While trying to "normalize" my Nevada marriage to my Mexican wife, I came across the requirement of having my marriage certificate "apostillado." Does
anyone know what I'm talking about, and if so, recommend someone locally who is able to perform this oh-so-vital function? All the certified true
copies in the world aren't worth the ink used without it.chippy - 6-21-2010 at 02:12 PM
I had to do the same thing. I had to have it done in the state I was married (Ca.)
You Need to Contact the State of Nevada
Gypsy Jan - 6-21-2010 at 02:12 PM
They will provide the apostille, a separate document attached to a certified copy of your marriage certificate.
You can call or send an email, but you need to be able to retrieve the documents from a U.S. address, unless things have changed recently.
It is well worth it to order more than one certificate with the apostille - the Mexican authorities often lose what you give them.vandenberg - 6-21-2010 at 03:08 PM
Long time ago, but I vaguely remember having to get the apostille from Carson City Nevada, where we were married, to even apply for your FM3.
And if you want some for your own records, apply for several. If the Mexican authorities get a hold of them, you'll never see them again. Distinctly
remember my wife applying for a Hacienda number, where they would only accept a original birth certificate, which they promptly lost.
Nevada
bajaguy - 6-21-2010 at 04:12 PM
You need to contact the Nevada Secretary of State:
An apostile is required in Mexico to certify the authenticity of official documents created in the USA or other countries (typically where the
individual in question is from a country which is a signature of the treaty of hague I recall... this didn't used to apply to Canadians but may now).
Send the original document to the secretary of states office of the state where the document was generated and follow the apostile request process
generally documented in that state on its web site. There is a request letter format and a fee, a period of time and a required return address.
Usually the apostile will be created in matter of weeks of less and returned to a home address in the US, it can then be forwarded to you in Mexico
and then you will take it an official translator to be translated and then returned to the INM with the original, a copy, the apostile, a copy, and
the translation.
You can avoid the whole process by not declaring the thing you were going to declare... on the INM form. Also you an begin the process at the INM and
provide the apostile later. It's quite a racket. Best to avoid the whole thing as its quite time consuming and expensive. I hope this helps.
AS I had anticipated, this is a great source of information. I can't imagine what someone would have to do to come up with something that hadn't
happened to a member already. Thanks, people. I'm well on my way to getting it resolved.
So, Chippy, how much do such things cost in the State of Georgia, and how much time is needed? Always curious about such things.gnukid - 6-21-2010 at 05:10 PM
I might be able to help here, Chippy referenced California where the time period was about 3 weeks and the fee is $20 and handling fee of $6 but note
in California you must have the document notarized prior to sending it in. All of this makes for a tough process, but in truth, no one is actually
verifiying the document, they just do their signiature, take the their fee and send it on, I used DHL from the Mexico and it all happened in less than
a month.
In Nevada, where you asked about, it takes 5 weeks and there is a $20fee as well. For more info follow the link.
Once more I advise you that you do not in most cases need an apostile if you change the way you request your visa, or you can add your apostile later.
I do not think every one who is married must complete this... though I do not know and I am sure things change often... Good luck, do not let this get
in the way or delay you, and do not stress about it, it's actually quite simple and easy but even still the INM will generally overlook it as it
provides no assurance of anything.
Once you receive the documents, if a translator tells you it will cost $100 for the original document and $100 for the apostile translation or more
tell them you are poor and they will do it for about $10/each.
[Edited on 6-22-2010 by gnukid]
Tripper
bajaguy - 6-21-2010 at 05:44 PM
I live in Carson City and if I can be of assistance, please u2u meBajatripper - 6-21-2010 at 07:11 PM
Man, you guys are awesome! If I wait much longer, someone will surely send me my marriage certificate with the apostille done already.
Seriously, thanks for all of your help,
Stevegnukid - 6-21-2010 at 08:45 PM
If I may digress further, let's say you were Canadian, then you would not have been required to get an apostile in the past as far as I can tell,
since Canada was not a signator of the Hague agreement, or let's say you were a chef from Florida who graduated from a cooking school in Montreal, who
wanted to work teachinh French cooking in La Paz, then you would presumably not be required to demonstrate an Apostile for your teaching credential.
Though if you had gone to school in San Francisco you would have to show an apostile for your teaching credential which would also be notorized while
never having been verified. So, if you follow the absurdity and illogic there is no reason to think you are getting away with something by not
demonstrating an apostile. It's completely arbitrary and not based on anything of merit.
That said if you plan on working in Baja and you think you might e doing lots of different things that might require an apostile you may as well get
an apostile for all your official certifications since doing so at the same time will reduce your hassle and costs-which is what I have done and would
recommend, in case you want to change your lucrative activity on a whim. Though I wouldn't suggest getting more than one marriage certificate apostile
at a time... ho ho. have fun!Bajatripper - 6-22-2010 at 07:07 PM
Almost-the-end-of-the-zaga
Thanks to the fine people of this board, I have now become something of an expert myself on the process of Apostille. As one of you remarked, it seems
to be little more than a piece of paper that can give people an opportunity to make some money off of you. Nothing is "made more real" by the process.
It's sort of a country-specific notification that the document is legal, sort of like someone from the state saying "yep, that's our certified true
copy of a document, alright." It's easy to get, and inexpensive ($20 US for mine).
For anyone who is contemplating anything that will require a foreign birth/marriage/death certificate (and other legal documents, I'm assuming), be
sure to get this done in the state where the document was issued. They are done by the Secretary of State (at least in Nevada, where I was married).
We became acquainted with the Apostille process when we started to legalize our US marriage. A government office in La Paz directed my wife to a
lawyer in Los Cabos, who says she is the ONLY ONE authorized to acquire these documents here (don't know how she enforces that claim).
She said she'd be happy to help us out, for $300 US, "which is a lot cheaper than air fair to and from the U.S." she informed us in an email.
If you live here, it would be a good idea to have all your vital, notorized documents apostilled during a trip to the US. It can be handled through
routine mail up there. The forms are available on the Internet. Be ready, be smart. One never knows how the regulations will be changed in the future.
[Edited on 6-23-2010 by Bajatripper]gnukid - 6-22-2010 at 07:32 PM
This is a helpful explanation of why some foreign countries require an apostile of documents and some do not or use other methods, depending on
whether they were signaturs of the Hague agreement, which is supposed to protect individuals from legal complexities?#@!$
The following explains why Canadians would have no idea what an Apostile is and why Americans do, however, the treaties are changing the document
process under new agreements to unify North America, in particular between Canada and Mexico.
[Edited on 6-23-2010 by gnukid]Santiago - 6-22-2010 at 08:47 PM
newkid is correct here. when I got my FM3 I had to get my bank statements 'apostilized' so I go to the Sect of State, Notary Dept, and I ask for
this. They say that first I must sign a statement that says these bank statements are in fact, true. So I write on the bottom of each statement
"These are true and factual copies of the original bank statements" and sign it in front the the lady. I ask for the apostile but she declines saying
that my signature must be notarized. OK, I'm standing under a huge sign that says "Notary Department" and ask her to do this. No, can't be done.
This would be taking work away from the private notary industry so I walk across the street to a bank, of which I do not have any accounts, and ask if
they will notarize my signature which they do for a nominal fee. I go back to the State which gives me the apostile and then over to Mexican
Consulate which is very happy with all this stuff.
During this time, nobody actually verified that the bank statements were real.DENNIS - 6-22-2010 at 09:45 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Santiago
During this time, nobody actually verified that the bank statements were real.
Yeah.....They don't seem to do that and that's good 'cause I make my own since I don't get a hard copy from the bank anymore. I don't alter any of the
facts, but I use an old statement in my copier to get all the legaleze on the back of the new statement....then I print the current info from online
banking on the front.
Everybody's happy.
Right...Like it's ever gonna be normal
Dave - 6-22-2010 at 09:58 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Bajatripper
While trying to "normalize" my Nevada marriage to my Mexican wife
A gift. It's not often someone hands you a straight line like this.Bajatripper - 7-3-2010 at 10:41 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Dave
Quote:
Originally posted by Bajatripper
While trying to "normalize" my Nevada marriage to my Mexican wife
A gift. It's not often someone hands you a straight line like this.
At first, I didn't get your point, but after a couple of readings, I had to chuckle, too. You are right, of course. That was a careless use of words
that came up with a different meaning than that which was intended. Thanks for pointing it out, and you're welcome for the gift, Dave.roamingthroughbaja - 7-3-2010 at 10:58 AM
Just to speak up for the Canadians, we have to get the original document notarized (we had the lawyer put big gold seals on everything) and then take
everything to the Mexican Consulate in Vancouver. They wanted 3 weeks to verify the document and add their certification, but my husband explained
that he only had 48 hours, so they did it almost right away for him.
