If you want to get married abroad, you must contact the government of the country in which you wish to marry, to get information about their requirements.

You will need to follow the law of the country you want to marry in and check that your marriage will be legally recognised by that government. 

Contacting the authorities abroad

You can use the Getting Married Abroad tool on GOV.UK to find out who you need to contact to confirm your requirements.

Some countries will request a ‘Certificate of No Impediment’. This can only be provided for British nationals at the Register Office in the district that you live in.  

What you need to find out

You must find out the following information from the authorities in the country you want to get married in: 

  • how long the ‘certificate of no impediment’ is valid in that country (it must be valid on the day of the wedding)  
  • if they require you to take it to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for legalisation (called an Apostille) once the certificate has been collected from the Register Office in the district where you live

Once you have this information you should contact your local Register Office to arrange an appointment.

You will need to know at least the town and country where the marriage is taking place along with any unusual spellings.

Giving notice 

You and your partner will need to give notice of your intention to get married abroad. At your appointment, you’ll need to bring one proof of nationality and one proof of address. 

About getting married abroad

As long as you follow the law for the country you marry in, and it is legally recognised by that government, then there is no reason why your marriage would not be recognised in this country. A marriage can only be registered in one place and there is no provision in English law to register your marriage in this country if the marriage takes place abroad

Applying to marry in the UK from overseas

Find out more information regarding marriages and civil partnerships in the UK for foreign nationals on GOV.UK.