The rules said to post in a matching thread if there was one, so here I am.
I'm a US citizen with a German fiance, and we're both trying to make sure that all of the correct steps are taken to make my trip to Germany in September my last. We plan to register to marry, and he already called the local Standesamt to find out what documents are required of me. Mostly, I need advice on where and when to do certain things so I won't get bounced out of the country after 90 days.
The documents the Standesamt requires (nothing said about apostilles, but I'll get them anyway):
- Birth Certificate (translated)
- Passport
- Familienstandsbescheinungung
- Ehefähigkeitszeugnis
- Verdienstbescheinigung
From what he was told and passed along to me, the Familienstandsbescheinungung sounds a lot like what I've read about the Ehefähigkeitszeugnis. Can anyone shed any light on the difference between these two documents and where to get them? He was told I would have to file for an exemption for the Ehefähigkeitszeugnis because the US doesn't do it and that I will need the Verdienstbescheinigung for the calculation of the cost of that exemption. Has anyone run into this? If so, what exactly qualifies as a Verdienstbescheinigung?
As for other random questions:
- Should we register to marry before I apply for a residency permit?
- Should I get my documents translated in the US or in Germany?
- Since it looks like I'll have to take the A1 German test, should I take it before leaving the US? (Kill me now.)
- For proof of
health insurance, will my sucktacular BCBS, which has international coverage, suffice?
- What other documents might I need?
- How soon after I arrive should we start registering and hurling around applications?
- What are the chances we can pull this off?
- Does anyone have any information on bringing cats into Germany?
For sanity's sake, I'll stop there for now. Thanks in advance to anyone who attempts to help me!