In the course of trying to obtain provisional residency, I must legalize my American birth certificate. Well, I ran into a snag, and was hoping someone could point me in the right direction or possible help me out. Please don't tell me to get a lawyer and have them take care of it. I know I could do that, I want to know how to do this myself. Guzman, feel free to lend your advice.
After paying RD$620 at the Departmento de Relaciones Exterores, I turned in my receipt and Birth Certificate into the lady at the window. About 20 minutes later, they call me up. And she and her supervisor are questioning me on the US Consulate who signed my birth certificate. The US Consulates name is Mary. I assured her Mary was a US Consulate and her signature and stamp was all legit. She told me to sit back down and wait.
About 30 minutes later they called me back to the window. This time they mentioned that it was signed in 1961, and that was too long ago. I needed a more recent signature and stamp on my birth certificate and that I needed to go to the US Embassy to obtain one.
That sounded strange, but welcome to the DR right? So I then go to the American Embassy where I am told they only sign and stamp Dominican birth certificates, NOT American birth certificates. So there is my impasse.
I think what is happening is that most people have a normal birth certificate and get it stamped and signed by a US Consulate before they come here. I was born abroad, and had my birth certificate signed and stamped when I was born. When I showed up with my birth certificate signed and stamped by a US Consulate from over 40 years ago, they have never seen anything like that before. I'm sure they were calling the US Embassy asking to speak to Mary, and since no Mary was there, and it was singed by Mary in 1961, they didn't know how to process that.
Has anyone ran into this problem before? Any advice, or insight as to what to do next?
Thanks in advance!
After paying RD$620 at the Departmento de Relaciones Exterores, I turned in my receipt and Birth Certificate into the lady at the window. About 20 minutes later, they call me up. And she and her supervisor are questioning me on the US Consulate who signed my birth certificate. The US Consulates name is Mary. I assured her Mary was a US Consulate and her signature and stamp was all legit. She told me to sit back down and wait.
About 30 minutes later they called me back to the window. This time they mentioned that it was signed in 1961, and that was too long ago. I needed a more recent signature and stamp on my birth certificate and that I needed to go to the US Embassy to obtain one.
That sounded strange, but welcome to the DR right? So I then go to the American Embassy where I am told they only sign and stamp Dominican birth certificates, NOT American birth certificates. So there is my impasse.
I think what is happening is that most people have a normal birth certificate and get it stamped and signed by a US Consulate before they come here. I was born abroad, and had my birth certificate signed and stamped when I was born. When I showed up with my birth certificate signed and stamped by a US Consulate from over 40 years ago, they have never seen anything like that before. I'm sure they were calling the US Embassy asking to speak to Mary, and since no Mary was there, and it was singed by Mary in 1961, they didn't know how to process that.
Has anyone ran into this problem before? Any advice, or insight as to what to do next?
Thanks in advance!