Help with Legal Documents

[Aphrodite]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm getting married at the Gran Bahia Prinicpe Punta Cana on November 11, 2011.

 

I'm just getting a little overwhelmed about how I should go about getting all the legal documents they require in order.

I know they have to be translated as well.  So far I know this:

 

-Single Status Declaration (did you get this notorized by someone or at the DR consulate?)

-Birth Certificate

-Copies of passports

-Copies of passports of the 2 witnesses.

 

I live in Canada if that helps.

 

How did you ladies go about doing all this??  I just want some pointers.  I feel a little lost!

 

Also, if you don't NEED your passport to travel to Dominican but instead can use a driver's license combined with your birth certificate - would this be sufficient as opposed to the passports? 

[Line M]

Hi there

 

I just went to the dominican embassy and they translated and stamped everything for us. I would call ahead of time and make an appointment and everything usually takes 5 days. I am getting married in August and everything is done. they stamped it to be valid from July to September. I called a couple of times to make sure I had everything I would need. As for the passport- yes u need a passport. the birth certificate and licence is not enough. All the forms you mentioned you would need - i didn't bring the witnesses passports though. They didn't emntion that I needed them until I got there. ohhhh and they keep all your original documents and the translations in the dominican soooo u better order extra's. Hope this helps U can PM me if you need more info- not that i am an expert but just went through it 3 weeks ago

 

[Aphrodite]

Thanks so much for your reply!

I will most likely end up sending you a PM in the next few days! lol

[Line M]

No problem. It was so complicated.

[Tomkins]

I was given this web page from our wedding coordinator. I haven't used it so I can't tell you if it is good or not, just thought I would pass on the information.

 

 

www.wedo.com.do Legal or catholic wedding documents
 

[mandys]

Just call the DR consulate in Toronto. They should be able to take care of everything for you. Passports are a must.

I am opting against all the legalities. I am just going with the symbolic ceremony. It is practically the same thing and no one is going to know the difference. Plus I am going to save a tonne in legal costs. I even read somewhere that the judge showed up late to a wedding, so the wedding coordinator ended up doing the wedding. I will just get my wedding licence at home.

Good luck!

[Catherinebride]

Hi,

 

I am also stressed with the legal documents. I am from England and my fiance is from Canada and we both live in Taiwan. Complicated I know!

We are wondering how long we need to be in our home countries to sort out the legal requirements before we can fly to Dominican. We are planning on getting married at a private villa in Las Terrenas. We read that when we arrive in Dominican we need to register at a Dominican embassy. Does anybody know about this? And where the embassies are in Dominican?

 

I am also quite likeing the idea of getting married in either England or Canada before we go and have a mock ceremony once we are there. But we not sure on the timeframe for being in England or Canada for this.

[mandys]

Hi Catherine...if I were you, I would do the legal wedding in England or Canada. It's going to be complicated enough as it is in your own country, let alone trying to figure things out in the Dominican. The wedding ceremony is what matters - not the silly paperwork. Good luck with whatever you do.

[Catherinebride]

Thank you. After reading more about symbolic weddings we have decided to legally get married in Toronto before going to Dominican. I'm hoping this will be alot easier and it seems to be much cheaper than translating everything.

[Aphrodite]

I also thought about doing the symbolic ceremony.

It's just that my FI has his heart set on being married on 11/11/11 - I barely got the date as it is.  So we actually sign everything with the judge at 1:00 and then have our symbolic ceremony at 5:00 because I couldn't get that date any other way.

 

So let me ask you this then...

If you do the legal documents here in Canada, does your marriage certificate say that date or can you change it?

I ask because that would be the deal breaker for my FI.