You have fallen in love with a foreigner? You are certainly one of many to do so. If you intend to get married to that person in their own country, you will need to follow the rules and regulations so that you don’t face legal issues later on. Here are the necessary steps to get married abroad.
Step One: Find Out About All the Legal Requirements
Once you have decided to get married, the first thing to do is to start searching for all of the legal requirements that it implies. Since each country has its own set of rules and regulations regarding marriage, you will need to inquire directly with the consulate or embassy of the country involved so that you are provided with the right and fully updated information. Check on the documentation you will need and the residency requirements.
Step Two: Obtain All Necessary Documents
Once you have been provided with a list of the documents that you will need to provide to get married, you have to obtain any of those that you may not already have in your possession. This may include a valid passport, your birth certificate, a divorce or death certificate, and a certificate of no impediment or single status affidavit. However, more than a regular version of these documents will probably be required. Most countries will demand for these documents to be translated into the local language and be legalized or apostled to confirm their authenticity.
Step Three: Make Sure That You Meet the Residency Requirements
This could be tricky if you need to look into it before you launch your marriage process. Some countries may require you to be present on their territory for a certain period before the wedding ceremony. If you don’t respect that requirement, you may have your marriage considered null and void, which would be an extremely unpleasant surprise. This shows how important it is to contact local authorities in the country where you plan to get married. They can provide all the information to ensure that you remember the steps mentioned in this article or others that would specifically apply in their country.
Step Four: Notify Your Home Country
It could be easy to forget that you also have a responsibility in the country where you were born, seeing that so many requirements need to be met where you will marry and live afterward. However, it is crucial to inform the relevant authorities in your home country about your marriage abroad.
Please remember that requirements for getting married in a foreign country can vary significantly from one to the other. That is why it is necessary to do complete research to understand the specific regulations of the country where you plan to get married.