Marriage in another Country - Apostile on Documents

[jpetrocxme 0]

If one plans to get married in another country I understand that 1) the papers will require and "apostile" and 2) translation to the country's language.

My divorce papers are from Oregon and have been "certified" by the court clerk. My birth certificate is from NY City. I live in Maine.

Is it corect to assume that I must get the "apostile" on these from Oregon and then NY City (NY State)??? Also, a copy of document from the local area that I am available to marry (I forget the official name). Also an apostile on this.

Can this "apostile" be obtained from 1 state entity or must each be from the respective jurisdiction.

Thanks

[*ET* 0]

From the Hague Conference on Private International Law (which introduced the apostille) :

Public documents issued by U.S. states, the District of Columbia and other U.S. jurisdictions may be legalized with an apostille by designated authorities in each jurisdiction, generally the state Secretary of State’s office.

More info at http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=autho...ils&aid=353

Good luck!

[jpetrocxme 0]

From the Hague Conference on Private International Law (which introduced the apostille) :

Public documents issued by U.S. states, the District of Columbia and other U.S. jurisdictions may be legalized with an apostille by designated authorities in each jurisdiction, generally the state Secretary of State’s office.

More info at http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=autho...ils&aid=353

Good luck!

I see this information - thanks. But MY confusion comes from not knowing if for example, birth certificate from city of New York must be legalized with apostle by New York or any other state.

Thanks

[*ET* 0]

I understand your question. Sorry if the reply was not clear enough.

So yes, your birth certificate would need to be apostilled by the Secretary of State office of NY! Each state affixes apostilles only to documents issued by that state.

We needed my husband's birth certificate, as we were getting married in Serbia and that is the information we got. He was not able to go to SoS office in Houston and get an apostille for a b. cert. isuued in MI.

My husband ended up getting it in person. But, it can be requested by mail, of course.

No divorce documents applied in our case and the sworn statement that he was free to marry, we obtained at the U.S. Embassy here.

I am not aware of a single entity in the US where you can obtain apostilles to documents issued by different states.

Hope this clarifies it!

[jpetrocxme 0]

I understand your question. Sorry if the reply was not clear enough.

So yes, your birth certificate would need to be apostilled by the Secretary of State office of NY! Each state affixes apostilles only to documents issued by that state.

We needed my husband's birth certificate, as we were getting married in Serbia and that is the information we got. He was not able to go to SoS office in Houston and get an apostille for a b. cert. isuued in MI.

My husband ended up getting it in person. But, it can be requested by mail, of course.

No divorce documents applied in our case and the sworn statement that he was free to marry, we obtained at the U.S. Embassy here.

I am not aware of a single entity in the US where you can obtain apostilles to documents issued by different states.

Hope this clarifies it!

Bingo !!! Thanks.

So I must then send the divorce papers to the SoS in Oregon, the Birth Certificate to the SoS in NY State, and then after getting the official statement that no marriage record exists in Maine, send that document to the SoS in Maine.

That is the way I am seeing this now. A little more complicated but not so bad.

Thanks !!

[*ET* 0]

You got it!!!

Although I do not quite understand the marriage record requirement. Because, if there's no record of marriage in Maine, it doesn't mean it does not exist in some other state, or somewhere else in the world. Ah well, if they require it....

Not bad, especially compared to what is coming in the process

You are welcome!

[jpetrocxme 0]

You got it!!!

Although I do not quite understand the marriage record requirement. Because, if there's no record of marriage in Maine, it doesn't mean it does not exist in some other state, or somewhere else in the world. Ah well, if they require it....

Not bad, especially compared to what is coming in the process

You are welcome!

From what I understand, it is required in her country that there is evidence of freedom to marry. This is, it seems, based on a document from where one lives stating that there is not record of any current marriage. Seems a bit strange in so far as technically one might be required to produce the document from each of the th 50 states and all territories.

Then again maybe I am being dramatic.

But, as to the BIG process of the visa, it is intimidating and also frustrating.

I am 59 (in 1 month) and don't want to spend many months or years of my life in the effort to be with the one special person/woman. Would rather be together with her. So the sooner that it can be accomplished the better. At 62 I can collect social security and pension and live in her country. Already receive my small pension that is probably equal to or slightly more than the average monthly income in her country (based on my research).

Thanks again

[mlybrand 0]

Further info: the apostille is generally required by the foreign state, not our country (US). Not all countries are signatories to the Hague convention and require other processes. For example. I had to send a document to Colombia, and only needed to get the apostille and then send it to Colombia. For Peru, however, I have to get a a certificate (instead of an apostille) for some documents (others, they were okay with just certification without any need for the certificate). But, for Peru, all documents had to go through the consulate for legalization before sending them to Peru.

So, the long and short is to check with the country you are trying to do your paperwork in and find out what process they require.

Just adding this for future information searches, so please correct or add to this thread as you deem appropriate.

Mark

PS. I just finished my odyssey and am off to Lima next week to get married on the 31st

Edited July 17, 2009 by mlybrand