 13, 2005

There is a prenuptual solicitation that has to be signed and in the notaria's office a couple of weeks before the ceremony. I had to send my wife a Power of Attoney allowing my future brother-in-law to sign on my behalf. If you are going to be in Colombia enough ahead of time, it's not necessary because you can do it yourself but many guys like me just come in a week or a few days ahead of the wedding.

... in response to Thanks Gary!  Plus info you may want to ..., posted by Looking4Wife on Dec 13, 2005

have i missed a post of yours or what? have you proposed or are you about to? seems like things are turning out nicely for you, good luck
JK

... in response to Gary Bala, Colombian Weddings, etc., posted by Looking4Wife on Dec 9, 2005

DONT DO IT!!!!! if you do, you better know her well, and i mean, really well.

... in response to Re: Gary Bala, Colombian Weddings, etc., posted by mudd on Dec 9, 2005

Mudd:

I FULLY agree with you, that you should not marry anyone, on any continent, unless you know them really well.  The less you know them, the riskier the venture.  Clearly UtopiCowboy felt like he knew his wife "well enough" and both his and his wife's life have been enriched as a result of it.

I would further add that no matter how well you know them, there are certain preparations that SHOULD be taken to see if you are mutually committed to each other's happiness (i.e. www.MarriageBuilders.com).  

Happy successful marriages, like creating wealth, require skills that are not usually taught to us by our parents, or our schools, and (sad to say) not usually by our churches.  These are skills that usually we must seek out on our own, and far too often inertia, complacency, and pride tempt us to ignore.

Successful marriages sometimes "stumble upon" these skills by "accident", but its good to know that roadmaps do exist :-)

So just like you can work a job (or own a business) for 10 years and never develop the skills to get wealthy, you can date someone or live with someone (unmarried or married) for 10 years and never develop the skills for a happy marriage.

So its not a question of "quantity" of time invested in the relationship, but more a matter of "quality" of time.  

In other words, its possible to develop a strong foundation for a happy, successful marriage, after being with someone for a "relatively short" period of time, if that time is spent FOCUSING on developing skills for a happy marriage.

Similarly, someone can become wealthy in a "relatively short" period of time by focusing on specific wealth building activities.

... in response to Mudd I agree, and I would add..., posted by Looking4Wife on Dec 13, 2005

My wife and I both enjoyed and learned a lot from the pre-marital courses that we took through the Catholic church, she in Medellin and me in San Antonio. The content and spirit of the courses were very similar. It is interesting to note that as a result of the courses some of the participants choose not to follow through with their wedding plans. For us, it confirmed just how very much we were (and are) on the same wavelength.

... in response to Tienes razon, Senor, posted by utopiacowboy on Dec 13, 2005

what was discussed that may have discouraged some of these couples not to follow through?
JK

... in response to Re: Tienes razon, Senor, posted by jediknight on Dec 13, 2005

[This message has been edited by utopiacowboy]

Normally a couple attends the sessions together and it's like an encounter experience. You do a lot of exercises that force you to confront and think about a lot of issues and discuss them with each other. Most couples with good communication have discussed most of the things that come up, maybe not to the same depth, but they have a pretty good idea how the other person feels about a lot of things, communication, raising children, sex, role of religion in daily life, domestic duties, goals, hopes, wishes, dreams... There are always a few couples who get some genuine surprises and discover that they can't go through with it. I guess they find out that the other person isn't who they thought he/she was or they lose some illusions that were necessary for them to continue. My wife and I, while we are very loving and romantic with one another, are also very level-headed and realistic about our relationship and each other. You can be totally nuts about one another without leaving your brain at the bedroom door.

... in response to Re: Re: Tienes razon, Senor, posted by utopiacowboy on Dec 14, 2005

.

... in response to Mudd I agree, and I would add..., posted by Looking4Wife on Dec 13, 2005

But I think some parents DO teach their children,by example, skills needed for a happy marriage. Some do, some don't. I guess I'm lucky that mine did... :-)

Ray

... in response to Re: Gary Bala, Colombian Weddings, etc., posted by mudd on Dec 9, 2005

I did it and I would rate my marriage as better than 99.8% of the marriages out there.

... in response to I did it so why not?, posted by utopiacowboy on Dec 10, 2005

see post below,