Our process of getting married in Morocco

[abbi627 43]

Hey everyone. I know I had promised to give everyone an update and what the process was like

for us to get married here in Morocco. Been a little busy enjoying being here and enjoying married

life. I have been here since mid March and I am staying until the 29th of this month. I am not

happy about leaving but am so grateful to have had this wonderful time with my husband.

Anyway here is a breakdown of the process

It took us 29 days from the day I arrived until we signed the marriage contract

First thing we did was go the US embassy in Casablanca for Certificate of Nationality and

Eligibility to Marry and notarized copy of passport. I had an appointment. I dont know

if that is necessary but they did ask me before they let me in the embassy if I had

an appointment and also asked to see the printout confirmation of the appointment.

These documents cost 100 dollars. I was in and out in under half an hour. The hardest

part was the long 3 hour bus ride to Casa in a bus with no ac and no windows open.

That took some getting used to.

We went back to Casablanca on another day to get documents translated. We thought

we could take them in the morning and pick them up in the evening. We could not.

We had to come back another day. Looking back it would have been better to leave

the documents on the same day we went to the embassy but we did not. Live and learn

I guess.

Another trip to Casa to pick up the documents.

a five hour bus ride to Rabat. Then off to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was

raining hard and almost no one was waiting. We were in and out in a matter

of minutes. We had already purchased the stamp we needed before we went and

it was quick and easy. Then we went to the Ministry of Justice for my criminal

record check. This was about 10 in the morning. The took a copy of my

passport and birth certificate and told me to come back at 3 that afternoon.

Very quick and efficient. Just a very long day with the bus ride.

Then it was time to file with the court and the fun begins. We got married in a small

village and I think we were the first mixed marriage they had done. The first Judge

called us in for an investigation and he asked my husband tons of questions and I

have no idea what. He only asked me two questions and he did ask in English.

Was I Muslim? And what was the nationality of my ex husband? Then he told us to

check back on another day and when he finished his investigation he would give

us the paper to take to the police department for their investigation.

It took a few days to get that and then it was off to the police station. They were all

very nice and courteous but our interview took 2 days and a total of six hours

of questioning. I did not understand a word of it. At one point I guess I was

fidgeting because the officer asked my husband to ask me if I wanted to leave.

I wanted to say yes of course. But I did not. Then it was a wait for a few more

days to complete the investigation. During those days they would call my husband

on the phone and ask him more questions including questions about his siblings

and parents. Finally 5 days later I think we were able to pick up the papers

from the police.

I have to go for now. I will come back later and finish this. I hope this helps others.

I dont know if this is the norm or not but it is the way it was for us.

[abbi627 43]

Ok I am back. So after we picked up the packet from the police we went back to the court

to be investigated by Judge No. 2 who was a very unpleasant man who repeatedly asked my

husband why not marry a Moroccan woman and why did he want to go to the United States.

Then began the days of waiting which I now refer to as torture. In the process I got a kidney

stone. Small enough not to need surgery but if any of you have had them they HURT. So

day after day we go back only to be told by Judge No. 2 (I refer to him by a different name

but not one I will use here) to come back after lunch or come back at 4 and then the

famous come back tomorrow. The last time that happened we had sat all day and I was in

pain and at the end of the day we were told come back tomorrow. Not my finest moment

I know but I started crying and said he was never giving us permission and why bother coming

back. My ever patient husband went back and talked to him and came back with the permission!

It was late but we went straight to the adoul and he said there was not enough time so

come back in the morning. Ok I could handle that. We went back the next morning and after

talking to us awhile gave us another paper and to my horror I find we have to go to Judge No. 2

and get this paper signed. I was not exactly cheerful and optimistic and kept saying well thats

it we are never getting married. But to my happy shock and surprise we were in and out of the

courthouse with the Judges signature in about 5 minutes. Then back to the adoul to sign the

contract. And we are married!

It was a tough process but we made it and I am so happy right now. I really saw how calm

and patient my husband really is. And I guess he saw how calm and patient I am NOT.

I envy those of you who were able to do this in a few days or a week or two. But the important

thing is we did it. And we were together every day during this process and we had a lot to deal

with and I think it has made our relationship stronger.

Anyway that is our story. Not sure if it is typical or not but I hope it may help others and please

feel free to ask me anything. You guys have helped me so much and I hope I can help someone

else.

[RFQ 110]

I have been wondering how your trip was going. That is some sort of fantastic process there! Congrats on your marriage. How was the plane ride for you?

[Ismael&Blair 66]

a five hour bus ride to Rabat.

We took the train from Rabat to Casablanca. I cannot imagine being on a bus for 5 hours! Glad to hear you made it!

But WOW! I am surprised that you had a long interview process for two days. I guess I was really lucky with my interview at the police station. The interview was only 1 day and it lasted like 30 minutes. But we did have to go back a second time when we initially arrived there, they told us to come back later in the same day to have the 30 minute interview. Also, when we went to the judge who interviewed us, he was nice. But I am glad that you and your husband are finally married.

I was also wondering about you. I wish you the best. I'll be heading to Morocco next month for the summer! My husband is very close to the stage of getting an interview. We are almost done with the NVC part. Just a little bump in the road with a checklist item. But I am so excited to see my hubby! Keep in touch Abbi!

[abbi627 43]

Thanks for the replies. Yes it was quite the process. It was an eye opener for me to

discover something about myself. I always thought I had tons of patience. Not true.

I felt like I was on a rollercoaster. Excited then happy then sad then angry then frustrated usually

all on the same day. Oh I grew to hate the words COME BACK TOMORROW. But we made

it and that is the important thing. And I love it here so much. We are very much in the

country. We were married in a small village. I feel incredibly sad right now about leaving

but it is almost time to go back and file that I130 petition and get this process under way.

You asked about my plane ride. It sucked plain and simple. Turbulence and more turbulence.

The seatbelt light was on pretty much the whole trip. I gripped the armrests for the whole ride

convinced I was about to die. Remember I am terrified of flying LOL. But I landed safe and sound.

Now on my way back I have an 18 hour layover in Spain. Not sure what I will do for that long.

That is going to be one long and boring and miserable night I think.

To Ismael&Blair congrats on your upcoming trip to Morocco. I hope you have a wonderful

time with your husband and I hope you get through this process soon. I hope that for all

of us.

On a completely unrelated note can I smack the next person that asks why does he not

just come back with you? He could if he really wanted to. Sigh.......

[Crossed_fingers 128]

Congratulations on your marriage! I'm sorry to hear people are making that comment about him coming home with you, it doesn't exactly help that most people who haven't gone through the immigration process themselves know so little about it.

I think the interviews may vary by region or maybe by the individual judges and police officers. I was dreading those phases of the process because I had read horror stories about women being humiliated by pregnancy tests, couples accused of fraud, couples repeatedly being asked why they want to marry each other, why not Moroccans, hours of questioning, etc....we weren't interviewed at all, in the Rabat area. I am an attorney, and the judges in Morocco confirmed that and said in English, "Welcome to Morocco." The only thing I remember the police officer asking us was when the wedding was and whether he was invited. We weren't in the room with police or the judges even two minutes, just long enough to greet us, wish us a happy marriage with lots of children, and that was it. The judge signed everything right away, and the police were the slowest part of our process by a few days. It was still a ton of running around for us, but I just figured that was my way of getting fit before the wedding without bridal boot camp!

[Golden Gate 530]

Do you think if you gave judge #2 more money from the beginning he wouldn't have made you come back so many times?

[Happytobe 164]

YAY, Abbi!!!!! I've been wondering how things went. I'm so glad that you had the time to complete everything; just sorry that I know how hard it is to come home. The thing that got me through, and still gets me through, is knowing that sooner or later, we will be under the same roof. You've definitely had an exciting trip! The 18 hour layover in a foreign country would kill me.... but I know, one has to do what one has to do.

And I know what you mean about people asking why he doesn't come back with you. I still hear that question. And you will be asked more times than you can count "When is he coming?" And, you have to find a short, sweet way, to remind people what has to happen with the government to make that happen..... Everytime I update my family and friends about where we are in the process, that is the first question everyone asks.

Have a safe trip back! (and drink some Hawai for me)

[abbi627 43]

Thanks HappyToBe. It has been an amazing time for me and I hate to see it end but I try

to look at it as a beginning and not an ending. The beginning of the time when we are finally

together for good. But even knowing that......leaving feels awful.

Ahh yes Hawai....the new addiction of mine. That stuff tastes so good!

I just looked back at my post and saw that I left the medical exam out. That was super

easy as the doctor simply listened to my heart and asked my husband if i had any diseases.

I also just thought of something else. We had such a hard time getting the Adoul to understand why my

birth certificate and passport had different last names. Even showing my marriage and divorce

certificate he did not understand and kept using my maiden name in the marriage contract. Took a

very long time to get him to understand.

[Cathi 5,755]

Thanks for the replies. Yes it was quite the process. It was an eye opener for me to

discover something about myself. I always thought I had tons of patience. Not true.

I felt like I was on a rollercoaster. Excited then happy then sad then angry then frustrated usually

all on the same day. Oh I grew to hate the words COME BACK TOMORROW. But we made

it and that is the important thing. And I love it here so much. We are very much in the

country. We were married in a small village. I feel incredibly sad right now about leaving

but it is almost time to go back and file that I130 petition and get this process under way.

You asked about my plane ride. It sucked plain and simple. Turbulence and more turbulence.

The seatbelt light was on pretty much the whole trip. I gripped the armrests for the whole ride

convinced I was about to die. Remember I am terrified of flying LOL. But I landed safe and sound.

Now on my way back I have an 18 hour layover in Spain. Not sure what I will do for that long.

That is going to be one long and boring and miserable night I think.

To Ismael&Blair congrats on your upcoming trip to Morocco. I hope you have a wonderful

time with your husband and I hope you get through this process soon. I hope that for all

of us.

On a completely unrelated note can I smack the next person that asks why does he not

just come back with you? He could if he really wanted to. Sigh.......

I remember that roller coaster ride as though it were yesterday. In Jordan they make it difficult for US women to get married there as well. It was like the judge was making stuff up as we went along just to see if we would finally give up. Just when we thought we had everything we needed, we would go back and he would so no, we need "insert said document or stamp here". I swear if he told us we needed one more stamp I was going to go postal. I even asked the judge at one point if he could simply write down the entire list of documents and stamps we needed so we wouldn't have to keep coming back a million times. He just look at me with loathing in is eyes and never gave me a list...lol. Ahhhhhhh the good ole days. We laugh about it now

[Sarah Elle-Même 660]

Hey Abbi - Wow congrats on your nuptials!! I have to admit that one of the reasons my fiance and I decided to get married here in the US is because we heard such nightmarish stories from foreigners marrying locals in Yemen. Especially if the foreigner isn't Muslim. Yes this was a test of wits and patience for you, but you've passed and gotten it done! Now you can look forward to the next hurdle - the I-130! Hoping that goes smoothly. Wishing you all the best

[abbi627 43]

Yes Mimolicious we have already started to be able to laugh about our adventures in getting married.

Maybe I should write a book entitled HOW TO GET MARRIED IN MOROCCO WHILE TRYING TO

PASS A KIDNEY STONE. lol It was not an easy process but we came through being even stronger in our relationship and besides......the marriage process was probably a breeze compared to the visa

process. But it is time to file and get the next part of our journey started.

It is quite hard for me to leave here. I am sure you have all been through it numerous times. I am

leaving not only my husband but his parents and siblings and they have become my family too.

He is on a farm and I am even going to miss the darn chickens cows and sheep. I leave next

Wednesday the 29th and then I have the joy of an 18 hour overnight layover in Madrid and I will

be spending that night in the airport. Talk about fun.....saying goodbye and leaving Morocco and then

being stuck in the airport all night.

Oh and about the judge I know EXACTLY what he wanted. He was not exactly subtle abou it.