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Visa Problems Just Came up...Need advise fast!

I have been married to a Colombian since 2004. We were married in December 2004 in Boulder, Colorado. Been back & forth to Bogota several times on a Visitor Visa with no problemos.

Now I want to retire and relocate permanently to Bogota on a Temporal-esposo Visa. The Colombian Consulate in San Fran just called and told me that we have to go to San Fran ASAP because our marriage is not recognized in Colombia since we were not married there. I knew this but was going to make the change when we got there.

What the heck is this? Anyway around it? Going to San Fran will cost me some dollars but will go if I have to. If I do…it is a pretty cheap crap on the part of Colombia.

By Rikito on May 21, 2007, 15:32 in Friendly Talkzone.

scotty says on May 21, 2007, 15:56:

I thought that marriage was marriage no matter where you live or travel. So are you saying if you marry a Colombiana in the states then you decide to live in Colombia instead of the states your marriage is not reconized by Colombia? why not? that seems strange to me, isnt marriage marriage regardless of where you live?

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

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vicshere says on May 21, 2007, 16:08:

Rikito
when you got married in 2004 you should have of had it registered at the Colombia consulate in SF....I would think that's what they want you to do first...register your marriage and they you can apply for the TE visa
listo

listo

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vicshere says on May 21, 2007, 16:10:

by the way in short time you will find out colombia is very anal when it comes to paper work

listo

listo

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Brians says on May 21, 2007, 18:26:

you have to register the marriage in a Colombian Consulate or get married in Colombia as well. Once you have a registered marriage you can apply at the COlosulate for your spousal visa. I would see if you could Fedex the marriage paperwork and register it via a notorized letter. The reason I say this is because you will also need to present yourself at the Consulate to get the spousal vias thus two trips (unless you can knock it out in one trip). Make sure you have everything and then it will be no problem. I did it through the NY Consulate and it was a piece of cake (after I figured out everything I needed).

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gato-bandido says on May 22, 2007, 06:52:

BS Colombia has signed and ratified the Hague Convention on Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, and it is in force in Colombia since January 2001 (see the status table).

So no need to register anything with the stupid consulate or any of the other BS. Just get your marriage certificate properly apostilled in Colorado. Then your marriage will be 100% legal in Colombia.

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Brians says on May 22, 2007, 07:08:

I don't know about that but you sound like you know more than me. I was married both in the US and Colombia and when we asked the Consulate they said they only recognize the Colombian and we had to bring a certified marriage certificate no older than I think 3 motnhs. Anyway was no problem as we had her mom pick one up and send it to us in the US but sometime what the Consulate wants and what they actually need are two different things. Therefore sometimes it is better to do what they ask. However I was not aware of the legisaltion.

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