Document Translation & Legalization service

[eloping789]

I'm trying to find a service or consulate to get our documents translated and legalized for our civil ceremony in DR this July. I've gotten quotes from WEDO and DRSI and am waiting to hear from the one of 7 Dominican consulates in the US I've emailed who actually responded to my email, but forgot the attachment with the information (two of the email addresses listed on the DR consulate website came back undeliverable - YIKES).

 

Here's my dilemma, WEDO and DRSI both give "warnings" about the other and the consulate isn't appearing to be overly reliable. We are US citizens and WEDO is based here and less than half the price of DRSI who said they could still do our documents even though the site only mentions canadian documentation. I still don't know what the consulate will charge or how long they will take to process the docs.

 

Obviously, at this point we will pay whatever is necessary to ensure we are legally married, but can anyone who has had some recent interaction with any or all of these organizations give me some insight?

 

Thanks!!!

[eloping789]

I guess I jumped the gun on posting this, but I suppose the info I found out will be helpful to other US brides headed off to marry in DR. It turns out the consulate office in Chicago is quite diligent in responding to inquiries (got an answer to a question on a Saturday!!) and is less expensive than DRSI and WEDO!

 

Here's all the info they sent to me.

 

República Dominicana

CONSULADO GENERAL EN CHICAGO

8700 W. Bryn Mawr •Presidents Plaza II• Suite 800 South •Chicago, IL 60631

Telephone 773-714-4924 • fax 773-714-4926 • [email protected]

 

 

MARRIAGE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLLIC

 

1. Birth Certificates (originals to be sent to the Consulate)

2. Single Status Affidavits (IN ENGLISH), duly signed and Notarized by a Notary Public. (Originals to be sent to the Consulate)

3. If divorced, copy of Divorce Decree OR Divorce Certificate- either of them will sufficient.

4. If widowed, copy of Death Certificate.

5. Included contact information, in case of any inconvenience with your documents.

 

We will prepare the necessary paperwork. We do not make the arrangements for the Wedding Ceremony, you will need to contact the hotel/resort or wedding coordinator for this service.

 

In order to get necessary paperwork done, you should send them to the Dominican Consulate your AFFIDAVITS, BIRTH CERTIFICATES and DIVORCE DEGREE (WHENEVER APPLIES), for them to be TRANSLATED AND LEGALIZED. You should also include a MONEY ORDER (made out to the Dominican Consulate in Chicago) for the corresponding fee, along with a PRE-PAID SELF ADDRESSED ENVELOPE (Express mail, Fed Ex, or DHL ONLY. NO regular mail accepted) for your documents to be sent to you. All the process is done over the mail; there is no need for you to come personally to the Consulate at any time. Your originals documents will be sent back to you.

 

SAMPLES OF SINGLE STATUS AFFIDAVIT:

The Single Status Affidavit must read as follows:

“I, (your name), declare that I am single, have never been married, and have not applied for a marriage license in the state of (name if the state where you live) or any other state in the United States of America”.

“My fiancé/fiancée, (his/her name), and I will be married in the Dominican Republic on (approximate date of the Wedding Ceremony)”.

 

If you are divorced it should read as follows:

“I, (your name) declare that I am single, divorced, my divorce was final on (date of your divorce) and have not applied for a marriage license in the state of (name of state in which you live in) or any other state of the United States of America”.

“My fiancé/fiancée, (his/her name), and I will be married in the Dominican Republic on (approximate date of the Wedding Ceremony)”.

 

The fee is as follows: $ 200.00 (for both) if NEVER been married, $250.00(for both) if ONE has been divorced, and $300.00(for both) if BOTH have been divorced. Payment must be made in the form of a money order, cashiers check or company check. NO personal checks, cash or debit/credit cards accepted.

 

IMPORTANT REMINDER: Once you come back to the U.S., do not forget to send us your original Marriage Certificate, for Translation and Legalization, for it to be valid here in the United States. This consular service is charged separately. The cost of this $150.00

 

 

* A Tourist Card is required for every tourist to enter the Dominican Republic. You may purchase your tourist cards here for yourself as well as your guest for an additional $12.00 (per card). If you wish to purchase the cards please include the fee in the Money Order along with a note of the number of cards desired.

 

I confirmed via email that the fee to translate and legalize 2 birth certificates and 2 single status affidavits (for those who have never been married) is indeed a total of $200.

 

Hopefully this will help a few other confused or stressed out brides with this process.

[DanielleNDerek]

I used WEDO and had no problems with my documents.

[Christinamaria22]

I am using wedo too it will be 250 for both of us to get the paper work need then i think 85 to get it translated when we get back... the consulate in NYC was WAYYYY expensive

[JohnsonBengel09]

Hi, we just got our paper work back from WEDO, it costs $250. They mailed us the documents in less than a week and they even messed up my name on one of the forms, all we did was call and in 2 days sent us the document with the correct name. Now we just have to send it to the resort and hope it's legit But after reading so many Brides that did the same thing I'm feeling confident!!

[DTHSLove]

JohnsonB It was only $200 for ALL the paper work needed?? I thought someone said it was $600.

[eloping789]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DTHSLove JohnsonB It was only $200 for ALL the paper work needed?? I thought someone said it was $600.

I have heard other brides say that different consulate offices (NY specifically) were higher, but I did email the Chicago office back and confirm that it would be a total of $200 for all 4 documents to be translated and legalized and I was told that was correct.

It seem strange that other offices would charge more, but who knows? The fee to translate the marriage certificate afterward is quite a bit higher than WEDO ($150 vs. $85 I think), so if you want to use a single service for all of your documents than WEDO might still be the least expensive option.

[Christinamaria22]

Yah NY is expensive.... But I have heard people saying the paperwork to get married is too expensive and thats why people tend to be married at home first but 250 is not really outstanding and unaffordable...

[blushingbride]

I think I'm going to go through WEDO. Seems like there are mostly good experiences with them on this forum.

[Dolcenotte12]

Hi I am getting married July 12, 2009 at Excellence Punta Cana. I have been a silent stalker on here for a while =) so I'm not so new lol. Danielle, did you have to send the copies of your passport and witnesses information to WEDO as well or is that just for the when you fill out the paperwork in DR?