Cali Processing times/Visiting/ Spanish Embassy...Help!

[SarahxRuby 1]

22 minutes ago, TenderHearted said:

You could have married in Spain, you would just have to had waited the 45 days or so for the approval by the civil registry, then you could have went back to marry after getting the approval. This is what I am up against now. No doubt we will go the CR-1 route, and since I don't live in Spain (But of course she is a Spaniard by birth and residence), I'll end up making a trip just to get the paperwork applied for, then another a few months later to actually marry her. There are a few things that have to be done in order to marry in Spain, but at least her family would be there, which for me would be a plus.

 

I have considered Gibraltar, but keep in mind, you still need to look on the Gibraltar Ministry's website for all the details. It's not as easy as you might think, but it's not nearly as hard as the paperwork to marry in Spain.

Well we asked about the conditions of me being there and such for the timeline in Spain and they said I had to be there. I guess we didn't realize I could have left in the wait time. Oh well. I also have no idea how you guys can afford, money and time wise, doing all these flights. We're having a big formal wedding in a couple years, this visa process is enough to worry about and were fine with a small civil ceremony here in the US when all is said and done. I really appreciate all the info you guys are giving me but I just don't see us ¨starting over¨ with a CR-1 at all. Honestly its just making me anxious thinking we did all of this wrong, I did all the insane research I could at the time and this is the path we chose. I'm very detailed oriented and none of this came up and now I just don't even know what to do. I just want to know what to do about him visiting on the ESTA and go with our original K1 plan unless someone thinks I'm missing something huge and can make an argument for us starting over again... 

 

Ps. I'm a little emotional right now so please bare with me if that came through. I really do appreciate you all taking the time to comment. ❤️

[TenderHearted 39]

24 minutes ago, Melc said:

 

I would disagree with it not being easy in Gibraltar. For us it was an absolute breeze, with the staff being helpful on the phone when I had some questions.  

 

We specifically opted NOT to get married in Spain in spite of both living there, and go to Gibraltar instead, because it was that much simpler; especially with no requirement of proving you're allowed to marry, just an affidavit at a local solicitor. 

 

 

That affidavit is only for British citizens though, or am I incorrect in saying that? I was under the impression you could only get that affidavit if you were a British national. How long ago did you marry there? It seemed like there were a few other requirements needed for no British nationals to marry there, like needing to book the wedding ceremony date a month in advance, and needing witnesses.

[TenderHearted 39]

16 minutes ago, SarahxRuby said:

Well we asked about the conditions of me being there and such for the timeline in Spain and they said I had to be there. I guess we didn't realize I could have left in the wait time. Oh well. I also have no idea how you guys can afford, money and time wise, doing all these flights. We're having a big formal wedding in a couple years, this visa process is enough to worry about and were fine with a small civil ceremony here in the US when all is said and done. I really appreciate all the info you guys are giving me but I just don't see us ¨starting over¨ with a CR-1 at all. Honestly its just making me anxious thinking we did all of this wrong, I did all the insane research I could at the time and this is the path we chose. I'm very detailed oriented and none of this came up and now I just don't even know what to do. I just want to know what to do about him visiting on the ESTA and go with our original K1 plan unless someone thinks I'm missing something huge and can make an argument for us starting over again... 

 

Ps. I'm a little emotional right now so please bare with me if that came through. I really do appreciate you all taking the time to comment. ❤️

Now if you've started down the road for the K-1, I'd leave well enough alone. If you do for whatever reason need to refile though, a CR-1 would be best for a number of reasons. I am in that boat of having to refile the paperwork, which is the reason I am going that route. You did nothing wrong at all, it's just a different means to an end.

 

[SarahxRuby 1]

1 minute ago, TenderHearted said:

Now if you've started down the road for the K-1, I'd leave well enough alone. If you do for whatever reason need to refile though, a CR-1 would be best for a number of reasons. I am in that boat of having to refile the paperwork, which is the reason I am going that route. You did nothing wrong at all, it's just a different means to an end.

 

Ahh, I see. OK well good to know there is backup plan for it all. Our case is really straight forward though so I am not anticipating and RFE or problems. Thank you for telling me I haven't done wrong, I about went into a spiral of doubt and deep internet searching hahaha. Best of luck to you!!!!

[TenderHearted 39]

39 minutes ago, SarahxRuby said:

Ahh, I see. OK well good to know there is backup plan for it all. Our case is really straight forward though so I am not anticipating and RFE or problems. Thank you for telling me I haven't done wrong, I about went into a spiral of doubt and deep internet searching hahaha. Best of luck to you!!!!

In my case, I'm hoping I can just marry her in Spain, and then I'll file the CR-1 (Since we did have a K-1 filed, but due to circumstances, we had to withdrawl it, which means starting over :(). I was under the impression you could wait outside of Spain until you got clearance to marry. I certainly hope that is the case. Otherwise, I might have to seriously consider Gibraltar, which I would rather not do, but will if there is no other choice in the matter.

[TenderHearted 39]

14 minutes ago, TenderHearted said:

In my case, I'm hoping I can just marry her in Spain, and then I'll file the CR-1 (Since we did have a K-1 filed, but due to circumstances, we had to withdrawl it, which means starting over ). I was under the impression you could wait outside of Spain until you got clearance to marry. I certainly hope that is the case. Otherwise, I might have to seriously consider Gibraltar, which I would rather not do, but will if there is no other choice in the matter.

 

[HRQX 4,145]

1 hour ago, TenderHearted said:

That affidavit is only for British citizens though

Verify directly with them (marriages.csro@gibraltar.gov.gi), but IIRC anyone can use the affidavit signed in front of a Commissioner for Oaths or a Notary Public in Gibraltar.

Edited September 3, 2019 by HRQX

[Melc 138]

10 minutes ago, HRQX said:

Verify directly with them (marriages.csro@gibraltar.gov.gi), but IIRC anyone can use the affidavit signed in front of a Commissioner for Oaths or a Notary Public in Gibraltar.

Exactly. I’m not a British citizen, and just used the affidavit. Same for my USC husband. 

Edited September 3, 2019 by Melc

[Melc 138]

1 hour ago, TenderHearted said:

That affidavit is only for British citizens though, or am I incorrect in saying that? I was under the impression you could only get that affidavit if you were a British national. How long ago did you marry there? It seemed like there were a few other requirements needed for no British nationals to marry there, like needing to book the wedding ceremony date a month in advance, and needing witnesses.

We got married there a year and a half ago. We booked the ceremony a month and a half in advance at the registrar’s office and needed witnesses. 

There were plenty of people offering each other to be witnesses the day before, when doing the paperwork, however. We just wanted some close friends with us to do it.

[SarahxRuby 1]

41 minutes ago, TenderHearted said:

In my case, I'm hoping I can just marry her in Spain, and then I'll file the CR-1 (Since we did have a K-1 filed, but due to circumstances, we had to withdrawl it, which means starting over :(). I was under the impression you could wait outside of Spain until you got clearance to marry. I certainly hope that is the case. Otherwise, I might have to seriously consider Gibraltar, which I would rather not do, but will if there is no other choice in the matter.

I would suggest triple checking on the marriage wait time and Gibraltar. We talked to the people in our towns city hall and they said I had to be present. But like I said, we didn't ask about during the wait period. Can I ask the circumstances on withdrawing your K1? Mostly just to know if it was a paperwork issue since we are both working with Spain, and I keep an eye on it in our process. 

[TenderHearted 39]

8 minutes ago, SarahxRuby said:

I would suggest triple checking on the marriage wait time and Gibraltar. We talked to the people in our towns city hall and they said I had to be present. But like I said, we didn't ask about during the wait period. Can I ask the circumstances on withdrawing your K1? Mostly just to know if it was a paperwork issue since we are both working with Spain, and I keep an eye on it in our process. 

The reason we withdrew the K-1 was on religious grounds that had to be rectified first. That time is almost up, and we can continue shortly. It wasn't paperwork, so no worries on your part. I know I must be there with her to file for the permission, it's just whether or not I must be there during the wait that's in question. I'm hoping not. From what I've read, it shouldn't be a problem, but she will be asking at her town hall as well. Each jurisdiction has some autonomy as to how what they allow, at least what I understand from what I've read. She's going to have to do the clarification work at her town hall though, but even at that, I'll still have to make a trip to Madrid for paperwork though the US Embassy there, that requires apostilles.

[TenderHearted 39]

23 minutes ago, Melc said:

We got married there a year and a half ago. We booked the ceremony a month and a half in advance at the registrar’s office and needed witnesses. 

There were plenty of people offering each other to be witnesses the day before, when doing the paperwork, however. We just wanted some close friends with us to do it.

I've also read that witnesses can be provided for you, if you need. Either way, it's still a legal wedding, both in the eyes of governments, and more importantly, God's eyes.

[SarahxRuby 1]

3 minutes ago, TenderHearted said:

The reason we withdrew the K-1 was on religious grounds that had to be rectified first. That time is almost up, and we can continue shortly. It wasn't paperwork, so no worries on your part. I know I must be there with her to file for the permission, it's just whether or not I must be there during the wait that's in question. I'm hoping not. From what I've read, it shouldn't be a problem, but she will be asking at her town hall as well. Each jurisdiction has some autonomy as to how what they allow, at least what I understand from what I've read. She's going to have to do the clarification work at her town hall though, but even at that, I'll still have to make a trip to Madrid for paperwork though the US Embassy there, that requires apostilles.

That sounds about right. In Spain it seems rules either never apply, or sometimes... impossible to know. The trip you need to make to Madrid with the Apostilles, that has to do with your wedding there correct? Not the visa processes? I had to get some paperwork with apostille stamps last year and it took sometime for it to process, in case you haven't looked into it yet. 

[TenderHearted 39]

25 minutes ago, SarahxRuby said:

That sounds about right. In Spain it seems rules either never apply, or sometimes... impossible to know. The trip you need to make to Madrid with the Apostilles, that has to do with your wedding there correct? Not the visa processes? I had to get some paperwork with apostille stamps last year and it took sometime for it to process, in case you haven't looked into it yet. 

Yes, the trip to Madrid (At least this first one, if we can marry in Spain although I do not live there) will be for items needed by the Civil Registry to legally marry in Spain, not the petitioning process for the CR-1 visa. And we sound a lot alike, as I'm trying to look ahead to potential pitfalls and snafus that could happen, to be prepared to overcome them, plus I'm a little anxious over things as well. The crazy things a person will do for love, right? But she's totally worth it. I would just suffer without her, as I have been in this waiting process for this issue to be resolved, but it is what we must do to go forward. We'll get it figured out. One way or another, things will fall into line.

[SarahxRuby 1]

1 minute ago, TenderHearted said:

Yes, the trip to Madrid (At least this first one, if we can marry in Spain although I do not live there) will be for items needed by the Civil Registry to legally marry in Spain, not the petitioning process for the CR-1 visa. And we sound a lot alike, as I'm trying to look ahead to potential pitfalls and snafus that could happen, to be prepared to overcome them, plus I'm a little anxious over things as well. The crazy things a person will do for love, right? But she's totally worth it. I would just suffer without her, as I have been in this waiting process for this issue to be resolved, but it is what we must do to go forward. We'll get it figured out. One way or another, things will fall into line.

I was totally thinking the same thing. If I can catch an issue before it becomes one, it saves me heart attacks and probably money, hahaha. You have some incredible patience and love for your girl, I'm learning this for my man! We have only been apart 7 weeks and I'm not doing so well. As to why I am here trying to figure this timeline all out... We should keep in touch and depending where you are in the US maybe we can all 4 grab a drink when the nightmare is over! 🤣