When you are planning a destination wedding, it is important to follow the correct process in order to have your marriage recognised legally both in the UK and in the country where you intend to have the ceremony. To make certain that your wedding goes off without a hitch, you should ensure that you have the right documents prepared as per the requirements of the destination country. You may require document legalisation services.
Depending on the country where your ceremony will be taking place, you may need a Certificate of no impediment (CNI). This is a certificate issued by your local register office which attests that there are no legal objections to your planned marriage or civil partnership [1]. Although this is a common requirement, not all countries accept CNIs. It is always best to check the requirements with the authorities in the country where your ceremony will take place. CNIs must go through a legalisation process before you take them abroad – this will mean either:
- An apostille from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), or
- Double certification from both the FCDO and the receiving country’s competent authority (usually, an Embassy)
The CNI should be either an original or duplicate (no photocopies) from the Register Office with an original signature. There is no need for certification or notarisation before the apostille.
If you were married or in a civil partnership previously, you may need to provide other documentation before your ceremony. For instance, the decree absolute or death certificate to prove that your previous marriage or civil partnership has ended. [2] If your ceremony is taking place abroad, these documents may need to undergo legalisation as well before the local authorities at your destination will recognise them as valid. As with the CNI, the UK FCDO can apostille a signed, original decree absolute or death certificate without the need for notarisation or certification. In the case of a decree absolute, however, a copy may also be acceptable. Copies require certification by a UK notary or solicitor.
We know how stressful it can be to wade through paperwork while trying to plan your dream wedding overseas. As a bespoke document concierge, we can arrange the certification and legalisation of any documents you require on your behalf. This will give you more time to focus on planning your perfect day. Contact us today.