For most of us, marriage is all about the ceremony; with white dresses, flowers, the ring and people tearing up. However, there’s a lot to do prior to the ceremony.
Taiwanese-American actor and YouTuber Curtis Fu (傅冠傑) proposed to his girlfriend, Malaysian YouTuber J-mie Wong (猪咪) in September 2020. The two had been dating for over two years. While many fans have been waiting for the ceremony, the couple have been struggling to make it official. Recently, they released a video explaining why.
Curtis explained that they want to get married in Malaysia. However, for foreigners to marry a Malaysian in Malaysia, there are multiple hoops to jump through. The ongoing pandemic doesn’t help matters either. As Curtis said frankly, “It’s not that we don’t want to get married, it’s (more like) we can’t get married.”
There are several official documents required such as a colour photo, a single status certificate which declares you are single and not married, a visa and an original birth certificate. Curtis explained that he managed to obtain the single status certificate from his country’s embassy. Although his visa is expired, Curtis is currently allowed to stay as a special case. However, he clarified that for them to get married here, he will need a valid visa.
The real problem is his birth certificate. Curtis’s mom flew from Taiwan to the U.S during the epidemic to get his certificate. It’s clear that she was very eager to see her son get married. Upon getting the document, she mailed it to Malaysia. The couple thought that would be the end of it, however, they were told to authenticate the birth certificate to prove it came from the U.S. Afterwards, they discovered they had to get another stamp to affirm it had been certified by the correct authorities.
The couple managed to get all their documents certified and were overjoyed at being able to register. They were nearly done with the process when a staff at the National Registration Department (JPN) said that they do not accept his birth certificate. “It’s kind of like a graduation certificate,” Curtis admitted, holding up the document. “What he wants is a birth certificate with many details.”
According to the couple, the birth certificate is a big deal as the authorities want to be certain they are legalising a heterosexual marriage. “They just want (you) to prove that you are a male,” J-mie explained. Although the couple have done a lot, it clearly isn’t enough.
The only way for Curtis to solve the problem of his birth certificate is for him to fly back to the United States. He is reluctant to do so, however. “If I fly to the U.S, basically, I can’t fly back to Malaysia,” Curtis said. “Because Malaysia does not allow foreigners to enter.”
While the two are eager to move on to the next phase of their lives, they may have to wait longer. Hopefully, they can tie the knot soon! Check out their video here:
Sources; China Press, YouTube
