Hi guys,
Me and my Brazilian girlfriend are planning to marry in SP and we are planning to live together in SP.
I talked to bunch of lawyers in SP and they gave me quotes ranging from $1,500 to $5,000 (marriage process + immigration process). I still don't understand why there's a 3 times price difference.
I read at this and other forums and found out that I can do the whole process by myself.
Hopefully, with the help of the wonderful members of this forum I can defeat the bureaucratic machine.
The short prologue, I'm in a divorce process with my current wife (she is also a Brazilian we married in Brazil but she lives in California). So I'm waiting for my divorce certificate.
In my first marriage I hired a brilliant Brazilian lawyer (I found her on another forum) but she is not practicing anymore because she immigrated to Europe with her husband. She filed all necessary documents to cartorio and marriage process went smoothly.
In my second marriage I want to do the whole process by myself.
Can you please tell me what documents I will need for our marriage in SP?
My biggest fear is validity of documents (for example: this document is valid for 90 days etc.).
I want to start collecting documents while I'm waiting for a judge in Family Court in California to sign our petition for divorce, that's why I'm worried about "expiration date" of some documents i.e. (for example) I have a document but by the time of filing the document will be considered "expired", because the divorce process in CA can take up to 1 year.
We don't have any kids with my first wife.
Documents I have (for marriage and immigration):
1. Unexpired US passport with a valid VITUR (tourist visa) both documents valid until 2026.
2. Birth Certificate with apostille. I got my apostille in 2020 because I lost my old certificate and had to renew apostille. I know it must be translated to Portuguese by a Certified Sworn Translator. Can you recommend me a CST (Certified Sworn Translator)? You can send me phone numbers in private message. Does apostille and translation has expiration date?
3. CPF. I know this number has nothing to do with marriage & immigration process. Well, I just have it.
I know I will need a background check document. I have a document from FBI but it's already expired (valid for 90 days). I will renew it. Do I have to apostille it? If yes, where? State Department? I know it must be translated as well by CST.
I know I will need my divorce certificate. Do I need apostille? I know I will need translation.
Please write me a list of documents for marriage process and for immigration process. Let's do it together
P.S.: We are planning to marry in cartorio in Barra Funda, SP