My wife got a mail today from the Mumbai Consulate asking to pay Rs. 8989 towards verification of marriage certificate, approximately 3 weeks after she submitted her application. We are told the investigation will take 8-12 weeks.

The thing that we were dreading has happened. What a ridiculous amount of time and money to verify ONE DOCUMENT! My wife already has her surname changed on the passport after our civil marriage. She also submitted attested copies of marriage certificate from a certified notary + translated copies from MMB. What more do they want to verify!

Totally frustrating these bureaucratic hassles from the authorities. It was easier to get a Tatkal passport, believe it or not :-D I hold an EU Blue Card which promises no German language requirement for spouse and instant work authorisation. But they clearly forgot to shorten the lengthy bureacratic process in the spouse visa application! What's the use of inviting foreign workers when the families aren't being provided the same comforts!

So just to inform other BC holders, there's no easy escape.

10 years ago there was no marriage certificate verification till some of our countrymen started sham marriages to illegall. In our country, civil records are not yet maintained centrally or computerised. As a result, they tend to do the verification. The notary is blindly certifying the documents. Have you heard of any notary refusing to sign if the documents are not proper?

Good luck with your visa process

HI Cebit,

I'm sure the government is being extra-cautious to prevent illegal immigration. I am also aware of many malpractices by even EU citizens in the generous German social welfare system. My only point of contention is that officials in an Embassy should be competent enough to filter genuine cases from fake ones, which is what they are paid for. And there are several efficient and faster ways. The government is putting genuine efforts to reduce bureaucratic hurdles for skilled professionals inside Germany, and this topic is something to focus also. 

Anyhow, this discussion is pointless because we are not the ones formulating policies, rather at the receiving end. I'll try to have patience.

Thanks for your wishes.

I agree with you 10Dulkar.

There should be a more faster ways of getting the marriage verification done. I hope the embassy can work with Indian government to do something in order for family reunion visa can be issued faster.