Marriage revisited

So we decided to get married.

We decided that already some time ago, but never felt the need to really start preparing for it; there were always other priorities. In the first week of august 2011 we received the sad news of the tragic death of a good friend in a car accident. As this was the sixth friend and/or family member we lost this year, we were in shock again. It set us re-thinking our own status; in good health now, happily living together, but nothing in contracts or on paper. We were officially and unofficially not connected.

Ok, we have a huge mortgage together, and for both of us that is the biggest contract we ever signed. But if one of us was to have a fatal accident, the other would be left with nothing but problems. Going to a lawyer and notary for a contract, last will & testament, would cost a fortune in this country, so we were told. Thus, we opted for the cheaper solution; we decided to get married.

The biggest question was if I could get my papers ready on time, as we set the preferred date to be 26th of august 2011, in only two weeks time. Bohunka would have her new name already on her engineer diploma she will receive in September.

Within 5 days I received three letters from the Netherlands, with help from an uncle there; the birth certificate, a confirmation letter of my divorce, and a excerpt from the basic persons administration from the last town I lived in in the Netherlands. All applied for through email, already put on international documents. Excellent service from the Dutch local governments we said.

With these papers I went to the Dutch embassy in Prague, to receive a letter of "no objection against a marriage with a Czech woman". Within half an hour on Friday morning 19th of august, a week before d-day. Excellent service from the Dutch local governments we said.

But the lady at the counter told me that for all these papers to be legitimate, I would have to go to The Hague, NL, in person, to get an "apostille stamp" on every page. Oh yes, and everything had to be translated in Czech, because nobody understands these international EU papers, in English, and other languages, all but Czech.

What the…? But, why we have EU..? Why we have international papers..?

On Saturday 20th I had an appointment in Hradec Kralove, about 3 hours driving from us, and 3 hours back. After that I had to go to Nove Hrady (100km) where a good friend could do some translating, so the official translator would only have to look at it, and put her official stamp on it, in Nova Bistryce (again 100km, short-cut through Austria.. 1,5 hour driving) at Saturday evening 22:00h.

On Sunday morning 07:00 I started driving to NL. Had a good night sleep at a good friends' house and Monday morning 22.08 at 08:300 I was at the courthouse in the Hague. The nice man at the counter told me that the first problem was 'no name under one signature". But "you will have to go to the courthouses of the districts where these papers come from." Are you kidding me? This would mean a grand tour of Holland. No way!

After a good hour of telephone calls, faxing, emailing and calling more, the nice man gave me a cup of coffee and all stamps on all papers, for 55 Euro's that was. Monday evening 23:00 I was back home.

Tuesday morning 09:00h we had an appointment with the lady of the Town hall in Jindrichuv Hradec, the nearest big city and handed over all good papers! Only the Apostille stamps had to be translated again but this she would take care of. All set, marriage can be on Friday 26th. Friday 26th, 18:00, Houbový Park, Roseč.

The major of our village is there to perform the ceremony, the lady of the town hall is there to check our passports and papers again, the official translator is there, and we are there. Beautiful ceremony, big kiss, great party afterwards.

Monday 29th of august we went to the town hall again to deliver the official papers to be registered. And while we were there, we went to the foreign police to get my new wife’s' name in my official papers and passport too. "Congratulations!" told the policeman behind the counter, "you are officially married in the Czech Republic, but you are also illegal in this country, as your passport expired 6 days ago!"

So, for the last two weeks so many official EU employees looked at my passport to verify my existence, but nobody read it?!?!?! I'm now awaiting a new passport from the Dutch embassy in Prague. Oh, yes, and Bohunka will not have her new name on her diploma as the school told; she did her exams under her old name, so that will be on the diploma.

I still love her!