So what type of visa did you have to apply for? A special residency visa or something like?

Chica, after reading the process you had to go through, it makes me tired just thinking about it, and feel overwhelmed And what Navado and Nuria wrote, sounds a bit less overwhelming, and even implies that you can remain in Spain longer than 90 days without a Visa, if I was married to my Spaniard, so I guess there is more than one way to go about this. I guess it depends if one doesn't mind to return to the USA, after getting married in Spain, to get their Visa, which would probably be processed a lot faster, BUT I have one question, if you marry in Spain, will the USA recognize the marriage if you return to the US for the visa? I've read somewhere some say yes, and others say no, so does anyone know for a fact which it is?
Oh, btw, my Apostille Seal birth certificate from Germany, is on it's way to me. It was so much easier than I have expected, and they were so helpful, as well as you guys(I'm a New Yorker,guys=gals too ) were, so again, I want to say muchas gracias to all, for all the help and being so kind hearted . I really do appreciate it, and hope one day I can help one of you guys/gals with something. SMILE !!!
LittleWing-who loves to fly so freely from her soul.....

Little Wing --

Nevado writes:
I could not agree more! Getting a straight answer is next to impossible. It seems that one government agency does not talk to the other. The process isn´t hard, just exasperating because no one gives the straight answers.

We learned a lot of information AFTER the fact. For example, had we stayed in the USA for a week after our wedding we could have processed the paperwork for the libro de familia AND get the Visa (for reuniting the family .. husband & I) at the Spanish Consulate in NYC in one shot. Then we could have returned to Spain and begun the paperwork for my residency immediately. So, I would have gotten my residency in August or September of 2001 instead of March 2002.

However, we learned the hard way. I got to Spain on a tourist visa (good for 90 days), and in May processed for the Libro de Familia in Madrid. Due to the high volume of applications that they process in Madrid, plus the summer vacation, getting just the Libro was a 4 month ordeal. (We returned to the States in the meantime for my sis´s wedding and therefore renewed my tourist visa).

I was due to fly out in September to get my Visa in NYC when the horrific and unfortunate 11th of September happened leaving a lot in the lurch including concerns about travel safety. Sooo, it wasn´t until November that I got the visa and December began to process for the residency.

So, my word of advice is if you get married in the USA and plan on living in Spain afterwards, don´t fly out until you have processed and gotten both your Libro de Familia and Visa (reuniting a family) at the local Spanish Consulate. You will save yourself a lot of headaches...and travel!

LittleWind,
I got married in Spain and my marriage is valid here USA. My brother got married in USA and it is valid in Spain
I got married in a church, my brother in court. We didn't have to translate our marriage certificate to English or Spanish.
So far we didn't have any problem with people accepting our marriage certificates either here (USA) or Spain
Nuria

MAybe I'm a little late with my reply, maybe not. I don't know how long it takes to get married in Spain, because I was married to a Spaniard here in the US. We are planning on moving back to Spain by the end of the year so we wanted to get all of our papers in order. We went to the Spanish Consulate here in LA, taking with us our passports, and our marriage certificate, and within five minutes everything was arranged, they told me that about a month before leaving, I should come by to get my residency and my work visa. Easy as pie. No problems, and no hassle.

how long did the process take in the states? I will have to go back to get a different visa and then come here and wait 3-6 months for residency and work permits to go through, so how would the wait compare in the states?

Does anyone know the process if both of us are from the US and wanting to get married in Madrid Spain? What does the paperwork consist of and does it have to be trranslated? Do you recommend anywhere to have the wedding for just the two of us, no guests?

Que bruto! I should have read the whole "the marriage process?" post section before writing my post above under another section. It was very helpful. The links were great and it was encouraging to read the step by step process of you guys going through the maze. But even after reading it I still have a couple questions.

Still, I would like to know if the same processes apply to residents of Panama and other countries. And once all the paperwork is done, will I be able to study as if I were from Spain? And again, do the Spanish authorities (either in the US or Spain) verify that it is a "real" marriage, and not just a marriage for residency purposes?

Here's my plan, I'd love to hear what you all who have done this before think. Go to Spain on the 90 day tourist visa, marry an Española (for purely residential reasons) and go back to the states, get my "regrupación familiar" visa and then back to Spain to get the residency. What I am confused on is whether that residency will give me the option to work and study freely or not. Chica mentioned that she had to go and separately apply for the work permit along with the specific oferta de trabajo. But later, Mencey got the residency AND work visa State-side. Anyone have a clarification or comments on marriages in Spain that are for residency purposes only? Thanks. Jakob

Jakob writes:
As part of the residency application process, besides all the paperwork, the Spanish gov´t assigns the local police/Guardia Civil to do a background (I suppose criminal) check as well as an additional documentation check at the claimed address. Generally, from what I understand, the police check with the neighbors to see if there have been any complaints and/or if they know the applicant (in this case me). I was visited by the Guardia Civil (our town doesn´t have its own police force) at our house. They asked for me when my husband answered the door and asked him his relationship to me. My husband invited them into the house, but they resisted at first, they just wanted to see me and my paperwork. However, since it was pooring rain outside, my husband insisted that they come in.

So they came inside and reviewed my passport, asked me how long I had been in Spain asked if I was working. Certainly since they were inside the house, they aprovecharon de la oportunidad to look around the livingroom. There is no doubt (by our furnishings and wedding pics) that we are married and quite settled in where we are living.

Hope this helps answer some of your questions.