IS IT LEGAL IN THE UK TO GET MARRIED IF YOU DO IT ABROAD?
To be valid in the United Kingdom, an overseas marriage must have been contracted in accordance with that country’s legislation. This presumption, however, can be rebutted by proof that the marriage is invalid.

Your marriage or civil partnership will be recognised in the UK if both of the following apply:

• you followed the correct process in the country where you got married
• it would be allowed under UK law

HOW DO I GET MY FOREIGN MARRIAGE RECOGNIZED IN COURT?
The following requirements must be fulfilled for a marriage performed outside of the UK to be recognised as valid in the UK:

Each party must have followed all local legal requirements for a valid marriage in the nation where the ceremony was performed. In most cases, this entails obtaining the necessary witnesses and providing the requisite notice.

Each prospective spouse must be of legal marriage age in accordance with the rules of the country in which they will be living once the wedding takes place. Domicile refers to the country where one mostly resides or plans to return to as a permanent resident. Capacity refers to the ability to understand, make decisions, and act in a given situation.
You must legally dissolve any past marriages in accordance with English law.

Evidence of the marriage, usually in the form of the original marriage certificate, is also crucial. In the event that the marriage certificate is not written in English, a legal translation will be required.

Exactly why is this happening, you may ask?

WHAT? THE UK DOESN’T ACCEPT MARRIAGES THAT HAPPEN ABROAD?
Under exceptional situations, such as when one of the parties has been dishonest, the United Kingdom may refuse to recognise a marriage that took place outside of the country.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LAW TO GET MARRIED IN ANOTHER COUNTRY
Talk to the right people at the appropriate levels of government in the country where the wedding will take place to find out what formalities must be met to make the wedding official there. In order to verify the accuracy of the data you have collected, it could be a good idea to contact the British Embassy in the appropriate nation.

HOW DO I GET MY FOREIGN WEDDING RECORDED?
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s service of accepting foreign marriage certificates for filing at the General Register Office in the United Kingdom was stopped as of January 1, 2014. Consequently, there is no requirement for any further action to be taken in order to register an overseas marriage in the United Kingdom. Because it may be difficult to obtain a certified copy of the marriage certificate at a later period, it is vital that the parties to the marriage make arrangements to safely retain their original marriage certificate.

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If you want to instruct me, please email donm@queensparksolicitors.co.uk or call us on 0203 643 7508.