lost-need help

[bigc11 2]

I'm from the US and my girlfriend is from Germany. We will be getting married in Germany in June next year and then We'll be filing a cr-1 l-130. She went to her town hall in germany to see what we need to get legally married. Here is a list of things I need for her town hall:

-certified birth certificate with apostille(needs to be translated to german)

-affidavit from notary public about marital status

-residence certificate to prove that I have a place to live

There's a few others but those are easy to obtain(passport, pay stubs, bank statement)

Where can I obtain the three others? Town hall? Online?

I'm lost and can't find much help elsewhere.

Thanks

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Duplicate thread removed~

[Joaozinho 15]

I had to obtain these things for my foreign marriage as well.

You'll get your birth certificate as normal. Department of Health and Human Services, I believe.

And to get the official stamp needed for international usage, you'll send it to your Secretary of State.

And you might need the State Department stamp afterwards. Normally, they won't stamp it without the local state government certification (mentioned above) first.

For the affidavit of marital status, this doesn't exist in the U.S., but going to the Department of Health and Human Services and getting a marriage certificate, which should come up blank or with any information of previous divorces, should suffice. Mine said that "We have no record of James marrying..."

For the residency certificate, we didn't have these in Oregon either. However I never actually needed it. But I did research about it and the closest thing I came to was this: http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/Form-6166---Certification-of-U.S.-Tax-Residency

However, you might look into what is offered in your state.

And with all this, it is just necessary to find a translator or translation company to do the necessary translations. I used ABC 1 Visa for most of this process, though I wasn't happy with their costs as they had a few hidden expenses, but they work well and efficiently. They can translate them, send them to the state department and to the German embassy if needed to get all required stamps. The choice is yours if you'd like to get help with the whole process or do each step yourself.

Hope this helps!

[cujodu 15]

1. Official birth cert from state you were born in... then send it to the state's secretary of state, very simple, cheap and doesn't take long depending on your state.

2. I don't know.

3. Is it a residence certificate from the US? or from Germany? Here in Argentina they have residence certificates which are obtained from the local police precinct. Pay $10 pesos and they deliver it to your residence the next day (to make sure you live there).

[bigc11 2]

My town hall gives certified birth certificates. So I'll get one from then. Then I'll have to send it to the Secretary of state for the apostille to be placed on? Then make sure they state department stamp it?

Then get a marriage certificate from dept of health and human services. Can you do that online?

Still can't find anything about residency certificate for my town. So I should try the irs and police station?

Thanks for the input, anything helps. Just trying to make it easier than it has to be.

Still waiting for my girlfriend to hear back from her town hall if everything needs to be translated or its just the birth certificate that needs to be.

Edited August 9, 2013 by bigc11

[Joaozinho 15]

My town hall gives certified birth certificates. So I'll get one from then. Then I'll have to send it to the Secretary of state for the apostille to be placed on? Then make sure they state department stamp it?

Then get a marriage certificate from dept of health and human services. Can you do that online?

Still can't find anything about residency certificate for my town. So I should try the irs and police station?

Thanks for the input, anything helps. Just trying to make it easier than it has to be.

Still waiting for my girlfriend to hear back from her town hall if everything needs to be translated or its just the birth certificate that needs to be.

These are typically all of the requirements for the birth certificates and those are the steps.

I doubt you can get the marriage certificate online, but it might be possible to kill two birds with one stone if the town hall can provide anything. I'd check! But if not, the dept of health and human services will definitely give you something, albeit in person.

And for the residency, yes, I'd recommend that. We don't seem to have them in the states, because most places just ask for a few pieces of mail at our address as confirmation, but either of those steps should get you something.

No problem! I went through this process with so much confusion, so I know the feeling.

Good luck!

[Ryan H 3,813]

Moved from Progress Reports to Process & Procedures.

[slvrfx576 15]

The affidavit on marital status that you need is not just from any US type notary public. It is from the US Embassy or Consulate. This is from the US German Embassy website :

Getting Married? You may need to make an appointment for a notarial service.

All foreigners marrying in Germany require an "Ehefähigkeitszeugnis" which is a Certificate of Free Status stating that you are legally free to marry. This document may be obtained by making an appointment for a notarial service at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin or at the Consulate General in Frankfurt. The document may also be obtained without an appointment during the operating hours of the Consular Agency in Bremen. Residents of Bavaria may take the oath on this document directly at the Standesamt and do not need to come to the Consulate.

You need your US passport and any divorce decree for a previous marriage. (probably a certified copy).

[bigc11 2]

I don't live in germany so I'm not sure how to get one in the US where I live. Thanks for the input.

[slvrfx576 15]

You are going to be married in Germany ? Get the consular document when you are there !

I had to do the same thing in Bulgaria. I made an appointment at the US Embassy before I left the US. A week later I arrived at the Embassy at 10am and had the document by 10:45am. Very simple, straightforward, and fast.

[bigc11 2]

Her standesamt, registar doing the marriage, told her we don't need to get it in Germany and that we can get the affidavit at a notary.

[slvrfx576 15]

So you will take the word of the registrar over the info on the US Embassy website ?

[bigc11 2]

If they are the one deeming it a legal marriage then what other choice do I have? Registrar has the say whether its legal or not.

[bigc11 2]

Went to my town hall yesterday and was able to get a birth certificate but need to go to state of the commonwealth facility several towns over to get the apostille. I was also able to get residency certificate stating my residency with town clerks signature and legal town stamp. They were able to get 2 out of the 3 documents for me. Just have to go to the registry of vital records to obtain a negative statement certificate that states never been married and am free to marry.

Thanks for everyone's help, much appreciated! Can't wait to start my journey!

[slvrfx576 15]

When your local German registrar says you need an affidavit notarized, he may very well be referring to a notarization by a US Consular official and not just a US style Notary Public. In most foreign countries the concept of a Notary is completely different from the system we have here in the US., when the Registrar says "notary" he may not mean any US type notary public because he is unfamiliar with our system. I would not take the risk. I would go to the US Consulate for the marriage status affidavit, notarized by a US Consular Officer. That way you have an genuine notarized document that will be recognized by Germany.

BTW, in Bulgaria, after getting the affidavit from the US Embassy, it had to be presented to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their stamps and approval, another step and another day. The US Consul in Germany should be able to tell you if any thing like that is necessary in Germany.

Good Luck !