Getting married in Colombia

Dan says on Nov 25, 2004, 11:33:

marriage The most standard things that you need is an original copy of your birth certificate, translated/notarized, and then the translation and original certificate need an Apostille so that it can be used in Colombia. The other thing needed is a Singleness Certificate (Certificado de Solteria). From what I have seen, it is normally a statement by two family members or close friends that have known you for more than 10 years. The statements need to be notarized (because of their signature). If the statement is in a language other than spanish, it needs to be translated with the translation notarized, and the original and translation need the Apostille too. If the statement is already done in Spanish and Notarized that way, you just need the Apostille.

For your Visa, is it a Temporal Trabajador? or is it a different type?

Dan

God Bless America!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Dan says on Nov 25, 2004, 11:37:

forgot The reason you need an Original Copy (brand new) of your Birth Certificate and the Statement too... is because Colombian Notaries require them to be fresh copies and are valid for only 3 months.

For example, if one document is dated 14 June 2004 and the other 20 June 2004. you would have until 14 Sep 2004 to get married as that is when the first document would expire. (I've run into this problem already) you would then have to redo it again so that both are valid during the time you get married.

God Bless America!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Dan says on Nov 26, 2004, 01:36:

found this too. If you do have the Trabajador Visa, that is supposed to be good to use. One problem I ran into myself is that the notaries kept saying that I needed the marriage visa and that was it. so Now I have to start all over. Any way, Almost any visa is good, so long as your not on a tourist, visiter, negocios, or tripilante visas.
Check out this link: http://www.supernotariado.gov.co/SuperNotariado/Paginas/circular0202.htm

The Office of Visas told me about it when I went to get the marriage one and they said I didn't need it and refered me to the Circular. I printed it out so that I can show the Notaries next time.
Good luck,
Dan

God Bless America!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

lizzieboo says on Nov 26, 2004, 07:59:

Thanks Dan
This is really useful information. I guess I need to get in touch with some people back home and start the ball rolling. I had this romantic idea that it could all be done really easily but I sometimes forget that this is Colombia. I currently have a Visa de Cortesia to work here until the end of July but I am hoping to stay out here longer than that. I also have a cedula extranera temporal which runs out with my visa. I`m hoping that I can get married before then though.
I am still a little unclear about what exactly I need to do, the certificates need to be notarised in the UK or here? Do I get them translated here in Colombia, does it have to be done somewhere specifically? I am still confused sorry...this is the first time I have thought of doing this and I don`t really have a clue.
Do I have to get a new copy of my birth certificate too?
Thanks for helping!
Lizzie

0 funny, 0 helpful.

lizzieboo says on Nov 26, 2004, 08:03:

Ok just read your replies again. I do need a new copy of my birth certificate...
Where do I get the Apostille from?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

lizzieboo says on Nov 26, 2004, 10:35:

OK I think I`m getting there....it seems there are lots of services which i can use in the UK to obtain all this info. Thanks again.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Dan says on Nov 26, 2004, 10:59:

I'm not entirely sure about the UK way of getting the Apostille. In the US, it is obtained from the states Secretary of State Authentications offices's. For the Singleness Certificate, it can be done in English then translated and both notarized and Apostilled. or done in Spanish to skip the translation part (still needs legalized appropriately), and the Birth Certificate's normally have a seal of some type indicating that it is legal, that would need translation, with the translation notarized and both apostilled. If you have any questions about the Apostille, try going to this site: www.fco.gov.uk and there is a link refering to Apostille information. Perhaps you can call and ask questions. As far as the other stuff, try asking a Notary in the area that you're at and ask what the requirements are. I've heard that each notary can be a little bit different.

Also, looking at the site with the link I have above for the Circular, it does say that the Visa de Cortesía is not permitted for marriage. If you check that site, and look at the bottom, it states this:
"Es importante señalar que el extranjero que ingrese con permiso de visitante o turismo dado por el DAS o con Visa de Cortesía (CO) (salvo los nacionales de Ecuador), Negocios (NE), Tripulante (B), Temporal Visitante (TV), Turismo (TU) no podrá contraer matrimonio y necesitarán obtener la Visa Temporal Especial (TS) en un consulado, para estos efectos."
If you have a visa mentioned in that paragraph, then you need a different visa, from the office of visas in Bogota. And yet, another link... www.minrelext.gov.co. That link is for the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. Click on Tramites and select the Solicitud de visa. It has the information of what you need where to go. I'm sorry to add more complications for you, but there isn't a good way to sugar-coat it. This is something that may take some patience and time. Right now, I have to start over in my process with the birth certificate and the singlness certificate. But I'm not about to stop.
you can also find the text for the Circular here:
http://www.poorbuthappy.com/colombia/node/5222
An idea of what I've been through so far:
http://www.poorbuthappy.com/colombia/node/5221

I'll try to help the best that I can. Also, if Anyone else reads this and has any corrections/comments to add, please do so.
I wish you the best of luck Lizzie.
Best regards,
Dan

God Bless America!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lauthra says on Nov 26, 2004, 11:14:

Apostille In the UK its the Foreigner and Commonwealth Office that deals with the apostille, you have to mail the document to them and then they mail it back to you all done. It takes aboout 10 days, and the office is in London. I'm sure its easy to find online.
Nato

Nato (='.'=)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Dan says on Nov 26, 2004, 14:16:

link I put the link above, here it is again:
www.fco.gov.uk

God Bless America!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Ebbs says on Nov 29, 2004, 07:08:

if you have the docs in the UK use the colombian embassy translators. the lady I used was very good, and just fax or scan and email the documents to her and tell her when you need it by. Get a reliable friend or relative to meet her with the original so she can sign the translation and get paid, take both to the FCO in london 5mins walk from trafalgar sq and you can get your apostille within the hr. I have found that it is best to go at about 1pm as the queues are shorter unless you can get there first thing in the morning. It cost £12 per document. I used this method and it worked great for me...I had literally lots of documents to get translated and apostilled. the lady i used for the translations is anabella.pellens at ntlworld.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.

lizzieboo says on Nov 29, 2004, 10:28:

Thanks, this is really helpful. I will get in touch with a friend in London to see if they can arrange all this for me.
In the mean time I guess I will have to look into getting another visa as the one I have isn`t valid to get married here anyway.
This info has been really useful though.
Cheers

Lizzie

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Dan says on Nov 29, 2004, 10:51:

best of luck to you.

God Bless America!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lionheart says on Nov 29, 2004, 11:32:

police criminal record From what I learned in this forum so far is that I can extend my stay in Colombia up to 6 months. As US and German citizen I need no visa. Within that time I plan to either marry and/or have a business set up. I understand I will need to leave Colombia and go to a Colombian Embassy for either visa. From all the document requirements I found on the Colombian Embassy's website I need the following document:

8. Police criminal records, issued within the last six months, translated into Spanish and both versions (English and Spanish) must be notarized and certified with an APOSTILLE from the secretary of state where it was issued. This certificate is required ONLY if you do not hold a current Colombian visa.

Since I plan to be in Colombia so long as tourist first, would I need a Colombian police criminal record?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Dan says on Nov 29, 2004, 12:59:

At a tourist, you would still need the police document as your not in the country with a normal visa. as a tourist, it's mainly a stamp that is put in your passport. If you had something else, for example, let's say you are in Colombia with a temporary spouse visa, if you wanted to work you would need to get a different visa. For the first visa, you would need the police certificate, so long as it is not expired, you should not need another one for the second. Same thing for the special marriage visa, if you are entering as a tourist, you would need the police certificate for a normal visa. The reason is that the normal visas allow you to perform a function such as work, live, marry etc. Tourist is just a visiter and as a tourist, you can not legally enter into contracts or conduct buisness.
I don't think you would need to leave the country, so long as you have the documents that you need. You should be able to go to the Office of Visas in Bogota.

God Bless America!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lionheart says on Nov 29, 2004, 14:26:

more problems in sight I plan to go to Colombia with my German Euro passport. So would I need a German police report instead of a US police report? How long do I have to live somewhere to get a police report? I read in another thread that a FBI background check is equivilant. Would that be valid for all USA? I have moved frequently in the USA and I would not know how the police would figure out anything, unless they search for federal search warrants. I am worried on how to explain Euro passport and US police report. Once I live in Colombia I will be traveling more to Europe than USA, hopefully with my future woman. My family lives in Europe.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Dan says on Nov 29, 2004, 16:59:

good question, personally I would recommend the German one since that is what you are traveling with. As far as FBI reports... I have no clue. I think the normal police checks are more "local" to within the state, I'm not too sure on that, I'm not entirely sure about how to get an FBI report. I remember reading somewhere on this site that a person said something about going to DAS, getting fingerprinted and in a few days have a fed report in hand.

It would seem the German one would me more appropriate as you are traveling with that type of passport. Plus, it would reduce your worries in the mean time.

God Bless America!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

cait says on Dec 12, 2004, 10:49:

colombian visas can be complicated - i know i have been here for several years (am married to a colombian)
i hear that
scisco at cable.net.co

can help - its a company of lawyers and official translators

0 funny, 0 helpful.

yonky says on Jun 7, 2005, 14:01:

Problems getting married in Colombia We have been told recently that in order for us to get married by a notary in any part of Colombia (my finance and I both live in England) we would need to have lived there for at least 6 months beforehand. Unfortunately we cannot get married in London as my fiance does not have any sort of visa. Any suggestions/comments would be really GREATLY appreciated as we are now really stuck.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on Jun 7, 2005, 15:07:

You are stuck only if you believe whatever nonsense anyone tells you. Plenty of posters on this site have gotten married in Colombia, including myself, without having spent much time there.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

lpdiver says on Jun 7, 2005, 15:50:

I arrived in Medellin for the first time on a friday and got married on a Saturday. I had intended to arrive on Wednesday; but, thanks to the combined efforts of Continental and Copa airlines my four hour flight took 51 hours.

Tony

"cook some rice!"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on Jun 7, 2005, 19:17:

Simply not true... Where do you people pick this stuff up????? As long as it is not a Catholic Church wedding and you have the required paperwork it's a snap.

Your best bet is to touch base with the Colombian Embassy in London.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

yonky says on Jun 8, 2005, 02:12:

Thanks for help Many thanks to you both; I feel a lot better now. Don't know why my fiance was told about the 6 month stay. Anyway, I will also contact the Colombian Embassy in London as advised to make sure I take all the right documents. It is such a long-winded affair!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Inti´illapha says on Jun 8, 2005, 06:40:

"....and you have the required paperwork it's a snap."
ya man, da paperwork can be a paper war. Make sure you've really got it all, remember time limits for certain certificates. You mess it up, you go home.

yonki..."we would need to have lived there for at least 6 months beforehand." That cant be because in that time some of your necessary docs would have expired and you would have to go back and get new ones.
Since 1st of Feb you can just go to Colombia on tourist visa and marry there. Make sure you got the required paperwork.

Inti
Rimini, Llagta, rimini may carupi causangapa; Mana quiquin Llagtashina cuyanguichu runataca.

Rimini, Llagta, rimini may carupi causangapa; Mana quiquin Llagtashina cuyanguichu runataca.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

La Soñadora says on Jun 8, 2005, 19:16:

Sorry I didn't translate this, I hope you can read this.

Ante Juez Civil Municipal : Puede ser el Juez Civil Municipal del domicilio de cualquiera de los contrayentes.
1.1.Documentos necesarios:

- Fotocopia auténtica de la cédula de ciudadanía o de extranjería, o del pasaporte, según sea el caso.
- Copia auténtica del registro civil de nacimiento de cada uno de los contrayentes, actualizada.
-- Solicitud verbal o escrita de los contrayentes manifestando su deseo de casarse. En dicha solicitud deberán expresar el nombre de sus padres, el domicilio de los mismos, los testigos que declararán sobre las cualidades necesarias de los novios para unirse en matrimonio y el domicilio de estos últimos.

Registro Civil de nacimiento de los contrayentes, con término de vigencia de 30 días para nacionales y 90 para extranjeros.

Llenar el Formulario para Contrayentes de Matrimonio Civil que se entrega en las notarías o juzgados.

Documentos exigidos excepcionalmente:

- Si se obtuvo la nulidad del primer matrimonio o una dispensa pontificia, se deben presentar copia auténtica del registro civil de matrimonio y/o nacimiento donde conste la sentencia o la dispensa, según sea el caso..
- Si se es viudo (a), copia auténtica del registro civil de matrimonio anterior y del registro civil de defunción del cónyuge.
- Si se es divorciado (a), copia auténtica del registro civil de matrimonio anterior con la anotación marginal del divorcio.
- Certificado de soltería si alguno de los contrayentes o ambos son extranjeros, no domiciliados en Colombia.

IMPEDIMENTOS

Menores de edad

Casados anteriormente sin disolución de la sociedad conyugal

Parentesco hasta el cuarto grado de consaguinidad

Incapacidad física o mental

Hope this helps, I am in the same boat and the embassy gave me the same information, so relax, it is really not that difficult anymore, well at least I hope...

0 funny, 0 helpful.

lpdiver says on Jun 10, 2005, 03:31:

Cheap peace of mind... In my case anyway was obtained by faxing all documents to the notaria ahead of time. She informed my wife that all was in order.Remember the notaria is the know all be all when it comes to your marriage. It is her decision whether all requirements are met. In some cases it seems the main requirement is money in others it goes much deeper. In my case they wanted the documents required but didn't scrutinize them excessively.

"Plane tickets and ability to stand and take your vows."

As I recall we took our vows seated. The plane tickets got me there; but it took 2.5 days.I wouldn't cut my schedule too close.

T

"cook some rice!"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on Jun 10, 2005, 08:19:

You're right, Tony. We were sitting at a desk while the notaria performed the "ceremony".

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

0 funny, 0 helpful.