Find Attorney to Record Marriage
Acts of Marriage in Costa Rica are most often performed in Costa Rica by a private attorney who is also credited as a notary. While a religious or marriage ceremony may also be performed it is typical to contract the services of a notary to actually do the legal paperwork. Unlike in the United States a notary in Costa Rica has the power to modify official government records, and in the case of marriage the notary performs a function similar to a Justice of the Peace in the United States.
Although the requirements are specified by law the process may be handled a little differently depending on the notary. At issue is the suitability of your foreign documents. The first notary I contacted requested a Chain Certificated Birth Certificate from the United States. I continued to call around, and we found another notary who would accept my ordinary birth certificate, which was ten years old.
The notary performed our marriage at her home/office and charged less than $100, which included the sworn statement of single status. The process took less than an hour, and she politely took the time to explain some of the traditional responsibilities of marriage under Costa Rica law.
Had we accepted the requirements of the first attorney, then our marriage would have been delayed for at least two months. In hindsight I think the first attorney was just pushing forward his agenda, which was to collect $2,000 for processing my residency application. The logic being that he did not want to perform the marriage until all the documentation was in order for the residency application and the collection of his fee.
This is a perfect example of why it pays to shop around with legal services in Costa Rica. I have also noticed that often tasks can get accomplished at a lower cost when my Costa Rican wife coordinates the arrangements herself.
There are several options if your Costa Rican fiance is unable to find the attorney or should you prefer an English-speaking attorney. The Association Costa Rica Residents (ARCR) has a good reputation for references to Costa Rican attorneys and professionales. Also, the web page of the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica has a list of English-speaking attorneys that are known to the embassy.
Once the marriage is recorded, be sure to Follow Up and make sure it was done right. You may have to wait several months.
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Filed Under: Expat Living
