Getting married is the most romantic gesture you can offer to the person you love . However, in stark contrast to this romance comes the legal contract that the bride and groom are signing into order to make their marriage valid.
Different countries around the world have varying legal requirements when it comes to getting married in their country. For instance, whilst church weddings are recognised as valid legal weddings in the UK, they’re not in many other countries.
The first thing you should do once you’ve chosen the country that you want to get married in, is to contact the British Embassy in the destination country and find out their legal requirements for foreigners marrying there. If you have a wedding planner or wedding co-ordinator in the destination country, you should also check what they say, as they may be able to file some of your documents with a local registrar on your behalf.
What documents will I require when getting married abroad?
Again, this very much varies, but you can use the list below as a common list of documents that you’ll be expected to produce when getting married abroad.
- Passport (with more than 6 months remaining)
- Birth Certificate (the long version that names both parents) – some countries require the original, others accept a certified copy by a solicitor
- Certified copy of any name change documents by deed poll (if your name does not match the one on your birth certificate you’ll require one of these)
- Certified copy of the lawful termination of any previous marriages (Decree Absolute)
- Certified copy of the death certificate of your spouse and previous marriage certificate if you’re a widow/widower
- Certificate of No Impediment (CNI)
What is a Certificate of No Impediment and how do I get one?
A Certificate of No Impediment is issued by your local registrar in the UK and certifies that there are no legal reasons as to why you cannot marry (e.g you’re not already married, you’re not closely related to the person you wish to marry etc).
In order to obtain a CNI, you should make an appointment with your local registrar (contact your local council for details) and both bride and groom will need to have a short interview (held separately) where you are asked a series of simple questions that determine whether you’re eligible to marry each other.
You’ll be asked to provide the following documents in order to obtain the CNI :
- Passport
- Proof of address in your local area (usually council tax correspondence, a medical card or driving licence is sufficient)
- Decree Absolute if divorced
- Death Certificate and previous marriage certificate if you’re a widow/widower
- Change of name by deed poll documents if your name is different to the one on your birth certificate
A notice of intention to marry will be posted at the local registrars for 16 days if you’re both British Nationals and if no-one contests this, then you’ll be able to pick up the Certificate of No Impediment after this time has elapsed. The certificate is valid for 6 months, but bear in mind that some countries won’t accept certificates that are older than 2 or 3 months by the time of the wedding date, so you need to be quite careful about your timeline when booking an appointment to obtain your CNI. For instance if you’re getting married in Slovenia on 1st December, don’t make your appointment to get your local CNI on the previous 1st June as the Slovene authorities would consider this to be too old. Instead they require the CNI to be less than 3 months old on the day of the wedding.
I’ve heard I need to get my documents stamped by the Legalisation Office – how do I do this?
Many countries require your documents to have an official ‘apostilles’ stamp put on them – this is done at the Legalisation Office which is located in Milton Keynes.
It is possible to use a postal service, but if you’re willing to risk this, then you need to be absolutely sure that you follow their guidelines to the letter and send the exact amount of money, or else you may find that your documents will be returned to you unstamped.
If you’d prefer to attend the Legalisation Office in person, it’s located at Norfolk House West, 437 Silbury Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 2AH.
It’s not possible to make an appointment, instead it’s a first-come, first-served basis. You simply take a ticket and wait to be served. The office is open from 9.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday and you should aim to be seen within 90 minutes of arriving there. It costs £28.80 per document that you need to be apostilled.
The Legalisation Office is extremely strict and if they deem that your documents have not been signed or certified in the correct manner by your solicitor, then it’s possible that they may turn you away, or send you to a neighbouring solicitor in an adjacent building who may be able to certify your documents in the correct manner for them. There will be a small charge for this.
Once you’ve had all your documents approved and apostilled, you’ll usually need to send them in advance to the country that you’re getting married in. Please make sure that you make a million photocopies of everything and if you are required to send original documents, then please ensure that you use a recorded delivery service.
Will my overseas marriage be recognised in the UK?
In many cases the answer will be yes, but in order to avoid disappointment you should always contact the British Embassy in the country you’re getting married in and if in any doubt then consult a lawyer.
Can I register my marriage in the UK once I return home?
No, marriages that take place in the UK are the only types of marriages that can be ‘registered’ in the UK. However, it’s possible to ‘record’ your marriage in the UK by depositing the original copy of your marriage certificate with the General Registry Office (GRO). This means that your marriage will be on record and if you ever need any further copies of the marriage certificate, then you’ll be able to obtain them through the GRO.
What if I’m unable to meet the legal requirements of the country I want to get married in?
If you’re unfortunate enough to be unable or unwilling to provide the necessary documentation to marry in the country of your choice, try not to be disheartened. It’s often worth considering getting married in a small, but legal civil ceremony at home and then having a wedding blessing or celebration overseas. In many cases, your guests won’t even know that the actual wedding that they’re attending isn’t legal. Many brides and grooms that we’ve spoken to who have done this, say that they don’t feel married after the signing of their legal documents. It’s only when they’re marrying in front of their friends and family that they truly feel married and the tears of happiness start to surface!
