A little lost in the process for marriage

[CanadaGirl2011]

I'm Canadian my partner is Kenyan - we attempted a student visa - which was denied.  We since decided  to get married, sometime this year -  I'm unsure how to proceed in getting a letter of impediment - I don't know what it is and how to obtain it.

[melouttamegacity]

I did a lot of research on this, and I'm still not sure if I'm right about this.  But this is what I got if you're from Ontario:

You have to apply for a marriage search online.  To do this, you need a search letter.  You get this letter by filling out a Marriage Certificate Application Form and check off the box that says "Search".  I know it sounds weird to be filling out the marriage cert application because you're not married yet, but it has a marriage search area on it.

If you have any questions, you can call the Office of the Registrar General at 1-800-461-2156, or if you're in Toronto 416-325-8305.

If you're from outside Toronto, I have no clue.  But it's probably similar.

[CanadaGirl2011]

I've done this thanks - I'm waiting for the search form Ontario.... However the department of foreign affairs and international trade stated that I need to get all those documents authenticated - by sending it to them with my long form birth certificate and notary for letter of impediment - that is where I am lost -- Do notary's just write a letter?

[IndividualLikeEveryoneEls]

My wife had to get a "Statement In-Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage Abroad" last year for our wedding. We were told to apply for one through the federal government and were told it would take up to a month to get it back. I called the Canadian High Commission in London who, without even asking for any ID or proof of address, issued one the same day and I received it the following day.

The site that tells you about the federal one is here. If you have a month to spare, it's probably the way to go.
http://www.international.gc.ca/about-a_propos/authentication-authentification_documents.aspx

We also got a certificate from BC saying that she had never been married in BC before.

The documents you require depend on where you are getting married. Some countries are less bureaucratic than others. Unfortunately, most countries are very bureaucratic.

[CharlieD10]

Get married in Jamaica!  Requirements: birth certificates, passports, decree nisi (if you were divorced), death certificate (if you were widowed) and 48 hours residency on the island.  Badda bing, badda boom, married!    LOL.

[IndividualLikeEveryoneEls]

Cyprus is also pretty thin on the paperwork requirements, also has beautiful weather and of course is known as the island of LOVE.

[Cdagal]

We got married in Brazil (my husband is Nigerian). All my Canadian documents had to be authenticated by the Brazilian consulate in Vancouver in order to be recognized by Brazil...is that what you mean?

[CanadaGirl2011]

Thanks all for the replies - I've sent an email to the Canadian High Commission in Nairobi to ask if they can issue the "statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marry abroad. 

When I was in Kenya they requested this before we could get married so I am home now in Canada - preparing to marry in September in Kenya....

From reading all these threads I am a little nervous that Nairobi has a 29 month processing for spousal visa... kinda interesting that they are rather quick with their processed denial of our student visa -- request... oh well - I am fortunate to be able to travel to Kenya to be with my love so I can't complain too much...

I'm sure I will have lots of questions - so thanks for all the advise.

[KristinB15]

CanadaGirl,
I got married at a resort in Kenya and I didn't need anything except my passport birth certificate and an affidavit signed by a commissioner of oaths stating I have never been married before. It was actually very easy. We got married in Jan. Feel free to private message me if you want any other details. Best of Luck!

Kristin

[Inlandappl]

I got married in the beautiful Cook islands, in Aitutaki, in the south pacific. we also spent the honeymoon there.
for the marriage(on a beautiful deserted islet) we had to have only our valid passports and birth certificates(translated into english) . I almost had to push to show our birth certificates because the officer almost forgot to check them...I got my marriage certificate 3 days after the wedding. the pastor found us near the supermarket in the main village(less than 2000 people live there)  and gave it to us with a big smile....ahahah.....

[CanadaGirl2011]

Kristen - did you get the commisionner of oaths from Canada or Kenya - to prove u were not married?

[KristinB15]

I got a commissioner of oaths in Canada. My mother is actually a commissioner of oaths so she just signed it for me.