Stuck in Lisbon: A Wedding Adventure in Europe's Bureaucratic Jungle
I’ve been living in the Lisbon metropolitan area for almost three years now—originally coming here for work. My fiancée Penky has been in Portugal even longer, living here for five years. We met here, and now we want to get married—mainly because we’re already here. However, our wedding plans have hit a serious roadblock, one that feels impossible to overcome: Portuguese bureaucracy.
Our biggest obstacle right now is waiting for my updated certificate of no impediment to marry from the registry office in Berlin. My previous certificate expired after six months, which is a ridiculously short window, especially considering the endless bureaucratic hurdles we’ve encountered here in Portugal. We’ve spent months trying to navigate this outdated system, and frankly, it feels like the country itself is working against us.
Portugal – A Bureaucratic Nightmare
The bureaucracy here in Portugal is like a never-ending maze. You go from one office to another, only to find yourself back at the start. It’s not just the waiting that’s frustrating; it’s also the way people here sometimes treat us. There’s an undertone of discrimination, and Penky, being a Filipina, feels it the most. Honestly, it feels like we’re stuck in a country that isn’t ready for basic processes. Portugal may be part of the EU, but its outdated systems and slow progress make it almost impossible for us to get anything done.
Despite these setbacks, we’re determined not to give up. We want to get married here, but it seems like our only option is to keep waiting, hoping that Berlin will send the new certificate soon.
A Job Offer from Germany – A New Opportunity
Just as we were feeling hopeless, something unexpected happened: Penky received a great job offer from Germany. A wealthy family in Lower Saxony is looking for a caregiver for their private household. Now, it’s no secret that Filipino nannies and nurses are renowned worldwide for their dedication and excellent service—not just in Germany, but everywhere. Wealthy families across the globe recognize and are willing to pay for this level of care, which is something the majority of German households might not be able to afford. So, it’s no surprise that Penky is seriously considering this offer.
For us, this opens up an entirely new opportunity. While we’re stuck here in Lisbon, Germany offers us a chance for a fresh start. I can work remotely, and as a native German speaker, it’s much easier for me to deal with the bureaucratic processes back home. This means we could probably get married in Germany much faster and with fewer obstacles.
Postponing Our Plans to Move to the Philippines
However, this job offer also disrupts our original plans. Penky and I had intended to move to the Philippines next year. But now, with this new option in Germany, our future suddenly looks different. Moving to Germany could mean that we finally have the chance to get married without dealing with Portuguese bureaucracy.
At the same time, we have to ask ourselves if we’re ready to let go of our original dream. Moving to the Philippines felt like the next big step for us, but life has a way of changing plans.
Conclusion
As we continue to wait for my certificate of no impediment and struggle with Portugal’s bureaucratic hurdles, we remain hopeful that everything will work out soon. With the job offer from Germany, we now have a promising alternative—maybe this is the path we need to take to finally get some peace and celebrate our wedding.
No matter what the future holds, Penky and I are committed to staying strong and realizing our dreams—whether that’s in Portugal, Germany, or the Philippines.
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