More docs required for my CNP

I mentioned that I had sent all my docs to my husband in Peru and given him POA to try to get my CNP and register our marriage. In late October he went to the embassy and they said that first I needed a CNP. Earlier this week they asked for a copy of our marriage cert to show a link between my maiden name and my married name. Now they want a "constancia" which is like a record of proof showing how I got my Romanian birth certificate.

I don't understand it. I didn't think that I'd have to prove how I had gotten something. If I have my birth cert, which the embassy has recognised as true and valid, I shouldn't have to go back a step and show the documents I showed in the first place when I got it.

But I do have to show a constancia proving my claim to citizenship, which is the letter from the Ministry of Internal Affairs stating that my mom's a citizen.

They haven't given a time frame this time. I'm guessing that since St. Nicholas Day, Christmas, and Orthodox Christmas are coming up in December and January I probably won't hear anything until the end of January.

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News about my CNP

It's officially been 4 weeks since my docs were presented at the Romanian embassy in Lima. We were told that it would take 3-4 weeks for them to find out about my CNP. My husband called and it seems they have a dilemma about my name. They're not sure whether to use my maiden name or my married name.

I honestly don't mind which name they use as long as I can get my CNP. They've asked for a scan of my marriage certificate, which my husband is going to email to them. I thought that he had already shown them our marriage certificate, but I guess they just glanced at it or didn't make a copy or he didn't give them a copy. I'm not sure. All I know is that I'm glad he called when he did or else we'd be waiting even longer.

He thought about sending other documents, such as my license or degrees, but I don't think that would help since none of my documents have been apostillised and all it would prove is the name I had and the name I have now.

They need to see a link between my maiden name and my married name. I did what they do in Peru when they get married. I kept my maiden name, then added "de" and then my husband's first name. Here's an example with both a woman with one last names and a woman with two last names.

• Mary Smith gets married to John Doe Black. In Peru she'd then change her name to either Mary Smith de Doe.
• Mary Smith Jones gets married to John Doe Black. In Peru she'd then change her name to either Mary Smith Jones de Doe.

I only had one last name, so my married name is like the first example. So my husband is going to email them a scan of our marriage certificate along with my old passport with my maiden name. I hope that we get the answer soon so that I can apply for my Romanian marriage certificate this year since the fee might go up next year.

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News from the Romanian Embassy in Peru

As I mentioned before, I sent all the documents to Peru so that my husband could apply for my CNP and register our marriage. My husband went to the embassy. He had just told them that he wanted to register our marriage since I was told he could do both at the same time.

He said that the counsel (a woman) was very nice and helpful. She said that it was very strange that I was able to get a Romanian birth certificate in Peru because you're supposed to get it where you were born (for me that would be the USA), however, she also said that it was a true, original birth certificate and the stamps and seals were legit.

So they're not really sure what to do now.

They had my husband pay $50 to apply for the CNP, but they could reject my application due to the issue above. Anyways, the long and short of it is that in about 3-4 weeks we should find out if they accept or reject the application.

They said that first we have to apply for the CNP and then we have to register the marriage. We're not sure how long it will take to register our marriage. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Fingers crossed!

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Power of Attorney for Marriage Cert and CNP

I've given my husband power of attorney to register my marriage and get my CNP at the same time. The Romanian embassy in Seoul says that it can be done and it should be easy. Time varies from one embassy/consulate to the other, but in Korea it only takes 24 hours to register your marriage. I'm assuming Peru is similar since there aren't a lot of Romanians there.

The CNP is a totally different issue. I'm guessing that will probably take 3-6 months since I was born before CNPs were given to embassies/consulates. For children born in the 22st century it's much faster and easier to get them CNPs than for people like me.

Registering my marriage in Peru requires a number of items and documents. Here's what I'll be sending later this week.

• Anexa 1 (you can get it at www.oficial.ro) and it says that I want to register my marriage.
• Anexa 8 (you can get it at www.oficial.ro) and it says that there's no legal issues with me registering my marriage (i.e. not already married to someone else)
• Power of attorney given to me by the Romanian embassy in Seoul that says my husband can apply for my CNP and register our marriage.
• Our original Peruvian marriage certificate and translation (done by an official translator in Romania, Roxana Cazacu)
• My husband's original Peruvian birth certification and translation (done by an official translator in Romania, Roxana Cazacu)
• My Romanian birth certificate (without the CNP)
• My American passport (because I don't have my Romanian one...yet!)

More requirements and info.

• I'm also required to send my Romanian passport (which I don't have) and write my CNP (which I also don't have). Let's hope that this won't be a problem. The embassy here in Seoul contacted Bucharest and they said that the ONLY place that can register my marriage is the Romanian embassy in Peru. Hopefully they'll agree and not pass the buck and say that it can't be done or that it has to be done in Romania. I guess one thing that I have going for me is that my Romanian birth certificate was issued by them. 
• The fee to register a marriage in Peru at the Romanian embassy is $286 and the CNP is free!
• I guess I'll find out in a couple of weeks if I'm successful!

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Why I'm Still Trying to Get Romanian Citizenship

Last year I wrote a couple of reasons that explained why I still want to get Romanian citizenship. Here are the four reasons I wrote about in January 2012.

1. First, I honestly feel that it's owed to our family. I think it would be a form of retribution and vindication for what was done.
2. Second, we've been at it so long, it would be horrible to give up now.
3. Third, I believe there's real potential for myself and my husband in Romania.
4. Fourth, it would give our daughter the chance to live, work, or study in Europe if she wanted to.

I have to admit that these reasons have changed a bit. I'm at the point that it would be easiest to give up. In January 2006 I decided to give up and in April 2012 I also felt like it would be impossible to ever get Romanian citizenship. It seems like for every one step I take forward I'm pushed back ten steps. I do, however, believe that the people at the Romanian Embassy in Seoul want to see me succeed. That's half the battle, getting people on your side.

I still believe in reasons 1 and 2. My mother's citizenship was re-instated back in the 1990s. Both her parents have passed away now and would not be able to see me get citizenship, something I believe our family is owed. However, it's never too late to say sorry and this act would make up for a lot of things.

On to the 3rd reason. I do still believe that there is potential in Romania. I could teach English, educate expats about giving birth in Romania, possibly even buy property and rent it out. The language shouldn't be too much of a struggle since I can already read a great deal and it's similar to Spanish.To be honest though, this is the weakest reason I have for continuing.

Reason 4 is what is really urging me on. I think that if my mom had known what I know now, she might have gotten a Romanian passport, thus making it much easier for me. But, alas, internet wasn't available when she was growing up and misinformation abound. For example, she believed that she could only be an American citizen and couldn't hold dual nationality. I know that if I give up now, it'll be all but impossible for my daughter to become Romanian through my mother. (Though I suppose there's nothing stopping her from moving to Romania and getting it through marriage or residency.)

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Registering My Marriage at the Romanian Embassy in Peru

My husband called the embassy in Lima the other day and they said that it should be no problem for me to register my marriage at the embassy despite the fact that I have no CNP nor a Romanian passport. They said one of us just has to fill out some forms. I have my doubts.

Last time it was a Catch-22. In order to get a passport you need a CNP and to have registered your marriage. In order to register your marriage you need a CNP and a passport.

They said they would email him the forms. Let's see what happens.

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The Romanian Embassy Called Me

I'm happy to report that I just got a call from the Romanian Embassy the other day. It looks like it might be possible that I can actually get citizenship. There's the slight problem that I changed my name, so I have to register my Peruvian marriage cert. This can only be done in Peru unfortunately. Luckily, my husband is there now, though I hope the embassy in Lima will help him out and let him register my marriage. I simply can't afford to fly to Peru in order to get this done.

I've also considered changing my name back to my maiden name. To be honest, I can't believe I changed it in the first place after all the problems my mom had with her name. I'm hoping that if I changed it back, then I wouldn't have to register my marriage.

There's also the issue with my Romanian birth certificate and the lack of the CNP on it. I don't really know what happened when it was issued. I'm tempted to say that it was just issued so that I would go away and that it's just a piece of paper, nothing more.

The good news is that my mom is still a citizen and we have the paper to prove it.

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The Romanian Embassy Emailed Me

Much as I'd love to report that they're going to give me my passport right away, that's not the case. But they did email me, about two weeks after I went to visit them. I know that I've mentioned it before, but it's worth repeating, the Romanian Embassy in Seoul is amazing! Lovely people, very helpful, perfect English, and they don't ask why I don't speak Romanian. Yes, I know it's a bit embarrassing trying to get citizenship without speaking the language, but my arguments are:

1. It's a birth right, just like babies don't speak when they become citizens.
2. I can actually read a pretty decent amount.
3. Since I know Spanish I know that if I went there to live I could pick up the language fairly quickly.

Anyways, they just asked me for my cell phone number, so hopefully they will call soon!

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Some Sad News to Report

My mom's mom died today. She was the one who went to live in Romania as a child and left with my mom and aunt to go to the US. She left my grandfather behind thinking she'd never see him again, luckily our family knew a senator who was able to work relentlessly and bring him to the US a couple years later. She will be missed greatly.

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Helpful People at the Romanian Embassy in Seoul

I had problems with the Romanian embassy's email. Their email is now embassy@romania.ollehoffice.net

The man I spoke to on the phone was very nice and polite. He told me to send him copies of my documents and he would see what he could do. I sent him a scan of my Romanian birth cert, my mother's Romanian birth cert, and the letter from the Ministry of Internal Affairs stating that my mother is Romanian. Neither my mother's nor my birth certificates have CNPs.

I just went to the embassy today with my daughter. The woman I spoke to was so incredibly nice. Very polite and wonderful English. She also didn't tell me that I had to speak Romanian in order to get a passport (which is what people usually tell us, though since I'm applying to become Romanian due to birth rights it shouldn't matter. I'm not asking to be naturalised, I'm simply asking to get citizenship through my mother). She said that I need my CNP and that it usually takes 3 months. I told her that I'd been trying to get citizenship since 1999, so another three months isn't that much.

She copied my Romanian birth cert and my mother's Romanian birth cert. As well as my mother's proof of citizenship from the Ministry of the Interior. She says she will contact Sector 1 in Bucharest. After I get my CNP I have to register my marriage and that can either be done in Peru or Romania, so it looks like I might be going back to Romania. After that then I can get my passport. I'm excited, but I know that I've been so close before so I'm trying not to get my hopes up.

Fingers crossed it will work!

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Romania Embassy in Seoul: Email's Not Working

Seems they've changed emails. The one I have for them isn't working. It's romemb@kornet.com . I guess I'll have to wait until I get back to Korea to contact them. The same thing happened to the person I contacted, their email isn't working. Sigh.

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Organising Documents Once Again

I'm in the US and got the folder of documents that my lawyer sent. I've organised everything and am hoping to go to the embassy in Seoul in August. One of my friends knows someone at the embassy and another one of my friends is Romanian. I'm hoping that somehow one (or both of them) will be able to help me out some way or another and I can finally get my CNP and my passport.

I've got ...

• My American original birth cert (with my mom's name change so that it matches her US naturalisation record) as well as a translation with apostillisation.
• My Romanian original birth cert.
• An apostilised copy of my mom's new Romanian birth cert.
• My mom's marriage cert (with my mom's name change so that it matches her US naturalisation record) as well as a translation with apostillisation.
• An original letter from the Ministry of Internal Affairs stating that my mom is a Romanian citizen. 
• My original Peruvian marriage cert as well as a translation with apostillisation. 
• Permission from my husband to register my marriage.
• Permission from my husband to change my name. 
• My husband's original Peruvian birth cert as well as a translation with apostillisation.
• An apostillised copy with translation of my husband's Peruvian passport.
• My grandfather's original death cert as well as a translation with apostillisation.

Here's hoping it works!

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It's Been a While

I'm still not further closer to my quest than I was before. I've had a lot of things on my plate both personally and professionally. I'll be going back to visit my parents this summer and the Romanian documents are there waiting for me. I'm going to try again at the Romanian embassy in Seoul. I hope it works. As I mentioned before, the Seoul embassy has the nicest people I've come across so far since I've started trying to get citizenship.

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