Marrying in Brno: Please Clarify the laws for me!!

Discussion in 'Expat Life' started by seidenma, May 3, 2004.

  1. seidenma

    seidenma New Member

    Hi,

    I am an American and my fiancee' is Czech (from Brno). We would like to get married in Brno in October.

    I checked the document requirements for me to get married in the Czech Republic, at the U.S. embassy in Prague.

    The major point seemed to be getting all documents certified by Apostille.

    The other major point (and this seems to be the problem for the city hall in Brno) is that according to US embassy site, I can swear and sign an affidavit before the U.S. consulate in Prague OR a public notary IN THE U.S., whereas someone in Brno is saying that IT MUST BE done at the U.S. consulate in Prague.

    My question is: What is the actual law? Is it just that the person in Brno doesn't want to deal with an unusual situation (despite what the law actually says) or is their word, the law...

    I can't go to the Czech republic for longer than 10 days (including weekends), so that's why it's so critical that I be able to forward all the paper work to the Czech Republic ahead of time (my fiancee will go well before me).

    If anyone can give me the facts, I would really appreciate it!!

    Thanks for your help!!

    Ken
     
  2. idemtidem

    idemtidem Well-Known Member

    You can either sign the affidafit in Prague or in the US. It seems way easier to do it it the US - that way you don't have to run all over the places in Prague, then hurrying to have it translated, plus it's cheaper.

    Are you planning on bringing your wife-to-be to the US? If so, are you aware of the visa procedures? I went through exactly the same thing last year so if there's anything you need to know, I can help.
     
  3. Blake76

    Blake76 Member

    Are you referring to the affidavit certifying "capacity to marry"? I'm having similar difficulties--the U.S. authorities (State Health Dept.) said they would run a marriage-records search for the last 10 years and use that, but I worry that that won't satisfy the Czech authorities...... Plus, my fiance (Czech) has indicated that there's some kind of document which will certify that you're in the country legally, that has to be signed at a Czech police station.
    If I think too much about the paperwork, it scares me. I feel like I have to bring basically every document that has ever been printed about me.
    :shock:
    p.s. Any visa advice on bringing one's loved Czech one to the U.S. would be greatly appreciated....
     
  4. idemtidem

    idemtidem Well-Known Member

    You shouldn't worry about it at all. The affidavit is nothing but you claiming that you are free to get married - you don't need any document to prove it if you're a US citizen (US doesn't give out any document like that to their citizens in contrast to the Czech republic). About the other paper - it takes nothing else but getting a stamp in your passport (so that it's obvious when you entered the country), then going to foreigners police office and having it written by the officers (I can't think of any bigger difficulties than having to wait there for a couple of hours in case there are many people in front of you).

    Well, here's what it says at the US embassy website: http://www.usembassy.cz/consular/marr.htm. I'm guessing you might have come across that one already though. And here's an USCIS website that tells you pretty much everything about the immigration visa that your wife-to-be needs to obtain: http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/residency/family.htm.

    If you have any questions, feel free to ask or pm me.
     
  5. semicek

    semicek Member

    If you plan on coming back to the U.S. with your bride you may wait over a year to do it if you marry in Czech without a visa for her. My INS attorney advised me before I married my Czech wife to do it here in the U.S. He said "whatever you do, don't marry there and just try to come back with her. They WILL NOT let her in.

    We married here and within a few months she had a "parole Visa" which allowed her to go to the Czech Republic and return. I think the best way to do it is to get a Fiance Visa for her then she can come over, you can marry, and the rest of your Visa stuff will go smoother. If not, you may wait a long time before she can come in as your wife.

    I know it sounds crazy but I just finished the $1500.00 process myself. My wife was here on a tourist visa at the time so we had to apply for a "change of status" which took a while. Good luck in love my freind. Sam :D
     
  6. idemtidem

    idemtidem Well-Known Member

    I'm about ready to give up explaining this. I probably would have already if posts like this one weren't affecting people's lives in a negative way. What you described is good for people who are fine with spending a couple more months apart. Otherwise, and I think that's the case for most people, if you want to be together as soon as possible this is a very bad idea. I'm not going to explain why again as I did a few times already - here's a link to that though if you're interested: http://www.myczechrepublic.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=873.
     
  7. Sam

    Sam Active Member

    I am English, my wife is from Brno. We wanted to get married in Brno, but the paperwork and stupidities of the City Hall made it seem like much too hard work. So we got married in Dubai, a quick stamp from the Czech & British Embassies there and we were all sorted for both our countries.

    The 'dragon' at the city hall in Brno made, me feel like I wanted to steal away one of their precious maidens!!!

    Good Luck.
     

Share This Page