Marrying in Ethiopia

[Leeatomsa 0]

Currently I'm in New York but once he's here we will go back to Nevada or to Florida. He/we want to be near a Ethiopian orthodox church and community. Las Vegas has one I lived there before and was a member of the church I also got baptized too (Tsige Hana), or Jacksonville Florida has a few churches. 

[Whatever?? 4]

Ok good, we have a few here in Atlanta also. We are considering moving to Minneapolis I

[Leeatomsa 0]

I don't think he will be able to do the winters here. 

[Whatever?? 4]

That's true it was hard for me to adjust when I moved from Ethiopia to Minneapolis

[Leeatomsa 0]

Go to Las Vegas you all will love it there. I've never been to Florida but my friend does and she loves it in Jacksonville. I'll go visit and see how the job market is down there. 

[Whatever?? 4]

I will have to visit someday. I lived in Orlando for a few years, I loved the winters. Summers are extremely hot. Jacksonville is nice, my job had me training there for a few months.

[Leeatomsa 0]

I think he would like either Nevada or Florida. But this snow when it comes I truly don't think he will ever like it, if things do take a year he will be coming when it starts to get cold outside. But thank you again for all the information and I spoke with him he's going to kebele administration to find out what we will need to do, I hope he's able to go within the next week or two.

[Whatever?? 4]

You're welcome and I really pray that neither of us has to wait a year. If you ever have a question let me know, I will try to help you.

[Leeatomsa 0]

Thank you and I'll definitely have questions along the way. I've printed out all the paperwork that's needed for the first part of the petition. I've started to fill it out already. I want to have our petition in the by before November 1st, that gives me two weeks to get my name change done and change my drivers license. Then the long crazy waiting period until the case is sent to the NVC. I have my checklist from off of here so there's no issues. I will have a question about taxes come January since I'll be married not sure how to file since he isn't here. But I'll cross that bridge when I get there, for now it's getting married and I'm praying they have exceptions to thay new policy of their. 

[Whatever?? 4]

You're welcome. I was not able to claim my wife on my taxes. I'm so ready for her to be here, I'm always looks at different timelines.

[Leeatomsa 0]

 Does this sound right? Or is it a longer process then what they're saying?

 

Dear Madame:

 

This is in response to your email dated 07/14/2017, requesting information on U.S. citizens marrying Ethiopians.

 

U.S. citizens marrying Ethiopians are required by the Ethiopian Government to submit a free-to-marry affidavit to the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa can assist you in creating the affidavit.  The cost for this service is $50.00 (or equivalent in ETB), which is the standard notarial service fee.

 

To begin the process, you must make an appointment with the ACS unit at https://evisaforms.state.gov/Instructions/ACSSchedulingSystem.asp.  If you were previously married, you must bring your divorce decree to your appointment. Optionally, you may bring a written statement of facts attesting that you are legally free to marry.  If you do not already have a written statement, you will be asked to complete a form containing all relevant information. You will then appear in front of a Consular Officer to swear that all information found in your written statement or form is true and correct. The affidavit will be provided to you at this time.

 

The affidavit must be submitted to the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for authentication. Please note that Ministry of Foreign Affairs will charge a fee for authentication.  Please contact the Ministry directly for more information about their fee structure. The authenticated affidavit can then be submitted to the Addis Ababa Municipal Office at which time you will be issued a marriage certificate.

 

If you have any further questions, please contact us at AddisACS@state.gov.

 

Sincerely,

 

American Citizen Services |U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa

* AddisACS@state.gov |http://ethiopia.usembassy.gov

 

 

 

From: Jennifer Cherry [mailto:jenniferleecherry@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, July 14, 2017 10:16 PM
To: ACS, Addis
Subject: Marriage requirements

 

Good morning my name's Jennifer Cherry I am sending this email to find out what the laws are to get married in Ethiopia. My fiance lives in Dire Dawa and I am coming for a month so that we can get married. I am being told by others that we have to wait three months. Are there any exceptions to this, since we have never been married. I know I have to make an appointment to get a letter from there stating that I am free to marry, and he too is able to get that from Dire Dawa. I will be getting to Addis Ababa September 18th and leaving October 17th, what other things do we need to do to ensure we are married when I come. 

Official 

UNCLASSIFIED

 

[Whatever?? 4]

That's exactly the way it works. 

[Leeatomsa 0]

So what's the 3 month wait for? If it's this easy I can get the first part done in a day and go the next day to get the marriage certificate and get married. Is there a justice of peace there where you can get married like here in America? I'm sorry for all the questions, I just want a clear picture of things when I go.

[Whatever?? 4]

There is no wait. The foreign affairs office handles the marriage license and everything. You just take 4 witnesses

[Leeatomsa 0]

Okay so do the embassy one day and then the next day we all go to the foreign affairs office to have then authenticate our documents and then they'll perform the marriage? 

Wow this isn't hard at all! So glad I listed to a VJ member who told me to get back on here . Very helpful! Thank you again