Requirements to get married in Costa Rica
"I do" in tropical splendor
It is simple to get legally married in Costa Rica, more over since Costaricaweddimoons.com travel consultants will guide you every step on the way. The following "Wedding Requirements List" provides all the necessary details you need to provide us. Our lawyer will also send you a questionnaire via email, on which you may provide all the necessary information.
The following information for both groom and bride is required:
- Full name. (First, middle and last names; no initials).
- Profession/Occupation. (Please describe; for example: CORRECT: engineer, electronic technician, school teacher, broker, assistant in electric company, etc; INCORRECT: service technician, assistant, assistant manager, strategy consultant, manager, operations manager, etc).
- Current address. (Street address). This is your home address.
- Passport number and nationality. Each passport needs to be signed by the bearer. A preliminary copy of each passport is needed -photo/information page only. You can either scan the images or email them or you may fax them.
- Marital status. If divorced, please indicate the date, city and state, name of Court that decreed the divorce, and the full name of ex-spouse, no initials, please. Note: If more than one divorce, the same required information and accurate dates must be submitted.
- Date and place of birth. (City, state or province and country).
- Full name of Father and Mother and current citizenship. (No initials, Mother’s maiden name). Preferably, attach copy of passport of father and mother.
- Street address. This is the address where the final documentation will be sent. The courier company requires a street address. Package containing the Certificate of Marriage will require a "received" signature (no PO Box are allowed).
- Phone number. Necessary for the courier company (in case they can’t find the address).
Non notarized documents:
Since our lawyer will include the necessary data in a sworn statement attesting your civil status, which you both sign the day of the wedding, you will not need to bring any notarized legal documents. This avoids you having to notarize at the Costa Rican Consulate, and will save you time and money!
Witnesses:
For the marriage you will need 2 witnesses, if you don’t have witnesses we can provide them for you. The information needed from them is a copy of their passports, civil status, nationality, address and occupation.
Certification of marriage:
All weddings performed outside of a Catholic church require the presence of a lawyer, who then files all of the legal documents with the Costa Rican Civil Registry, as well as your Embassy, thus ensuring your marriage is legal and recognized internationally.
The procedure for a valid marriage in Costa Rica involves the signing of two documents once the marriage ceremony is concluded. One is a sworn statement attesting principally to your marital status, thus avoiding any further proof. The other is the marriage document itself. After the ceremony, the lawyer cannot give you a Certificate because paperwork must be submitted to the Civil Registry of Costa Rica, first. The whole processing of documents, which includes translation and authentication by the Consulate of your country of residence may vary, and usually takes up to 90 days.
For our customers tranquility, 7 days after the ceremony, our wedding planners at Costaricaweddimoons will send you a document that proofs that all paperwork regarding your wedding has been submitted to the Civil Registry of Costa Rica for the due process.
Once everything is ready, the Marriage Certificate will be sent, along with instructions, to the address you provide on Item 8. |
