Colombia Marriage & Divorce

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1. COLOMBIA MARRIAGE

Civil Marriage in Colombia is a matter of their local civil law, but the rules appear to be fluid and are often applied with a fair amount of discretion by local officials. Some of the rules are inconsistent between the cities, while others appear to change with little or no notice.

For example, in Bogota, there is a requirement that notice of the marriage be published in the local newspaper for five days before the wedding date. By contrast, in Cali, there is no such requirement, at least not one uniformly or strictly enforced. See Here: For a List of All Civil Public Notaries in Cali. Click here for the Cali local government’s List of Cali Notaries. Click Here for a List of All Notaries in Colombia: Colombian Notaries.

The U.S. Embassy, Consular Sections in Bogota and Barranquilla distribute a Consular Information sheet with an informal interpretation of Colombian law regarding marriage of a U.S. Citizen to a Colombian national. The U.S. Embassy Website also outlines their view of Colombian Marriage requirements and Visa Options here: Visa Options When Marrying a Colombian National. These sources state that a valid civil marriage performed in accordance with Colombian law is fully recognized by U.S. law, but caution that you must consult closely with a Colombian official or attorney to properly accomplish a civil marriage in Colombia.

Having set forth these cautions, the actual requirements for civil marriage in Colombia are fairly straight-forward:

NOTES:

A. Minor children who might accompany the new bride can complicate the marriage process. Technically, under Colombian Emigration rules and the Colombian “right of paternity“, the father of the children can legally deny permission for the children to leave the country, especially if (though not necessarily only when) the children still carry the father’s name. To ensure that children of your bride will be allowed exit from Colombia, a written, signed, dated Letter of Permission of Father is required by Colombian DAS(Administrative Department of Security). There are a few well-establish exceptions to the general rule that the Father’s permission letter is required, namely if the Father’s whereabouts are not known or the Father is deceased. For more information, see the Article titled: “Can the Kids Go Home?” in our Newsletter (Adobe Acrobat pdf format).

B. You must disclose to the Notary, if requested, the names of both your parents, whether living or deceased, and the name of your employer.

C. Where pages of documents are translated into Spanish, there may be additional charges if the pages number more than eight.

D. All documents must be presented to a Colombian public “notaria” who reviews the materials for adequacy, and then can arrange for a Colombian judge or justice of the peace to actually perform the ceremony. Many notaries can and do perform the ceremony themselves.

E. Colombia is a participant in the Hague Convention of 1961 which abolishes the requirement that U.S. English-language documents be “legalized” by the U.S. Consulate or State Department before they are recognized as valid. See: Colombian Consulate (Houston) Information. However, Notaries can still require that U.S. documents which be certified by the state Secretary of State with an “Apostille”.

See: An Explanation of the Hague Convention and “Apostille”, State Department.

For a List of Secretary of State Offices, Address, Telphone Numbers and Fees to Secure an “Apostille”, See: Contact List of Secretary of State Offices.

SUGGESTED SERVICES:

In the unfortunate event that “things don’t work out” with your Colombian Latina or other foreign lady or gentleman national, TWO MAJOR ISSUES will need to be addressed:

I) The Marriage Dissolution Process, and
II) The Immigration Process

The more promptly and forcefully these issues are addressed, the less trouble and difficulties will arise as time passes. Resolving these issues will also allow you and your “ex” to secure two tangible benefits:
1. Closure of legal and financial obligations under the former marriage, and
2. Freedom to move on and marry another.

U.S. and Colombian rules are in agreement on one critical point. A formal marriage dissolution document is necessary before a partner can re-marry or obtain new immigration benefits based on a new spouse. See Matter of Ceballos, #A22324968, (BIA June 13, 1979).

I. THE MARRIAGE DISSOLUTION PROCESS:
Divorce, Annulment and Legal Separation

The marriage dissolution process in civil law offers three (3) options: divorce (the formal process of termination of married status), annulment (the process of nullifying the marriage so that it is treated as if it never happened) or interim legal separation (a process offered in some states as an interim step to final divorce). Naturally, a sound and timely decison must be made about which of these three (3) marriage dissolution vehicles is most appropriate in your case.

One of the first questions to answer is whether this dissolution process should be started in Colombia (or other foreign country home of your “ex”) or in your own home state. Contrary to popular belief, it is not legally necessary to accomplish a divorce or annulment in the same location as the marriage. A divorce or annulment accomplished in a country, state or locality, if valid under that jurisdiction’s laws, are treated as valid in all other jurisdictions, at least “on paper”.

Within the United States domestically, this mechanism is known as “full faith and credit” under Article IV, Section I of the U.S. Constitution. Internationally, this is accomplished under the provisions of the Hague Convention Treaty, Legalization of Documents Provision, if both jurisdictions are parties to the treaty, and with the use if an “apostille”. See: List of Countries Which Are Part of Hague Convention on Legalization of Documents, State Department. See also: Explanation of the Hague Convention and “Apostille”, State Department.

There some cautions, however, to these general rules. CAUTION #1 “QUALIFICATIONS”: The first is that the parties must qualify for divorce or separation under your state’s laws. If, for example, your state has a residency requirement for the foreign lady and she has decided to leave and return home, your case may not qualify for a divorce under your state law. Thus, you may have no choice but to divorce or annul in your lady’s home country. CAUTION #2 “PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS”: In addition, there are practical considerations of time, cost and ease of process. For instance, accomplishing a divorce in a foreign country is usually more expensive and time-consuming than doing one here in most states (especially if uncontested). Further, you may also want to consider availing yourself of the jurisdiction with less stringent “no-contest” requirements such as one which allows submission of simple signatures rather than personal appearance. CAUTION #3 “REGISTRATION OR RECOGNITION PROCESS”: While a divorce decree or annulment order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction in the US is technically “valid” in Colombia under Hague Convention on Legalization of Documents, you are still required to “register” or “recognize” it in Colombia. (It is also suggested that any Colombian Divorce is stamped with Apostile by the Colombian Foreign Minister’s Office: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Officina de Legalizaciones, Trasversal 17A, No. 9-45, Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, Tel: (1) 525-1862, 525-1860, 522-3697). “Registration” process is done through a civil notary. The problem is that in many cases this will require a new “court filing” in Colombia which, for practical purposes, is tantamount to another divorce filing in Colombia. Thus, it is sometimes said that you are forced as a practical matter to secure a “second divorce order” in Colombia.

For the American Bar Association’s review of the Divorce, Annulment and Separation laws in all fifty states, please see: Table Summarizing Law in Fifty States.

II. THE IMMIGRATION PROCESS

The marriage dissolution process triggers an immigration process as well, with some rather complicated rules. The first and most important question to ask is: At what point in time does the marriage dissolution with your “ex” take place? There are different immigration rules depending on when this has happened.

It should be noted first that your marriage with your foreign spouse took place either in her home country after which you secured a Spousal-Resident Visa (2-Year Conditional Residence), or in the United States under a Fiancee Visa (90-Day K-1), or other non-immigrant visa, which she secured to enter our country.

Your marriage dissolution can take place then at one of three points:
*CASE NO.#1: AFTER you MARRIED your spouse under the K-1 Fiancee Visa or other non-immigrant visa but BEFORE YOU HAVE ADJUSTED HER IMMIGRATION STATUS UNDER I-485 (that is, before she received an adjustment interview, I-551 “Alien Registration Card” a/k/a/ Green Card or I-551 stamp in her Passport)
*CASE NO. #2: AFTER you MARRIED her in either her home country and secured for her a Spousal-Resident Visa (thus Conditional Legal Residency), or in the United States under a K-1 Fiancee Visa or other non-immigrant visa, AND AFTER YOU HAVE SECURED ADJUSTMENT OF HER IMMIGRATION STATUS UNDER I-485 (that is, she has received either an I-551 stamp in her Passport, an Adjustment of Status Letter of Approval, or an I-551 2-Year Conditional Legal Residency “Alien Registration Card” a/k/a/ Green Card)
*CASE NO. #3: AFTER you MARRIED her and AFTER SHE HAS SECURED REMOVAL OF CONDITIONS ON LEGAL RESIDENCY UNDER I-751 (that is, she has received a Removal of Conditions Letter of Approval, or an I-551 10-Year Permanent Legal Residency “Alien Registration Card” a/k/a/ Green Card)

Under Case No. #1, (AFTER MARRIAGE, BEFORE ADJUSTMENT), the first course of action is for the U.S. Citizen spouse to write a formal letter to the local Immigration Service office (Investigations or Enforcement Unit). The letter should be mailed Certified and Return Receipt or Priority Mail with Signature Confirmation, and advise in writing that the marriage has failed, that marriage dissolution will take place and that you are now longer living as man and wife. This will have the effect of, at least, terminating any civil and criminal liabilities for charges of potential immigration fraud. The financial obligations of the I-134 Affidavit of Support will theoretically continue until the one of the legally-recognized events triggering termination take place. In many cases however, the local immigration office as a practical matter will choose not to enforce the Affidavit under these circumstances.

The foreign ex-spouse’s options under this Case No. #1 are limited however. In almost all cases, she will be required to return to her home country or risk facing falling out of legal status. One option available to her, however, in appropriate cases is the Violence Under Women Act II, November 2000. This allows the ex-foreign spouse and any children in the U.S. to adjust to permanent residency (or if not in the U.S. presently to secure a resident visa) if they can show domestic abuse or extreme cruelty (physical or mental), even without a showing of extreme hardship. Specifically, the “ex” must show one of the following four (4) grounds:
1. The marriage ended in the past two years for reasons of domestic violence
2. The abuser lost his immigration status in the past two years for reasons of domestic violence
3. The abuser, if a U.S. citizen died in the past two years
4. The abuser was or is a bigamist.

Generally, a foreign ex-spouse in Case No. #1 is not permitted to marry another U.S. citizen and adjust status to legal residency. Adjustment under the K-1 visa is limited to adjustment based in marriage to the petitioner for the K-1. Under some circumstances however, an exception under the Legal Immigration and Family Equity Act (LIFE) might be possible. If an I-130 Petition for Alien Spouse is filed by a new U.S. Citizen spouse in the U.S. before April 30, 2001, and the “ex” can show physical presence on the date of enactment of the law (December 21, 2001), adjustment to premanent residency may be possible. Another possibility for the foreign ex-spouse is another fiancee visa or spousal-resident visa if she has an appropriate new U.S. Citizen spouse sponsor. Of course, she must satisfy all of the requirements of such a visa, and also not be excludible based on 180 days or more of “out of legal status” time in the U.S.

Under Case No. #2, (AFTER MARRIAGE AND 2-YEAR CONDITIONAL RESIDENCY), the U.S. spouse must again advise the local Immigration Service office (Investiagtions or Enforcement Unit) in writing, Certified and Return Receipt or Priority Mail with Signature Conformation, that the marriage is over, that marriage termination will take place and that they are no longer together as man and wife. The GENERAL RULE is that the lady immigrant “loses” her conditional residency and immigration status, all her Immigration Service residency cards must be returned, and she is subject to removal from U.S.

However, there are some notable exceptions: The foreign ex-spouse after marriage dissolution has several options. She can petition to remove conditions on her residency under I-751. Technically, it is a waiver of the requirement to file a joint petition, and seeks to adjust status based on one of four (4) grounds:
1. death of the U.S. spouse
2. divorce or annulment from the U.S. ex-spouse, if the marriage was entered into in good faith
3. marriage was entered into and continues in good faith but foreign spouse and children can establish domestic abuse or extreme cruelty under Violence Against Women Act II, November 2000, or
4. deportation will cause “extreme hardship“, greater than normally experienced by a person deported, and the marriage was entered into in good faith. For more on the legal definition of “extreme hardship“, see Matter of Cervantes, Int. Dec. 3380 (BIA March 11, 1999), and In re Kao, 23 I&N Dec. 45 (BIA 2001).

Under Case No. #3, (AFTER MARRIAGE AND AFTER REMOVAL OF CONDITIONS ON LEGAL RESIDENCY), marriage dissolution with the U.S. ex-spouse has no immigration impact on the foreign ex-spouse. Her rights to live, work, travel and study in the U.S. are not impacted. The U.S. ex-spouse would be well-advised nevertheless to advise his local Immigration Service office in writing regarding the marriage dissolution to extinguish any non-financial liabilities.

In any of these three cases, if the U.S. Citizen spouse suspects and can likely substantiate a claim that the foreign spouse committed immigration and visa fraud, then it is advisable to send written notice together with any proofs Certified and Return Receipt or Priority Mail with Signature Confirmation to the local immigration office (Investigations or Enforcement Unit), U.S. Embassy of the foreign spouse’s home country and the Violence Against Women’s Act Unit at the Immigration Service Vermont Regional Service Center.

**WHO ARE SOME PUBLIC NOTARIES AND LAWYERS WHO CAN ASSIST
WITH INFORMATION ON THE DIVORCE PROCESS IN COLOMBIA?

BOGOTA
1. Luis Fernando Pradilla Farfan
(Family Lawyer)
Cra. 13a, No. 38-39 of 201
Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
Tel:285-1928, 527-4370 Cel: 310-246-0763 Fax: 285-2069
E-mail: [email protected]

**WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PENALTIES IN THE VISA PROCESS?

Penalties for the American citizen or permanent resident for some typical offenses associated with foreign brides and fiancees: