Foreign marriage certificate - any registering necessary in Canada?

[CutiePie92]

hello!

we have married in Europe and we wonder if my husband needs to do something when he arrives back in Canada (before submitting our app). i know he needs to update his status to 'married' with CRA. Is that it? I'm just wondering if the certificate is valid there too. i read on their site that we don't need to do anything after (i thought that he maybe needs to go to Ottawa to the ministry of external affairs to get it authenticated or something?)

we're a bit confused any response is appreciated! Thanks!

 

[fandv]

hello!

we have married in Europe and we wonder if my husband needs to do something when he arrives back in Canada (before submitting our app). i know he needs to update his status to 'married' with CRA. Is that it? I'm just wondering if the certificate is valid there too. i read on their site that we don't need to do anything after (i thought that he maybe needs to go to Ottawa to the ministry of external affairs to get it authenticated or something?)

we're a bit confused any response is appreciated! Thanks!

If your marriage in Europe was legal, then you don't need to register your marriage in Canada .

According to the Canadian government's website:

http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/documents/marriage-overseas

Marriages that are legally performed in a foreign country are usually valid in Canada, and you do not need to register them in Canada.

 

[CutiePie92]

thanks for the quick answer! yeah i thought that too, wanted to be sure..

problem is my husband is from Quebec and seems like you CAN register your foreign marriage but they ask for original birth certificates and such. frankly i don't feel like giving any originals to a foreign authority :..

they say here: http://www.etatcivil.gouv.qc.ca/en/insertion-act.html

"For the insertion of an act of marriage or civil union, the following documents must be included with the application:

the original document certifying the marriage or civil union issued by the officer of civil status of the country or province in which the marriage or civil union took place
the original documents certifying the births of the spouses issued by the officers of civil status of the countries or provinces in which the births took place, if the spouses were born outside Québec
a photocopy of a valid photo ID of the applicant;
a photocopy of a proof of home address of the applicant;
a photocopy of a proof of domicile in Québec of the person concerned by the act to be inserted if that person is not the applicant.


i just wonder if this is really necessary. i don't really want to go through it.

 

[fandv]

thanks for the quick answer! yeah i thought that too, wanted to be sure..

problem is my husband is from Quebec and seems like you CAN register your foreign marriage but they ask for original birth certificates and such. frankly i don't feel like giving any originals to a foreign authority :..

they say here: http://www.etatcivil.gouv.qc.ca/en/insertion-act.html

"For the insertion of an act of marriage or civil union, the following documents must be included with the application:

the original document certifying the marriage or civil union issued by the officer of civil status of the country or province in which the marriage or civil union took place
the original documents certifying the births of the spouses issued by the officers of civil status of the countries or provinces in which the births took place, if the spouses were born outside Québec
a photocopy of a valid photo ID of the applicant;
a photocopy of a proof of home address of the applicant;
a photocopy of a proof of domicile in Québec of the person concerned by the act to be inserted if that person is not the applicant.


i just wonder if this is really necessary. i don't really want to go through it.

You really don't need to do that.....I got married outside of Canada too, and I didn't register my marriage in Canada, and our application went just fine, and in fact we're expecting my wife's visa to be issued anytime soon...

 

[steerpike]

thanks for the quick answer! yeah i thought that too, wanted to be sure..

problem is my husband is from Quebec and seems like you CAN register your foreign marriage but they ask for original birth certificates and such. frankly i don't feel like giving any originals to a foreign authority :..

they say here: http://www.etatcivil.gouv.qc.ca/en/insertion-act.html

"For the insertion of an act of marriage or civil union, the following documents must be included with the application:

the original document certifying the marriage or civil union issued by the officer of civil status of the country or province in which the marriage or civil union took place
the original documents certifying the births of the spouses issued by the officers of civil status of the countries or provinces in which the births took place, if the spouses were born outside Québec
a photocopy of a valid photo ID of the applicant;
a photocopy of a proof of home address of the applicant;
a photocopy of a proof of domicile in Québec of the person concerned by the act to be inserted if that person is not the applicant.


i just wonder if this is really necessary. i don't really want to go through it.

From the same website it says:

An act of civil status made outside Québec by a competent authority is a document to which the Civil Code of Québec grants semi-authentic legal status. After being inserted into the register, it is still a semi-authentic act. However, the act becomes authentic if its validity is recognized by a Québec court.

So it looks like it would only become authentic if you went to a court to have it recognized. It sounds to me like this is some system whereby people who married elsewhere can have their marriage made into a "Quebec marriage" (although I have no idea why anyone would want to do that). None of that is nessecary from CIC's point of a view.

You are married now and whereever you go you remain married (even Las Vegas).

 

[CutiePie92]

oh good! i just wanted to make sure. i'm a little too paranoid with this immigration thing ??? thanks a lot for your answer and @ fandv congratulations! i hope her visa gets issued asap

 

[March2014apply]

frankly i don't feel like giving any originals to a foreign authority :..

Thing is, you're definitely going to have to provide your original birth certificate when your husband applies for your sponsorship!

 

[CutiePie92]

huh?! since when? i'm pretty sure they mention in the guide & checklist & everywhere that i need to submit 1 notarized copy + 1 legalized translation of any foreign documents (in a language other than english/french)

maybe more experienced users can tell more about it. i'm pretty sure i don't need to submit any originals (just the police certificate)

 

[March2014apply]

huh?! since when? i'm pretty sure they mention in the guide & checklist & everywhere that i need to submit 1 notarized copy + 1 legalized translation of any foreign documents (in a language other than english/french)

maybe more experienced users can tell more about it. i'm pretty sure i don't need to submit any originals (just the police certificate)

Oh okay.
Actually you might be right.
I think I was under the impression that you had to cause for my wife, the Abu Dhabi office asks for an original birth certificate (which will obviously be returned to you at the end of the application), along with an original police clearance certificate.

 

[fandv]

huh?! since when? i'm pretty sure they mention in the guide & checklist & everywhere that i need to submit 1 notarized copy + 1 legalized translation of any foreign documents (in a language other than english/french)

maybe more experienced users can tell more about it. i'm pretty sure i don't need to submit any originals (just the police certificate)

No need to provide your original birth certificate... . Your checklist (IMM 3902) says to send original application forms and police certificate. For other documents (including your birth certificate), you only need to send a notarized translation with a copy of the original...

 

[CutiePie92]

for my wife, the Abu Dhabi office asks for an original birth certificate (which will obviously be returned to you at the end of the application), along with an original police clearance certificate.

oh seriously? i never thought they actually ask for originals. not very safe in my opinion .. i obviously only checked the specific doc checklist for eastern europe.. and the only original i need to give is the police certificate (which i find acceptable). anyway, i wish you good luck with your application!

@ fandv yeah i knew the same thing. seems like it's different for other locations!

 

[March2014apply]

oh seriously? i never thought they actually ask for originals. not very safe in my opinion .. i obviously only checked the specific doc checklist for eastern europe.. and the only original i need to give is the police certificate (which i find acceptable). anyway, i wish you good luck with your application!

@ fandv yeah i knew the same thing. seems like it's different for other locations!

Thanks very much! Best of luck to you too !

 

[fandv]

Oh okay.
Actually you might be right.
I think I was under the impression that you had to cause for my wife, the Abu Dhabi office asks for an original birth certificate (which will obviously be returned to you at the end of the application), along with an original police clearance certificate.

I checked your wife's checklist (IMM 3911), and page A-1 says that that only the immigration forms and police certificate have to be original... . So your wife should've sent a sworn translation + notarised photocopy of the birth certificate, not the original...

 

[March2014apply]

I checked your wife's checklist (IMM 3911), and page A-1 says that that only the immigration forms and police certificate have to be original... . So your wife should've sent a sworn translation + notarised photocopy of the birth certificate, not the original...

Oh wow, just re-checked and you're right
I was looking at page 4, and the original birth certificate is only if you're being sponsored by a parent. Not sure how I missed that.
Fortunately the birth certificate was in English, thus no translation required, but hope they return the original!

 

[Laurahd]

I know I’m jumping an old thread but really want to know if anyone submitted the semi authentic marriage certificate to immigration and did they consider it valid? I wouldn’t want my file to be returned. I’m looking for anyone who HAS gone through it. Tia