HELP! Colombia: Had Religious Wedding; Need Civil Document

[100JH 129]

Hi...Need some real quick help here.

My wife and I got married in the Catholic church on August 31, 2013 in a small town in Magdalena. We have the religous documents from the Catholic church and everything was totally legal in that regard. Our immigration lawyer said we need the civil registration. The Priest said he does not do the registration, nor does the church. That we must go to the notary and have the church documents (probably as well as a few more documents), and register the wedding on the civil books. I am also being told we must have a civil wedding as well (which is a bit more complicated). Our I-130 case was transferred to the NVC over two weeks ago! I have all of the paperwork and documentation with our lawyer now, except this one document.

Does anyone know what the "real deal" is in regards to registering Colombian Catholic marriages with the Colombian civil authorities? What do I need to do? What docs do I need? I am planning on bringing my recent birth certificate, divorce certificate, letters from the Priest, Vicar and Bishop, her Colombian docs, and letters from my Mother, Son, Daughter and best friend (some who attended the wedding). All American docs will be less than 90 days old and will be Apostilled.

It is 6/1 and I am flying on 6/12 to go see her and try to get this resolved so I can get the civil document for my return to send to the NVC!

I have read a number of different things. Her uncle is talking with the towns notary to get his specific requirements, which is really all we need. I am just trying to get some guidance from anyone who has been from the US and got married in the church, in Colombia, recently!

Thanks a lot in advance!

Edited June 1, 2014 by 100JH

[100JH 129]

No info?

[Mononoke28 135]

Hi...Need some real quick help here.

My wife and I got married in the Catholic church on August 31, 2013 in a small town in Magdalena. We have the religous documents from the Catholic church and everything was totally legal in that regard. Our immigration lawyer said we need the civil registration. The Priest said he does not do the registration, nor does the church. That we must go to the notary and have the church documents (probably as well as a few more documents), and register the wedding on the civil books. I am also being told we must have a civil wedding as well (which is a bit more complicated). Our I-130 case was transferred to the NVC over two weeks ago! I have all of the paperwork and documentation with our lawyer now, except this one document.

Does anyone know what the "real deal" is in regards to registering Colombian Catholic marriages with the Colombian civil authorities? What do I need to do? What docs do I need? I am planning on bringing my recent birth certificate, divorce certificate, letters from the Priest, Vicar and Bishop, her Colombian docs, and letters from my Mother, Son, Daughter and best friend (some who attended the wedding). All American docs will be less than 90 days old and will be Apostilled.

It is 6/1 and I am flying on 6/12 to go see her and try to get this resolved so I can get the civil document for my return to send to the NVC!

I have read a number of different things. Her uncle is talking with the towns notary to get his specific requirements, which is really all we need. I am just trying to get some guidance from anyone who has been from the US and got married in the church, in Colombia, recently!

Thanks a lot in advance!

After reading this I cannot believe that no one told either one of you that your marriage had to be registered with a notary after the Catholic wedding. I'm speechless. The reason for this is because the Catholic Church is not a government and therefore their laws are not recognized by any type of government. Currently, you are indeed married in the eyes of the Catholic Church but as far as the Colombian government and the US government are concerned, you are not legally married. Whatever paperwork you received from the church is not legal, the only legal document should be your Registro Civil de Matrimonio (marriage certificate) which is given to you by the notary. So you have GOT to get your marriage registered at a notary ASAP. Now, I don't know what dates they will use on your marriage certificate but hopefully they will show as 8/31/13 or the NVC will say your marriage petition is not valid because that will mean that you were not legally married when you sent the USCIS the I-130 form. If they do show your marriage certificate as 8/31/13, then you have nothing to worry about.

Another thing that puzzles me is why did your lawyer send the I-130 to the USCIS without your actual marriage certificate and why did the USCIS approve it without it? They should have sent you an RFE requesting it before they sent it to the NVC.

Diana

[Colombo123 5]

Yes, you need to register your catholic marriage to any notary (Notaria in the city where you got married)

We also got married in a Catholic Church and my wife went to the "La Notaria" to register our marriage. Then she got a civil marriage certificate

I sent both documents translated in English to USCIS and we got our NOA2

I also collecting documents to send to NVC. Does anyone know if we need to translate our documents into English (IV Package)

[100JH 129]

Well I have all of the paperwork, ready, translated, notarized and apostilled plus the papers from the church. Her uncle is friends with the notary, and it's a very small town. Wish me luck. I won't say anymore until I return. I will be there on 12 June and in the town a week later.

Thanks for the confirmation....yea you are right, I am also floored...but I had no clue and no one told us.

Edited June 3, 2014 by 100JH

[Mononoke28 135]

Well I have all of the paperwork, ready, translated, notarized and apostilled plus the papers from the church. Her uncle is friends with the notary, and it's a very small town. Wish me luck. I won't say anymore until I return. I will be there on 12 June and in the town a week later.

Thanks for the confirmation....yea you are right, I am also floored...but I had no clue and no one told us.

Good luck! Not your fault at all, no one told either one of you and you had no clue. The church employees should have told you this information in the first place. Keep us posted.

Diana

[Mononoke28 135]

Yes, you need to register your catholic marriage to any notary (Notaria in the city where you got married)

We also got married in a Catholic Church and my wife went to the "La Notaria" to register our marriage. Then she got a civil marriage certificate

I sent both documents translated in English to USCIS and we got our NOA2

I also collecting documents to send to NVC. Does anyone know if we need to translate our documents into English (IV Package)

Yes, all documents not written in English need to have their own translation. They don't need an apostille and anyone fluent in both languages can translate and certify the translation.

Here's more info:

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/submit/documents-to-submit-to-nvc.html

Colombia List of Civil Documents:

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/fees/reciprocity-by-country/CO.html

Diana

[Mononoke28 135]

Yes, all documents not written in English need to have their own translation. They don't need an apostille and anyone fluent in both languages can translate and certify the translation.

Here's more info:

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/submit/documents-to-submit-to-nvc.html

Colombia List of Civil Documents:

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/fees/reciprocity-by-country/CO.html

Diana

**Correction**. All documents sent to the USCIS need to be translated, documents sent to the NVC need to be in English or in the language spoken at the embassy where the beneficiary will have his/her interview.

Diana

[NickD 202]

" I am planning on bringing my recent birth certificate, divorce certificate, letters from the Priest, Vicar and Bishop, her Colombian docs, and letters from my Mother, Son, Daughter and best friend (some who attended the wedding)."

Wondering how you managed to get married in a Catholic church with a divorce certificate? Either has to be annulled by the church, lots of time and $$$$$, or there is the Pauline privilege.

Wife was married in Bogota by left for Venezuela, at 18 knew nothing about the fact her marriage was supposed to be registered in the state. But did have their marriage registered in Venezuela. For twenty five years, and even married to me, in the US going to Colombia for her with a Venezuelan passport either from Venezuela or the US was never a problem for her. And in her Venezuelan passport, does say born in Bogota, Colombia. We traveled together several times during her green card days, and never had a problem.

But they would not admit her with her US passport, that also said she was born in Colombia, but we talked them into admitting her as this is the only way she could apply for a Colombian passport. Instead of having a relaxing vacation, spent a couple of weeks chasing all over Bogota. Her mom had all of her papers, wouldn't accept the originals so had to lay out 500 bucks to get state copies. They do love US dollars. This is when she learned her marriage was never registered and therefore was not legally married in Colombia. That piece of paper she had for a marriage certificate was chickened scratched by some young priest, loaded with errors, but never was registered.

As far as they were concerned, meaning the state, she was never married, therefor would only update her ID card and issue a Colombian passport in her maiden name. Maybe this is good for us. But instead of visiting as man and wife, traveling with my girlfriend, actually more fun this way, LOL. But her mom makes us sleep in different bedrooms, another LOL.

They won't let her leave Bogota with her US passport, because it still says born in Colombia in it, And can't leave with her Colombian passport because it doesn't have a US visa in it. So has to show both, but easy for her to explain, her photo is the same in both of them.

Her niece recently got married to a US citizen, but hearing about our problems, got married in the US, came here on a K1, and no way to get married in the church within 90 days, so got married by the judge here. Now she is having her marriage blessed in the Church practically a year later.

Wife and I elected to get married by a federal judge, USCIS won't dare question a federal judge, so no problems with this. Could be quiet, but never met such a corrupt Catholic Church such as in Colombia. Was under the strange impression that Catholic meant universal. Even the Vatican ignores them.

[100JH 129]

Forgot to follow up. Got there with all of my paperwork, everything officially translated, everything officially notarized and everything officially apostilled. Not a problem. Took a few days but we got it done. Had to pay a few extra pesos to get the "dates correct" where we needed them, but that wasn't an issue.

Yes, when I got married in the Catholic Church I have my official divorce certificate and other docs. That marriage was not in the Catholic church so the annulment wasn't an issue. The Priest told me no in the morning. I went back and talked to him alone in the afternoon. Using my heavy Italian accent, and many Italian words, mixed in with Spanish? As well as a gift for 12 families in the community? I also told him I had called a very good friend of mine who was friends with the Bishops in NYC and DC, they said they wanted to discuss this matter with him. Between all of that? He was happy to marry us. No in the morning, but yes in the afternoon. Now he is the Bishop in that area and he is always happy to see me when I travel to this remote location. Quite a story!

[Mononoke28 135]

Forgot to follow up. Got there with all of my paperwork, everything officially translated, everything officially notarized and everything officially apostilled. Not a problem. Took a few days but we got it done. Had to pay a few extra pesos to get the "dates correct" where we needed them, but that wasn't an issue.

Yes, when I got married in the Catholic Church I have my official divorce certificate and other docs. That marriage was not in the Catholic church so the annulment wasn't an issue. The Priest told me no in the morning. I went back and talked to him alone in the afternoon. Using my heavy Italian accent, and many Italian words, mixed in with Spanish? As well as a gift for 12 families in the community? I also told him I had called a very good friend of mine who was friends with the Bishops in NYC and DC, they said they wanted to discuss this matter with him. Between all of that? He was happy to marry us. No in the morning, but yes in the afternoon. Now he is the Bishop in that area and he is always happy to see me when I travel to this remote location. Quite a story!

I'm glad it all worked out! Nothing a few "kind" words and a couple of pesos can't change.

Diana