The legal paperwork you need to complete for an overseas wedding can be confusing. Fortunately the Foreign office can help you get the documents you need.

The local British embassy’s website has specific info and the marriage and civil partnerships abroad page has useful advice. Please note that we don't have offices in every country - particularly small islands such as the Maldives.  But there will be an embassy or consualte in a nearby country which can help.  For example, our High Commission in Sri Lanka covers the Maldives.  Check the travel advice for the country you wish to get marrried in.

You should always contact a lawyer in the UK and the local authorities abroad. You could also contact the embassy of the country you wish to get married in.

What documents do I need to get married abroad?
To find out exactly what you need to get married overseas, you will need to contact the authorities of the relevant country. You might also have to exchange the UK CNI for a Consular CNI at the embassy. The CNI and other documents may also need legalising the UK Legalisation Office.

•if you’re marrying an Irish national you must obtain a CNI from the FCO office in London or the local consulate
•if you’re marrying in Italy you need to obtain a specific form, a Nulla Osta (an Italian CNI) from the nearest British consulate
•if you’re marrying in France you may need a Certificate of Custom Law - consult the local Mairie for more info

If I get married abroad will my marriage be legal in the UK?
You should consult a lawyer to check as sometimes marriages conducted in other countries aren’t recognised in the UK.

Can I get a British marriage certificate if I marry abroad?
No, you will get a certificate of marriage from the country you marry in.

Can I register an overseas marriage in the UK when I return?
No, but you can have your marriage documents deposited with the General Register Office (GRO).  This isn’t compulsory, but it means your marriage certificate is kept by the GRO as an official record and you will be able to easily get copies of it in the future. 

Obtaining a certificate of custom law
If you live overseas you can obtain a certificate of custom law through your nearest British consulate.

Civil Partnerships Abroad:

The legal paperwork you need to hold a civil partnership ceremony overseas can also be confusing. You should always contact a lawyer in the UK and the local authorities abroad.

Will my civil partnership be legal in the UK?
The UK currently recognises civil partnership certificates from:

•Belgium
•Canada
•Denmark
•Finland
•France
•Germany
•Iceland
•The Netherlands
•New Zealand
•Spain
•Sweden
•Switzerland
•some states of the USA
What documents do I need to enter into a civil partnership abroad?
In some countries you’ll need to provide a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) – the local British embassy’s website will tell you this. 

You may also need to exchange the UK CNI for a Consular CNI at the British embassy. The CNI and other documents may also need to be legalised by the UK Legalisation Office.

Can I get a British civil partnership certificate if I marry abroad?
No, you will get a certificate of civil partnership from the country you hold the ceremony in.

Can I register an overseas civil partnership in the UK when I return?
No, but you can have your civil partnership documents deposited with the General Register Office (GRO). This isn’t compulsory, but it means your certificate is kept by the GRO as an official record. We can deposit your certificate for you.

Please note: you’ll need to get your documents translated if they’re not in English.

Can my foreign partner get a British passport once we’re in a civil partnership?
If you and your partner settle in the UK after entering a civil partnership your partner can apply for naturalisation after three years. The Nationality Directorate of the UK Border Agency can provide more information on this.

Getting Married in France:

You might need a certificate of custom law (certificat de coutume) if you’re getting married in France. You should check with the local Mairie to confirm whether you need this or not. There’s more information on getting married in France on our Paris Embassy website.

Obtaining a certificate of custom law
If you live overseas you can obtain a certificate of custom law through your nearest British consulate.

If you live in the UK you should apply for one through our office in London.

Ensure you include all the original documents that are asked for on the checklist. You must also include two photocopies of each document plus one extra copy of the application form.

However, if your certificate is going to be sent to an address in France and not your address in the UK, you will need to send one special delivery envelope for the return of your documents and one addressed (not stamped) A4 or C5 envelope for the Certificate of Custom.

How long does the application process take?
We’ll return your documents and send you an acknowledgement letter within or just after 20 working days.

The application will then be sent on to our embassy in Paris who will issue you with a certificate. 

The certificate will be in French and will be valid for six months prior to your marriage, though you should check this with your Mairie. 

You should check with the local Mairie in case you need the certificate to be issued sooner. If this is the case, please include a note saying so. 

How much does it cost?
The current fee is £63.00 per certificate requested. This is subject to change.

You can pay by postal order or bank draft, made payable to  ‘ The FCO’. We can’t accept personal cheques.

Please note:
Please take care to fill in the correct application form with full information, and to submit your application with all documents requested allowing good time for the application to be processed and your certificate to be returned to you (N.B. It takes at least 10 working days for an application to leave the UK and the certificate to return to us before we can forward it to you).

Incomplete applications will be returned, and we will not be held responsible for any resulting inconveniences.

Certificate of No Impediment and Nulla Ostas:

If you are marrying or having a civil partnership abroad you may need a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) and a Nulla Osta. 

What is a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) and a Nulla Osta?
They are certificates which confirm there are no objections to your proposed marriage.

A Nulla Osta is the Italian version of the Certificate of No Impediment.

Do I need a Certificate of No Impediment?
Check with the authorities conducting your marriage ceremony in the country you want to get married in.

If you live in the UK you can obtain a CNI from your local UK registrar. 

You should check with the relevant embassy to see if you need to get your UK CNI translated or legalised for it to be valid in the country where you wish to marry.

‘Legalised’ means the certificate needs to be stamped with an official stamp (an apostille) by the UK Legalisation Office. We can do this for you - see our Legalisation pages for more info.

We cannot issue certificates of no impediment for marriages in a Commonwealth country

I am getting married in Italy
You need to obtain a Certificate of No Impediment from your local register office and make an exchange for a Nulla Osta at the nearest British Consulate to where you are getting married in Italy. Follow the steps below.

I am marrying an Irish National
If you’re marrying an Irish national abroad you will not be able to obtain a CNI from a UK registry office. You will need to apply for it through our office in London if you are resident in the UK, or through your nearest British Consulate if you live overseas. Your Irish fiancé/e should contact the Irish authorities to obtain  their CNI to go to an address in the country concerned.

If you live overseas you will need to obtain a CNI from the nearest British embassy or consulate. Contact them for more details.

If you are marrying an Irish national in Italy then you will need to obtain a Nulla Osta as above.

Applying for a CNI to marry an Irish national through our office in London
Download the Certificate of No Impediment or Nulla Osta (if you're getting married in Italy) forms (PDFs)

If your certificate is to be returned to you in the UK, please enclose two self-addressed, pre-paid special or recorded delivery envelopes for the safe return of your documents and certificate.

However, if your certificate is going to be sent to an address in the country concerned and not your address in the UK, you will need to send one special delivery envelope for the return of your documents and one addressed (not stamped) A4 envelope for the CNI.

We’ll send an acknowledgement letter and return your documents within or just after 20 working days. 

The application will then be forwarded to the relevant British Consulate who will issue you with a certificate in the local language. This is usually valid for three months, but you should check this with the local authorities conducting your marriage ceremony.

Fees
The fee for this service is £63.00 but this is subject to change. You can pay by postal order or bank draft, made payable to ‘The FCO’.  We cannot accept personal cheques.

Before you complete the form:
Step1:
You must publicly announce your intended marriage through a notice which must be in your local newspaper for at least one week. 
The application form includes a specimen with correct wording for you.  You should use this to ensure the announcement is correct.

Step 2:
You must swear an Affidavit in front of a Commissioner of Oaths. Again, a specimen affidavit is included in the application form.
If you’ve been previously married, delete paragraph four. The Affidavit should bear the official stamp of the Commissioner of Oaths.
Ensure you include original copies of all the documents on the checklist.

Please note:
Please take care to fill in the correct application form with full information, and to submit your application with all documents requested allowing good time for the application to be processed and your certificate to be returned to you (N.B. It takes at least 10 working days for an application to leave the UK and the certificate to return to us before we can forward it to you).

In complete applications will be returned, and we will not be held responsible for any resulting inconveniences.

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