US citizen trying to marry a Colombian needs help !

11POSTS

7 years ago

Hello everyone, sorry if this has been brought up before, I searched to avail.
I just returned from Cali yesterday where I was spending time with my fianc茅, so I have a question about paperwork and forms required to marry her.

As follows:
Birth Certificate. If born outside of Colombia, applicant must obtain a certified copy of his/her birth certificate issued within three months prior to the wedding. This document must be certified with an APOSTILLE from the Secretary of State of the state where it was issued.

Here is the question; I鈥檓 a US citizen but I was not born in the USA, I was born in Guatemala, I can get a Birth Certificate from Guatemala, but do I have to get it Apostilled ?
Can I get a foreign document apostilled in the States ?

鈥淐ertificado de Solteria鈥�: The foreigner must present a written statement, executed by two family members or close friends who have known him/her for more than ten years, stating that he/she is not married at the moment, This document must be notarized by a Notary Public in the city of issuance, and certified with an APOSTILLE from the Secretary of State of the state where it was issued.

I can easily get this.

Divorce decree. If the foreigner had previously been married, a certified copy by the court of the divorce decree must be presented. This document must be certified with an APOSTILLE from the Secretary of State of the state where it was issued.聽 Or, of the foreigner is widowed, a certified death certificate of the deceased spouse, with an APOSTILLE from the Secretary of State, where the death certificate was issued.

I can easily get this too.

You will need to have these documents translated into Spanish by a certified translator in Colombia as well.聽 Also, as I understand it, the issue date on the documents isn't so important as the date of the APOSTILLE, which must be dated no more than three months prior to the marriage.

This is also not a problem.

The important question is about my birth certificate.
Thanks in advance to everyone that helps me out !

1 member reacted to this post

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OsageArcher Colombia Expert

1660POSTS

7 years ago

You may not need all these links, but I supply them just in case.

It's possible you may be able to apply for, and get on-line, your birth certificate from Guatemala via RENAP (Registro Nacional de las Personas):

Government pages:

Another page:

Page for the Embassy of Guatemala in the US where they may be able to answer questions:

Page for the Embassy of Colombia in the US where they may be able to answer questions:

And a question for you:聽 Have you considered bringing your fianc茅e to the US and marrying her there?聽 Not nearly as many hoops to jump through that way.

1 member reacted to this post

HyperFreak Member

11POSTS

7 years ago

OsageArcher wrote:
You may not need all these links, but I supply them just in case.

It's possible you may be able to apply for, and get on-line, your birth certificate from Guatemala via RENAP (Registro Nacional de las Personas):

And a question for you:聽 Have you considered bringing your fianc茅e to the US and marrying her there?聽 Not nearly as many hoops to jump through that way.

Thank you for your reply and the links !
I called the Guatemalan consulate in Bogot谩 and was told to obtain a birth Certificate in Guatemala in RENAP, have it legalized at the same location, once that is done, to take it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Guatemala to have it Apostille there, hopefully it鈥檚 a simple process.
As far as bringing my fianc茅e to the US, I rather do that in the future, I would like marry her in Colombia and live in Colombia with her for at least ten months or so, she has a two daughters, a 14 and a 17 year old, so it鈥檚 a little more complicated.
I hope we can get this marriage done without any problems or many delays due to more documents asked by the notario.

HyperFreak Member

11POSTS

7 years ago

And are there any more documents I need to bring besides the Birth Certificate, divorce decree, passport and translations ?
Also, does the copy of my passport need to be Apostille ?

OsageArcher Colombia Expert

1660POSTS

7 years ago

I got married in Bogot谩 in a church wedding in 1996, but I don't remember all the details - if you marry in a Catholic ceremony you need the Church approval and some other documents.聽 For all your questions it'd be best to get the info from the approving authorities to make sure there are no surprises.

Do a search for
colombia matrimonio con extranjero

...and there are a number of good links that show up with lots of info.

This article in Spanish summarizes it nicely:

HyperFreak Member

11POSTS

7 years ago

I have two more questions for those of you who know ;

* The Notario is asking for a document proving that I renounced my Guatemalan citizenship when I became a US citizen, where do
I get this document or certificate ??

My other question is regarding all the paperwork being brought to the notario when I鈥檓 not present ;
* Where do I get the 鈥淧ower of attorney 鈥� for my fianc茅e聽 ?
Does it have to be done at a Colombian consulate here in the states in order to be valid for the Notario ?

OsageArcher Colombia Expert

1660POSTS

7 years ago

Your case seems to be complicated beyond the ordinary for a US Citizen marrying a Colombian.聽 But I would look for another notario.聽 I think you're being made to jump through hoops for no good, or no legal, reason.

The article whose link I posted earlier, above, lists no such requirements as your notario is demanding, for either a church marriage or a civil marriage.

You are a US Citizen, period.聽 There is no official requirement that I know of that a Colombian notario can demand that you show you renounced citizenship, or not, of another country - you are not trying to become a Colombian citizen, you are just marrying one.

When I got married in a Catholic church wedding in Bogot谩, there was never any demand or need for a power of attorney for my future wife - again, I doubt there is any official requirement for this unless there are some other details we do not know.

HyperFreak Member

11POSTS

7 years ago

Thanks for all your replies !
I鈥檓 in the states so my fianc茅e will check with other notarios, I really don鈥檛 know why Colombia requires so many documents .

OsageArcher Colombia Expert

1660POSTS

7 years ago

The article whose link I posted:

...as far as I know is up-to-date as far as what's required.聽 The requirements are not onerous - and do not include several of the steps your notario seems to want.

If you re not familiar with the notario system in Colombia, you should know that notaries play a much larger role there than they do in the USA - and they are controlled by the government.聽 You can't just set up as a notary because you want to.聽 Because of the way Colombia works, they are in effect government officials for many processes. Here is an article that helps explain some of their powers, and also lists the documents the author was required to produce for his marriage:

But not all notaries are equal, and being almost a law unto themselves, each can set their own requirements for many things as to what they require and accept and what they will not.聽 So it may be worthwhile to go "notary shopping" to expedite your marriage.

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HyperFreak Member

11POSTS

7 years ago

#10

Ok so we found another Notar铆a which makes things a bit easier since they don鈥檛 ask for too many documents.
The only thing I鈥檓 having trouble with, is the certificado de 蝉辞濒迟别谤铆补,
I went to my bank and asked the notary about this document but he says I need to have an actual form to fill out. Can anyone help me with this, maybe showing me a sample of this form ?
Or how did you present this document in Colombia ?

OsageArcher Colombia Expert

1660POSTS

7 years ago

#11

Here on this official Colombia government page it says you may solicit a 诲别肠濒补谤补肠颈贸苍 de 蝉辞濒迟别谤铆补, at any Consulate, by presenting two witnesses who will swear to your 蝉辞濒迟别谤铆补.聽 The witnesses must identify themselves with a 肠茅诲耻濒补 or a current passport:

And here on this US Embassy in Colombia page, it explains (in Spanish) how you may get the US Embassy in Bogot谩 or the US Consulate in Barranquilla to give you such a 诲别肠濒补谤补肠颈贸苍:

Click on the link
Declaraci贸n Juramentada de Solter铆a "Affidavit of Single Status" / Matrimonios
...about halfway down the page.

HyperFreak Member

11POSTS

7 years ago

#12

The problem is that I'm currently in the US and it's my understanding that I have to get this Certificado de Solter铆a here in the US, I've looked for samples of such but I'm unable to find any, the only thing I can find is a Single Status Affidavit form, like this
So my question is if this would be acceptable in Colombia聽 ?
Thanks for all the help !!

OsageArcher Colombia Expert

1660POSTS

7 years ago

#13

I could be wrong but I think your understanding that you have to get the certificate in the US is mistaken - for one thing, there is no such document official or unofficial in our national life that I've ever heard of or seen.

As far as the affidavit form you found being acceptable in Colombia, I simply do not know.聽 I do know that when I got married in a Catholic church wedding in Bogot谩 way back when, the 诲别肠濒补谤补肠颈贸苍 de 蝉辞濒迟别谤铆补 I presented was from Colombia, not from the US.

Further, since it is not a form we in the US use, that is exactly why the US Embassy in Bogot谩 and the US Consulate in Barranquilla offer the service to notarize a form which they provide, declaring bachelorhood there in Colombia.聽 The form has official status and is accepted because it's done by US government officials in Colombia.

There was a reason I asked in my first reply, if you had considered just getting married in the USA, pointing out how much easier it all would be.聽 Perhaps you are starting to understand why?

Quechimba Banned

338POSTS

7 years ago

#14

Another option us go to a Carribean Island, Panam谩, Ecuador, get married there and registered in the Colombian consulte in that country.

Question is why do you want to get married in the first place? I hope its not her pressuring you. The Colombians dont do it now always.聽 Just live common law like a Colombian would do.

And for gods sake dont buy any property or business or have a large amount of money in a bank account in Colombia.

Keep your money out of the country.

Quechimba Banned

338POSTS

7 years ago

#15

Hope you arent planning to import her to the US.

Well its your choice buddy good luck.

post Contributor

161POSTS

7 years ago

#16

HyperFreak wrote:
Hello everyone, sorry if this has been brought up before, I searched to avail.
I just returned from Cali yesterday where I was spending time with my fianc茅, so I have a question about paperwork and forms required to marry her.

As follows:
Birth Certificate. If born outside of Colombia, applicant must obtain a certified copy of his/her birth certificate issued within three months prior to the wedding. This document must be certified with an APOSTILLE from the Secretary of State of the state where it was issued.

Here is the question; I鈥檓 a US citizen but I was not born in the USA, I was born in Guatemala, I can get a Birth Certificate from Guatemala, but do I have to get it Apostilled ?
Can I get a foreign document apostilled in the States ?

鈥淐ertificado de Solteria鈥�: The foreigner must present a written statement, executed by two family members or close friends who have known him/her for more than ten years, stating that he/she is not married at the moment, This document must be notarized by a Notary Public in the city of issuance, and certified with an APOSTILLE from the Secretary of State of the state where it was issued.

I can easily get this.

Divorce decree. If the foreigner had previously been married, a certified copy by the court of the divorce decree must be presented. This document must be certified with an APOSTILLE from the Secretary of State of the state where it was issued.聽 Or, of the foreigner is widowed, a certified death certificate of the deceased spouse, with an APOSTILLE from the Secretary of State, where the death certificate was issued.

I can easily get this too.

You will need to have these documents translated into Spanish by a certified translator in Colombia as well.聽 Also, as I understand it, the issue date on the documents isn't so important as the date of the APOSTILLE, which must be dated no more than three months prior to the marriage.

This is also not a problem.

The important question is about my birth certificate.
Thanks in advance to everyone that helps me out !

If one was born in the USA, does he/she needs to get his/her birth certificate professionally translated into Spanish and then get the translation document apostilled before it can be used in Colombia?

OsageArcher Colombia Expert

1660POSTS

7 years ago

#17

post wrote:
If one was born in the USA, does he/she needs to get his/her birth certificate professionally translated into Spanish and then get the translation document apostilled before it can be used in Colombia?

Yes.聽 This has already been explained by several of the links I posted previously.

1 member reacted to this post

HyperFreak Member

11POSTS

7 years ago

#18

Thanks for your help guys.

HyperFreak Member

11POSTS

7 years ago

#19

Everything is coming along now, I just have to get my documents translated but Jesus Christ are they expensive,聽 my divorce decree is 26 pages long plus the other documents are 5 more pages to translated, the cheapest place I found wants over 2.6 million pesos.
Can anyone recommend a certified place in bogota or Cali to translate, something that is not outrageously expensive ?
Thanks in advance.

awanyc Member

17POSTS

7 years ago

#20

How do I apostille my birth certificate if I鈥檓 not currently in the US?

OsageArcher Colombia Expert

1660POSTS

7 years ago

#21

awanyc wrote:
How do I apostille my birth certificate if I鈥檓 not currently in the US?

Per the US Embassy in Colombia's web page:

"For instructions on how to authenticate/apostille a U.S. document for use in Colombia, please see the website of the U.S. entity that issued the document (for instance, for birth certificates, see the Vital Records or Secretary of State office for the state where the birth certificate was issued).聽 A list of these entities can be found here."

And "here" is this link:

You will have to contact the appropriate authority (most have a website listed) in the list and ask them how to get your birth certificate apostilled.聽 Per what it says at the bottom of the page, fees may range from $3 to $20.

JeanneGoes2Colombia Member

2POSTS

6 years ago

#22

Hello,

I went through the same issue for my situation, since I went to Colombia to get married. They requested my Birth Certificate from New York and the single status paper to be apostilled. It was quite challenging at first, but I didn't want to deal with the government offices while doing this process. I googled around and decided to use National Apostille, Inc聽 , and they basically expedited all this for me. There number is 800-903-2470 for those of you that still need this done. Eventually I was able to get married, before all the COVID19 restrictions took place. Best of luck

CanadaDoug Contributor

156POSTS

6 years ago

#23

The important issue here is that your recently re-issued birth certificate is "apostilled". That would likely be an "apostile stamped" recently re-issued certificate from Guatemala (your country of birth).
It's not likely that the USA has the ability to re-issued your birth certificate, right?