Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Original poster

Just found out my marriage is illegal!!!

13 replies

adozenroses · 08/05/2006 12:32

Hi. My dh and I have been wondering for a while about renewing our vows and wanted to do it this year. We have had rotten luck in our marriage up to now, so wanted to wipe the slate clean.

As we got married in the USA, we have been busy looking at trying to get a wedding certificate issued here as we only have a photocopied license. Well, I have just had a call from our solicitor and it turns out the notary public was not completely legal when he performed our wedding, therefore it is not legal ShockShockShock

This is very unreal at the moment. I am free and singleShock

OP posts:
Hausfrau · 08/05/2006 12:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

waterfalls · 08/05/2006 12:37

Shock forget renewing your vows then, get married instead, the full worksGrin

Original poster
adozenroses · 08/05/2006 12:39

My dh is fuming!! I've just spoken to him at work and he is threatening to sue everyone. He now reckons we should just go away at the weekend and get married again....men!!

OP posts:
blueteddy · 08/05/2006 12:39

Shock I got married in the USA - you have got me thinking now! Maybe my marraige isn't legal!!

starlover · 08/05/2006 12:39

OMG!!! Well.... i guess you can have a whole wedding then instead of just renewing the vows!

supakids · 08/05/2006 12:52

how awful but how lovely too, go on have a full wedding bash, I do like a good full on wedding.

Twiglett · 08/05/2006 12:53

oo oo .. where are you having your next wedding?

how fab ..

do you want to marry him?

Original poster
adozenroses · 08/05/2006 13:00

This is all such a shock. We had not really planned anything on renewing our vows yet as we have been going through a bit of a rocky patch anyway.

Think we will definately do it in this country, though!!!!!

OP posts:
frumpygrumpy · 08/05/2006 13:04

Hey, you really can start married life all over again and the slate is wiped! I think this is lovely really.

Original poster
adozenroses · 08/05/2006 13:06

That's true. I did think this is why things have been so rough for us...we've been living a lie, basically. At least now we can do it properly.

OP posts:
frumpygrumpy · 08/05/2006 13:09

Yeah, you do it just the way you want to (big crowd, no crowd, anything). Best of luck.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 08/05/2006 13:13

adozenroses,

Where did you get married?.

Have you been in contact with the authorities there re the notary?. I ask this as other people are no doubt affected by this as well. Have the US authorities confirmed that your wedding that took place was not legally recognised?. I would get that point clarified as a matter of urgency.

I got married in the US. A formal marriage certificate was subsequently issued by the State in question but we did not need to re-register anything on our return to the UK (so we do not have a UK marriage certificate).

I hope you get this sorted out very soon.

Original poster
adozenroses · 08/05/2006 13:19

We got married on a ship. The authorities can't find the notary in question. They believe that he has been running a scam. As it was in Florida, any problems with notary's or problems with paperwork, they just seem to void the marriage. According to our solicitor, we should hear from the USA very soon on the whole matter.

I wouldn't like to think how many other other couples this has happened to, but I do know that he stopped work for the cruiselines the year later. I will be looking into this further.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page