Getting Married in Gibraltar

In Gibraltar, the marriage between a man and a woman is provided for under the Gibraltar Marriage Act. Under its provisions it is possible, by means of a Special Licence granted under Section 13 of the Act, for residents and non-residents alike to get married in Gibraltar. This act also enables a Marriage ceremony to be conducted at approved locations outside the Registry, outside working hours and at weekends.

If you are resident in Gibraltar and your intention is to get married in a place of worship or at the Marriage Registry without a Special Licence, you will need to give notice of your intended marriage either to a Minister registered under Section 5 of the Act or to the Marriage Registrar, whichever is applicable. You will need to give at least 21 day’s notice, in the case of a Registry wedding, or allow for the publication of the banns if you are to be married in a place of worship.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

In order to get married at the Marriage Registry by means of a Special Licence, you must be able to satisfy the Registrar that you are free to marry by completing affidavits and signing them before a Commissioner for Oaths or a Notary Public. We will of course assist you in this process.

Non-residents wishing to get married a Marriage in Gibraltar must provide the Registrar with documentary evidence that they will either be staying in Gibraltar at least one night immediately prior to or, immediately following the ceremony.

The Registrar will accept any of the evidence listed below:

• A Gibraltar hotel bill covering the night before or the night after the ceremony.
• A Gibraltar hotel booking form confirming that the night of the ceremony is paid for.
• A statement by a resident of Gibraltar confirming that the parties spent the night before the ceremony, or will spend the night of the ceremony, as their guest at the relevant address.
• Another form of proof that the parties were or will be in Gibraltar on the night before or the night of the ceremony, to the satisfaction of the Registrar.

DOCUMENTS RELATED

All documents must be in English.

Documents that are not multi language certificates must be accompanied by an officially certified translation into English (using one of the following):

1. Locally approved translators in Gibraltar.
2. British embassies, or;
3. Sworn translators approved and endorsed by British embassies.

In addition, persons wishing to get married will have to prove their identity by providing the Registrar with originals of the following:

(A) SINGLE PERSONS NEVER HAVING BEEN MARRIED OR NEVER HAVING ENTERED INTO A MARRIAGE

• Passport, national identity card or other acceptable form of identity.
• Full birth certificate (which must show your parents’ names).

(B) WIDOWS/ WIDOWERS/SURVIVING PARTNERS

• Passport, national identity card or other acceptable form of identity.
• Full birth certificate (which must show your parents’ names).
• Previous Marriage certificate (only required on Brides to be).
• The death certificate of your late spouse.

(C) PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY MARRIED OR WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY ENTERED INTO A MARRIAGE

• Passport, national identity card or other acceptable form of identity.
• Full birth certificate (which must show your parents’ names).
• Previous Marriage certificate (only required on Brides to be).
• Final and absolute divorce decree.

(D) CHANGE OF NAME

If you have changed your name in any way, you should produce evidence of your change of name.

Plain copies or laminated documents will NOT be accepted.