Marriage license requirement- foreign fiance

[regalada]

My fiance is a German citizen and we are getting married in Puerto Rico. In several websites I have found the requirement below to get our marriage license:

"If either party is a citizen or resident of a country other than the U.S, a declaration certifying that he or she is not married must be sworn before a Notary Public or other person authorized to administer paths in that country. This declaration must accompany the application."

Has anybody done this before? Fiance is leaving for Germany tonight

and I wanted to give him a sort of example that he can use to get the affidavit while he''s there. It''s probably just simply writing "I''ve never been married in Germany" on a piece of paper and notarizing it but I wanted to make sure I''m not missing anything since he is not going back to Germany again before our wedding.

If anybody has done this, I''d appreciate comments.

Regalada

 

[selflove]

Gulp. My fiance is not a US citizen either and he doesn''t plan to return to his home country before our wedding. I had no idea there would be some whacked out requirement like this!


Thank you thank you thank you for the heads up so I can figure out what is the requirement in our state. I wish I had some advice to offer you!

 

[cinnabar]

I used to live in England before moving to the US, and we were occasionally asked by US companies we worked with to get "notarised" documents in order to do business with them. The concept of notarisation is unknown in Britain, so we always struggled to produce something that met the client''s requirements. Lawyers administer oaths, so they are the only people who can do what is needed, but it costs a fortune to get them to write a document for you; we just don''t have the simple notary stamp procedure - and it certainly isn''t available at most banks and UPS counters like in the US.

Now I''ve lived in the US for two years, I know how often people get stuff notarised and it''s just an everyday thing; the society is set up for it, whereas in Britain no one knows what it is, what it means or how to do it so it meets the legal requirements.

I don''t know if it''s the US that''s unique in requiring it, or the UK that''s unique in not understanding or doing it. I''ll be very interested to hear from anyone in Europe (or the Far East for that matter) who''s come across this problem.

 

[MINE!!]

hmmm interesting. When we got our liscene we the U.S. governmet wanted proof that his divorce was final... if had had already been married.. and had divorced within the past 2 years... I am sorry... I actually have no clue..

Are you getting married at a resort in PR? If so.. call them... and ask them what they need. If not.. I would try as best you can to get a number to call down there. But here is another idea.

Don;t get too stuck on the paper.... If something happens and you cannot get the ''proof'' that PR needs. Get ''Married'' in PR..come back to the US.. get a marriage liscene here and get the magistrate to sign it and voila.. legally married.

Don;t sweat it though... you are married on the inside way before that piece of paper.

 

[selflove]

Well, I know this stuff goes state-by-state, but for the life of me I can''t find anything on any of the state of CA websites that says anything about non-citizens getting married here. Don''t even have to be a resident of the state to get a license here.

I would take MINE''s advice and get married back in your homestate (or California!) if your fiance can''t get the proper documentation from Germany.

Good lucK!!

 

[HOUMedGal]

Whoa boy, I had no idea that Rich might have to go back and get paperwork in England!!! And he probably wasn''t going to make it back before the wedding either!!! Thanks for the heads up, I need to check the Texas requirements!!!!

 

[AGBF]

Date: 12/9/2005 11:20:41 AM
Author:regalada
Has anybody done this before?

Yes, but eons ago. Laws change and probably vary from state to state. In our case all we needed was a blood test and to sign the application for the license. Having tried to get married in Europe, we came equipped with everything but the kitchen sink in terms of my husband's documents, but needed nothing!

In Italy one can get a "certificate of free estate" in his hometown. (We got one for my husband and brought it to the US. I am sure Germany has something similar, although I doubt you will need it!)

Did you try the INS website?

Deb

 

[AGBF]

Just found this. It is not from the INS site. I don''t know if it''s reliable. It doesn''t say such a sworn document from a non-US citizen''s country is needed in Puerto Rico, however.

PUERTO RICO
Cost: US $2 stamp fee for certified copy of license.
Waiting Period: None.
Requirements: Picture identification - non-US citizens require passport; two witnesses over age 21 must be present; original birth certificate of children born during previous marriages and/or children born to the couple to be married prior to their marriage; proof of divorce or death certificate, if applicable; documented parental consent if either party is under 21; health certificate from a resident practitioner in Puerto Rico; Blood test required. VDRL test – no later than 10 days prior.

 

[regalada]

I have found a handful of websites that say we need the declaration, but more that don''t mention it at all. I haven''t been able to find anything on it on the INS website. So I called the Demographic Registry in Puerto Rico yesterday afternoon and, true to form, they told me sometimes they ask for it when you apply for the marriage license, sometimes they don''t. I could not reach my contact person at the hotel where we are having the wedding to find out what their experience has when helping other couples arrange their paperwork.

So FI is going to get the declaration while in Germany in case we do get asked for it. Even though it would be simpler to get married here in MD, we really don''t want to arrive in Puerto Rico for our wedding weekend already married, we are flying his family in from Germany and mine from the US and would really love for them to witness the official ceremony.

Thanks for all your responses. I didn''t mean to worry those of you who have foreign FIs.

Have a good weekend.

Regalada

 

[HOUMedGal]

OH, you didn''t worry us!!! I''m actually grateful, because I hadn''t really thought too much about it yet...now I''m gonna check up and make sure we have everything we need!