Legal Documentation

[Evgal]

I hear that WEDO does a great job but I'm always skeptical of sending my documents to a company that I can't physically visit.  We decided to visit our local DR consulate (in NYC).  Here's our experience so far:

 

1) We created single status statements and had them notarized and made a copy.  We brought those documents along with our original birth certificates.

2) We entered the consulate and was immediately assisted by the reception desk.  We were given a number and told to wait in a room similar to the DMV.  Luckily we only had to wait 5 minutes.  I noticed that English was not spoken fluently by everyone who worked there but all were eager to help (unlike our DMV).

3) Our number was drawn and we went to a window where a lady told us that they no longer legalized documents.  I was confused (this was not what we were told over the phone) and asked a few questions.  She turned and asked her co-worker, Wanda, for clarification and luckily that led us to the right person.  Phew... we could have been turned away empty-handed if this lady didn't care enough to check her answer.

4) Wanda really knew her stuff.  She asked for our documents and my fiance's ID but surprisingly didn't need to see his passport.  She explained to us that my fiance's NJ birth certificate will need an apostille prior to certification and translation, and his single status statement will need translation.  He could go back to his hometown and get the apostle for his birth certificate or we could do that with her (only for NJ and NY birth certificates) and translations can be done there as well.   We chose to do everything there.  She gave my fiance a form to fill certifying that he knew the birth certificate to be true and an invoice for payment.   We were then sent to Chase (1 block away) to get the form notarized (free if you're a Chase customer).  She also instructed us to go to the Translation office and tell them what we are doing and that they would give us another invoice there.  Here's the funny part... we waited outside of the Translation office for 10 minutes (the door was closed - we thought) until someone asked us what we were doing and then urged us to go in.  Silly us!  The door was open! And there was a large office with a waiting area but we were the only ones waiting!  Doh.

5) We took the invoices to the cashier window and paid a total of $150 cash ($80 for translation, $40 for legalization, $30 for apostille) and received two receipts.   

6) We returned directly to Wanda (she was helping another person but waved us over).  She took his original birth certificate and the notarized statement and wrote the date his forms will be available for pick-up on one of the receipts (2 days later).

7) Then we went to the translation office and gave them the copy of the single status statement and showed them the receipt.  They wrote the date that his form will be ready for pick-up (5 days later) on the receipt.  They said that they can mail it to us but we opted to pick everything up in person.  

 

Everything took a little bit over an hour but I think we could have been done in 20 minutes if we were prepared and listened a little better (not due to lack of instruction on their end but just from us feeling overwhelmed with a process we weren't familiar with). And for me...  I can't get my documents done until I get the apostille for my birth certificate which is from another country.  Unfortunately apostilles for my home country are not so easy but at least I know what to do once I get it!

 

In summary, it was well worth the experience for me.  I wouldn't recommend doing this if you don't live near a consulate or have time to go in person.  However, I feel so much better having them handle our originals and keeping our privacy.  Lastly, everyone was so nice that it only increased my excitement for my wedding in DR!

 

Sorry if this was too lengthy but I was really nervous about this process so I thought I'll share it and hopefully help a future bride.

[letluva5412]

Hi Evgal,

 

I'm so happy that I found this forum!! I was a little skeptical about sending our documents because I've seen a few posts stating WE DO isn't that great.  Where did you go exactly?  I'm from Yonkers, so don't live too far from NYC.  We would also like to take a trip there as well because I'd rather do it all in person. 

 

If you want you can private message me if that's better. 

 

Also congrats to you and your FI!  When is your date and which resort? 

 

Good luck getting your birth certificate from your home country and happy planning

 

Leticia

[Evgal]

Sorry for the late reply. I must have missed this!  I went to the DR Consulate, which is located in Times Square: 1501 Broadway (commercial building).  Again, its pretty chaotic and disorganized but everyone is willing to help.  Good luck!

[Evgal]

By the way, we got our documents back from them and everything looks great!  It's also comforting to see official embassy stamps on all the documents.  Perhaps WE DO does everything right but I can't see them getting their documents gov't stamped.  One less thing to worry about.   

[swojdyla]

I'm just a little confused...do u have to do this process before getting married in DR? What could of ceremony did u have?

[Anapc]

If you want to get legally married on Dominican Republic you need to have this paperwork done and ready beforehand and bring them to your wedding coordinator.   I will suggest you to send the information to your wedding coordinator after you received them by fax so she can make sure everything is fine.

 

If you are having just a symbolic wedding no paperwork is required

 

[swojdyla]

Thanks! It's just that the paperwork they sent me wasn't that crazy. My priest just looked it over and signed it. Nothing had anything about government stuff lol hope I'm not missing something.

[pfeiffla]

I wish I would've found this sooner!  When I did my initial research, it seemed way more complicated and expensive...but maybe it does cost more in my state!  Oh well, too late now

[Aphrodite]

I'm glad I didn't have the same experience lol.

I went to the Dominican consulate in Toronto and the person helping us (very small office in an office tower) spoke English very fluently.  Absolutely no language barrier.

 

We had to provide our passports and birth certificates and they filled out ALL the documentation needed for us (including single status declaration).

They also did the translation and then we received all the documents notorized in the mail within a few days.

 

I believe it cost us about $500.

[Evgal]

UPDATE:  Go for the symbolic ceremony and not the civil

 

Before arriving at the resort, they confirmed that they received all the proper paperwork.  After the ceremony, they tried to steal our original documents which we finally got back the next day. 

When we returned home, we decided to make a trip to the courthouse and get legally married.  I'm glad we did.  We received our marriage certificate immediately and I was able to use it to make all my legal changes (social security, passports, etc.) right away.

Its been over 2 months and I have not received my marriage certificate from DR and I doubt I ever will.  The WC actually emailed me last week and asked me to mail my husband's original birth certificate to them so that they complete the process.  WTH?!?  Seriously...

 

I was so uptight with getting technically and spiritually married at the same-time but if I had to do it all over again I would have kept the same except make the DR ceremony into a symbolic one.   I would have saved myself (and my family) a lot of stress, grief, and money. Don't be stubborn and stuck on the concept like I did.