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.

Be sure to read about what has happened so far. You can find everything in the quick summary of dates.

Disclaimer:

• Please join my Patreon page
• University of Toronto's Online TEFL Course

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.

Be sure to read about what has happened so far. You can find everything in the quick summary of dates.

Disclaimer:

• Please join my Patreon page
• University of Toronto's Online TEFL Course

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!

Be sure to read about what has happened so far. You can find everything in the quick summary of dates.

Disclaimer:

• Please join my Patreon page
• University of Toronto's Online TEFL Course

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!

Be sure to read about what has happened so far. You can find everything in the quick summary of dates.

Disclaimer:

• Please join my Patreon page
• University of Toronto's Online TEFL Course

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.)

Be sure to read about what has happened so far. You can find everything in the quick summary of dates.

Disclaimer:

• Please join my Patreon page
• University of Toronto's Online TEFL Course