How to Get Married by Proxy

You’re madly in love and just can’t wait to get married. But there's just one hitch--you are hundreds or even thousands of miles away from your beloved, in a different city, state or county. Marriage by proxy is a means by which you can legally get married even though you and your betrothed are not physically together. Instead, power of attorney is given to someone else to "stand in" for the party who is not present.

Instructions

1. Determine if it is legal for you to get married by proxy in your state. As of this writing, only four states offer it: California, Colorado, Montana and Texas. It is also offered in Mexico City, El Salvador and Paraguay.

2. Contact an attorney or check with your state Attorney General to obtain the required legal documents. You may also use a professional service (See Resources below). You will need to fill out an affidavit and getting it notarized

3. Get together the documents you will need for the marriage, including birth certificate, social security number or a copy of your social security card, a federally issued ID (driver's license, military ID or passport) and proof of divorce or freedom to marry affidavits. If any of these documents is not in English, you will need to get them translated and notarized.

4. Review and fill out the forms required. In particular, you will need a state marriage application form and an affidavit form.

5. Take a rubella blood test. You can avoid having to take this test if you and your betrothed sign a "Special B-Form" waiver. You will not need to get this notarized.

6. Submit the filled out forms and pay the required fees, which will need to be paid up-front. The average cost (barring the paperwork, notaries or tests) is around $950 to $995.

7. Allow enough time for the process to run its course. After you submit the forms, there will be a processing period, which varies from state to state. After the marriage by proxy ceremony, there will be another processing period, which may take another 2 months. In all, the entire process will take approximately 4 to 6 months.

Tips & Warnings

• Montana and Mexico are the only places which offer double proxy, and in Montana you have to be a resident.

• Not all states or countries recognize this type of marriage certificate as legitimate. Some states consider it on the same level as common-law marriage.