Does anyone have experience with NOT having a baptism certificate to show at the consulate in Bogota, Colombia. The embassy web page says its requried along with the birth certificate (folio), but what if my spouse doesn't have one? We're not Catholic and he was never baptised?

That is a strange one, making the assumption that every one in Columbia is baptized.

I would email the consulate at IVBogota@state.gov and ask about that.

I would assume explaining why there is no baptism certificate, that they will accept birth certificate with out it.

Good luck

You do not have to be catholic to be baptized.

I would hope it is a misprint and that it should have said and/or. It is best to get an answer from the consulate for clarification.

I was just trying to do some research on this subject for you and it looks like they do ask for the batism certificate, which is a little strange I think.....

but if you don't have one this is what this person did on one of the sites I was looking at...



http://www.poorbuthappy.com/colombia/node/13990

Andrea:

I was just noticing this last night also as I was reading the Embassy website... did you ever find out any more info? My wife was baptized, but I would be (pleasantly) surprised if she or her protestant church still have her baptism certificate "handy".

I figured worst case scenario that she can get a notarized statement from her current or previous pastor... but that's just more money for the notaries... what a scam!

Looking4Wife...I doubt that the Embassy will accept a Baptism Certificate from a protestant church in Colombia. Remember that the Catholic church is the OFFICIAL state church. My spouse was never baptized, so what I did was create a Certificado Juramental, basically a notarized statement that two of his relatives will fill out verifying his facts of birth. Even if your wife has the Baptism Certificate from her protestant church, I would suggest you take this to the interview as well. I can email you a copy of what I created if you would like. Let me know.

What you need to do is speak with the notaria that will be performing the ceremony. Her requirements are all that matters.

tony

the us embassy site in bogota says specifically that a birth certificate /or baptismal certificate is to be shown

Notice that tiny word...or as opposed to and?

I hate to say this to all of you but there is no OR in the PK4 requirements. You are REQUIRED to provide a Baptism Certificate AND a Birth Certificate (registro civil). What we did was to put together a DECLARACION JURAMENTADA that was signed by one of Oscar's uncles who happens to be a Notario in Laureles (of course another Notary Authenticated the document). This document states the facts of his birth and affirms the relationship of the witness (in this case his uncle). This was the alternative given to us in leu of a Birth Certificate. I'm a protestant too and I don't think the Embassy is looking to see if you were baptized in the Catholic church or any other for that matter, they just use this as a secondary proof of birth since 98% of all Colombians are baptized a week after they are born.

Hope this helps answer the question. If anyone wants the sample Declaracion Juramentada, I'll gladly give it to you. The consul accepted it in Oscar's case, so it should work fine for anyone else.

Dre

Just as an interesting aside . . . birth certificates were not originally issued in the Province of Quebec, Canada either. The registration of birth was included as part of the Baptism certificate in any Christian church, not just Catholic. The issuance of birth certifcates is actually retroactive. I did not have a birth certificate until well into my adult life just because they were not available. They are now but that did not happen until the 70s and I had to send in my baptismal certificate in order to have a birth certificate created. So, it is possible for a country to require a baptismal certificate instead of or in addition to a birth certificate.