Help needed please!!

[dizzyc]

My boyfriend and I have decided to get married later on this year in Tunisia and I have a couple of questions. Firstly I read somewhere that I must have resided in Tunisia for a clear 21 days - I have only just returned from my first visit to Tunisia as my boyfriend worked abroad so although we have spent a lot of time together it wasn't in Tunisia. Does this mean that if I haven't spent 21 days in Tunisia that I can't marry there?

My second question is that I know I need to get my do***ents translated while I'm there but my boyfriend lives in Sfax and Tunis is really far away - I know there is a british consulate in Sfax, can I take my do***ents there to be translated or do we have to travel to Tunis?

Thirdly, although my boyfriend is really excited to be getting married I don't trust him to make all the arrangements - how do I find a place to marry? We only want a simple ceremony, I won't have any family/friends coming over so it will just be my boyfriends family & friends. Can anyone recommend somewhere in the Sfax area?

I'm sure the answers to these questions are on here somewhere but I can't find them!!

[kellyc]

Hi Dizzy,

How are you hun?

The 21 days confusion is the certificate of no impediment to marry that you can do in UK or your own home location but you have to remain in that country for 21 clear days and on the 22nd day they will give you a certificate to marry - this is a notice posted to show that you have been married before etc and declare your intention to marry. You can do this in Tunisia but you will have to be in Tunisia for the 21 days while this is posted. So if you are not planning to be in Tunisia then you can do this in the UK.

You have to get your birth certificated translated into french or arabic, you can do this at any translation office but make sure it is one that is registered and authorised with the embassy and you should be able to find this info on the embassy website. The embassy offer this service also.

As for a location, though I cant advise for Sfax area but you can have the contract signed at the municipality with the witnesses and family etc there to see, no doubt his family will want to celebrate after with a party. If you actually want to have it in a venue then you will have to look around Sfax as they dont advertise wedding venues on the website other than at hotels, but it really depends on what you decide to do. Like I say you can sign the contract at the municipality, not sure if its the same for Sfax but at the municipality in Tunis you can pay 250 dinar for the contract signing and then to have a room for an hour to have a small celebration.

I think you may find all the info on the thread getting tunisians to the UK as I know the convo changes a lot and I remember seeing loads of convos about the marriage.

Good luck hun xxxx

[dizzyc]

Hi Kelly

Thanks for clearing that up for me - I'm gonna get Anouar to make enquiries anyway and I'm happy to just do it in the town hall in front of a few of his family & friends. It's different for me because I've been married before and I've had the big dress, massive reception etc etc and this time I just want it to be about me & him. Can he book the town hall in advance then? It's just that the registrar office here said that to get the cert of no imped in the UK I would have to provide the date & address of the venue, but I read on here somewhere that you just take your papers to the Town Hall & then they give you a date. I'm not sure which way to do it but don't worry, I'm gonna send him there tomorrow to find out. I'll let you know when we've confirmed the date.

Thanks for your help xx

[kellyc]

Hi ya,

You can book in advance for example we get married on the 17th May and we need to book the registrar to attend the wedding venue on that date, when we went last week they told us the bookings start in January and so we are going back on the 15th January to pay the 100 dinar fee and book the date, like I say not sure if its the same all round as I know that each registrar/muncipality in each area has their own rules! but this was the advice based for Tunis.

Definately get your H2B to investigate, though if you are planning to come over before then maybe do it yourself, I live here and its still like drawing blood out of a stone to get H2B to organise some things, its all tomorrow, tomorrow, though hes finally hit the panic stage as we come closer to it

Take care hun x

[Lizj]

Hi Dizzy, big congratulations, I was going to ask if you had a good week but your wonderful news speaks for its self. X

[dizzyc]

Thanks Liz, I'm not sure yet when it will happen but I'm going back in February to organise things. I'm gonna book my flight after Xmas and this time I'll be leaving my kids here with my family so that I can get things done without any hassle. I'm really excited but also stressed out already at the thought of everything that we need to do. I'm hoping it will be May/June time, I will let you know how I get on with the arrangements x