How to Register as a US Citizen for Marriage Overseas

A bride and groom enjoy the beach.

If you are a U.S. citizen planning to be married abroad, certain basic processes and paperwork are required to ensure your marriage is legitimized in the United States of America. Requirements vary, however, depending on where your marriage is performed and by whom. In addition, the documentation required by a country can vary depending on if you are a U.S. citizen marrying another U.S. citizen or a U.S. citizen marrying a citizen of another country. Checking with the U.S. government and the government of the country where you will marry can ensure you have proper documentation in place for your big day.

Instructions

1. Gather legal documents of the bride and groom, such as birth certificates, Social Security numbers, passports and proof of citizenship or legal residency. Review the information provided by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs website about policies and laws regarding marriage of U.S. citizens abroad (see References).

2. Contact the embassy or tourist bureau of the country in which you plan to marry to learn the requirements of marriage there. The U.S. Department of State website (see Resources) provides a list of embassy websites. If the country has more than one U.S. embassy, choose the embassy that serves the area in which you will marry.

3. Obtain an affidavit of eligibility to marry at the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country in which the marriage will be held. Provide witnesses to the affidavit signing if they are required. If the country in which the marriage will be held allows it, obtain the affidavit in the United States by a consular official of that country before you travel overseas.

4. Contact the attorney general of the state in which you and your future spouse have residency to learn state requirements for marriage abroad. Once your documentation and other possible requirements, such as blood tests, are in order, the attorney general's office should be able to verify that your marriage will be legitimized. In most cases, a marriage performed in another country is legitimized in the United States if it is performed under the laws of that country.

Tips & Warnings

• Often, a registration in the country in which the marriage will take place must be completed several weeks in advance. Plan the location and the performance of the marriage well in advance, as there may be lengthy wait times for the country's marriage license, residency requirements, document translation and/or verification, which will allow for registration.

References

• U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs: Marriage of U.S. Citizens Abroad

Resources

• U.S. Department of State: Websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions