A Cry for Clairity

[Maxal]

OK all of you who did get married in China I need some help.

 

At the request of my special one, I am trying to get the Affidavit of Single Status completed while still here in good old Alabama.

 

I was able to type on an Affidavit using the one from the Chinese Embassy. Customize it to my past, etc. and then got it notarized. All easy and straight forward.

 

Now I need to get it Certified by the State.

 

After spending an hour plus at the county court house they have no clue what I might possibly need or why. I mean they can register it then provide me with a certified copy all for about $300 bucks.

 

But this does not sound like what I need. From the FAQs here I see the following:

 

2) Certified by the clerk of Court of the County in which the document is commissioned if applicable. It may be omitted if the authority in item 3 will certify directly to the notary.

3) Certified by the Secretary of the State in which the document is executed.

4) Certified by the relevant Consulate - General. You must apply to the correct Consulate - General which holds consular jurisdiction over your area of residence.

 

But when I spoke to the folks at the Chinese Consulate in Houston it sound like they want something from the state, #3 above.

 

But so far my talks with the state have been less than productive.

 

Can someone who did this before tell me what the magic words are they used? Maybe it is just because this is Alabama and few people ask for such a thing.

 

Maybe I should just wait and visit GUZ when I am there? What are your suggestions? I would rather not make the trip from Shenzhen to GUZ just for this, unless it would help in the future process. This has become important to my lady because my wife did not sign the divorce decree. I have been trying to explain how Power of Attorney works and that she did not have to sign it, etc. But that is not going well.

 

Any help would be great!!!!

[tsap seui]

I have seen people use their state government, get a Chinese embassy in the states to okay it, and then get to China and have their local Chinese officials say "NO GOODA", and I've seen it work for others.

 

I'm just gonna go to the US consulate office close to us in Shenyang and get my paperwork there, then go down the street and get married.

 

Good luck to you. Maybe your paperwork from america will work in her city. Me, I don't trust any of it, and since the alternative is I don't have to go to godawful Guangzhou I'll take my chances in Shenyang.

 

tsap seui

 

Hell, in our minds we are already married, but there is always some government bozo that has a hoop for you to jump through.

[Maxal]

It will be just my luck that they will not accept it after I jump through all the hopes to get it done!

 

Finally got some answers by calling my state representative. It is amazing how fast they can transfer a call to the right person if they wish too.

 

So it does not look like it will be ready by the time I leave for China, 5 days processing at the state 4 or 5 days processing in Houston not counting transit time.

 

I Think I shall just take over the notarized document and give it to her then we can get the official one from the Embassy near Chongqing when I visit her parents. Much easier I think and less wear and tear on me.

 

But then again she is a woman and may tell me "NO GOODA" LOL

 

Thanks for the quick answer.

 

BTW when are you going to make the lil rabbit legal?

[jim_julian]

Maxal ... that would be the US Consulate in Chengdu. I would e-mail them to make sure they can provide the certificate you require.

 

Chengdu is about 165 miles from Chongqing as the crow flies and not a minor trip.

[usaRichard]

OK all of you who did get married in China I need some help.

 

At the request of my special one, I am trying to get the Affidavit of Single Status completed while still here in good old Alabama.

 

 

 

Any help would be great!!!!

 

Maxal

I know you're in the US, but I'll add my two cents since you are going to China. I was in Beijing and went to the US embassy, paid about $30 USD, and twenty minutes later I was done. We got our license in Harbin and there were no problems.

 

As a side note I had registered with the embassy before I left the US, detailing my trip and other info they ask for, and while at the embassy they mentioned that I was in their computer system. I don't know if this facilitated my request, but if nothing else it is further evidence of my trip.

 

Richard

Edited August 7, 2008 by usaRichard (see edit history)

[tsap seui]

Good to see Richard post as he just went through the paperwork. I just found it too iffy with different cities in China, even with the paperwork approved in america by Chinese officials.

 

Sorry you've got to go through a hassle to get to a US consulate, but it's more of a sure thing at least.

 

I'd make a liar out of myself to give you a timeline that I'm going over to get married Maxal. I just got my return receit from the VA Regional Office in Pittsburh for my 4 pounds of evidence on a service connected claim I have, so I've gotta wait around for that C&P interview. My lawyers would shoot me if I took off right now, anyhow.

 

Fortunately the lil' rabbit well understands the importance of this and is more than willing to wait for me.

 

Good luck with your trip and wedding.

 

tsap seui

Edited August 7, 2008 by tsap seui (see edit history)

[Maxal]

Thanks for the answers all. It is just so funny reading that one day a person accepts this and the next this one is better. Sound a lot like the workings of GIZ!

 

Actually after taking a good serious look at the problem and a couple of glasses of wine for clarity!!! I made a command decision.

 

1) We are not getting married this time anyway. This is an issue of her not understanding how I can be divorced with out my wife's signature on the divorce papers. She just needs to be reassured that I truly am divorced. I asked the judge the same question at the final hearing. All she did was give me a look and said since she stamped it approve I was divorced! Needless to say I did not ask any more questions.

 

2) So instead of trying to explain Power of Attorney to her, I shall keep working on the paperwork here in the states. I mean after finally getting a call from my state rep and connected to someone that could tell me what to do, the total thing will cost me about $100 bucks and a few stamps and envelopes.

 

3) I highly doubt it will be in my hands before I depart for China, so when I do get it, I shall send it to her and she can get it translated along with the other stuff we shall start collecting.

 

4) When in China I shall visit the Consulate and get one there also. That way if some Civil servant guy outside of Chongqing (her hometown is a couple hours drive from there) tells me that paper 1 in ¡°NO GOODA¡± and we need paper two, we just pull it out and we are set.

 

Damn I hate having to think like a lawyer all the time, but I get the feeling that is going to have to be my mind set for the next year plus.

 

Good luck with the VA and if they become stupid just stand up, put on your command voice and start screaming at them to get out of the chopper NOW, NOW, NOW!!!! GO, GO, GO!!!

 

The wine must be working I feel much better now.

[pbatt]

You will have to sign it in front of the consular officer also to have it notorized by them. Should only take a few minutes for them to do it there.

Good Luck

[Dave&Hong]

OK all of you who did get married in China I need some help.

 

At the request of my special one, I am trying to get the Affidavit of Single Status completed while still here in good old Alabama.

 

I was able to type on an Affidavit using the one from the Chinese Embassy. Customize it to my past, etc. and then got it notarized. All easy and straight forward.

 

Now I need to get it Certified by the State.

 

After spending an hour plus at the county court house they have no clue what I might possibly need or why. I mean they can register it then provide me with a certified copy all for about $300 bucks.

 

But this does not sound like what I need. From the FAQs here I see the following:

 

2) Certified by the clerk of Court of the County in which the document is commissioned if applicable. It may be omitted if the authority in item 3 will certify directly to the notary.

3) Certified by the Secretary of the State in which the document is executed.

4) Certified by the relevant Consulate - General. You must apply to the correct Consulate - General which holds consular jurisdiction over your area of residence.

 

But when I spoke to the folks at the Chinese Consulate in Houston it sound like they want something from the state, #3 above.

 

But so far my talks with the state have been less than productive.

 

Can someone who did this before tell me what the magic words are they used? Maybe it is just because this is Alabama and few people ask for such a thing.

 

Maybe I should just wait and visit GUZ when I am there? What are your suggestions? I would rather not make the trip from Shenzhen to GUZ just for this, unless it would help in the future process. This has become important to my lady because my wife did not sign the divorce decree. I have been trying to explain how Power of Attorney works and that she did not have to sign it, etc. But that is not going well.

 

Any help would be great!!!!

 

I recently was married in China and had to do the "single Status" document. I went to the Secretary of State web site and looked to see which office could do this service. I went to their office and had them make it official with a state seal. It only took a few minutes and I had no problem with the officials in China over it. Hope that helps. I agree that the wording from the Chinese embassy is unclear at best.

[Maxal]

OH yeah forgot to add I did register on line with the embassy so they know I shall be in China during my stay. Not sure if it helps or not, but why not.

 

If I had a few more days I ould drive down to Montgomery and get it done in person. But since I am taking 2.5 weeks to go visit my honey, my company has me booked for the next three weeks. In fact I away from home for 13 out of the next 22 days. On the 23rd day I start the long flight to Hong Kong.

 

What fun, what fun.