This post is written in partnership with BetterHelp.
When your fiancee lives in a different country, getting married suddenly becomes a whole lot more stressful (as if it wasn’t already!) Not only will you have to consider everything from what to say in those all-important vows, to what to wear at your wedding, and what kind of rings to buy for each other; but you’ll also have to take into consideration the local immigration laws, necessary documentation, and where you’ll be holding the ceremony.
If you’re a US citizen looking to marry someone who lives in another country, here are six steps to ensuring a hassle-free wedding, whether you’ll be travelling abroad, or getting married in your own home country.
Check the laws
In many countries, including the US, it’s illegal for a traveller from another country to visit on a tourist visa, or for the purposes of tourism, to get married. However, there are appropriate visas available for those who are engaged to be married to apply for. In the US, the most common is the K1 Fiancé(e) Visa, which enables a partner of a US citizen to travel to the US for up to 90 days, during which time you must get married.
Many US citizens opt to get married in their spouse’s country, as the laws are often not quite as strict. In Brazil, for example, you can get married on a tourist visa, as long as you’re don’t exceed the maximum length of your stay (usually around 90 to 180 days). Just make sure you pack all the necessary documentation for your wedding in your carry-on, or you might have to fork out ridiculous fees to mail them to yourself once you land.
Gather your documents together
On the topic of documentation, wherever you intend upon getting married, and wherever your partneris from, you’ll need to show appropriate documentation in order to get married. If you’re getting married in another country, you’ll have to bring copies of several personal, legal documents, including:
- Your birth certificate
- Your social security number card
- An ID or passport (or both)
- A single status affidavit with apostille
- Divorced status with an apostille (if applicable)
- A sworn and sealed translation of your documents, if the country you’re moving to doesn’t speak English
- A criminal record check (in some cases)
- An apostille of your background check
- Proof of residency in the new country (or proof of where you’re staying)
The Hague apostille is something that you’ll likely need to obtain for most of your documents, and it can only be carried out in the US, for documents from the US. However, you’ll want to make sure this type of apostille is valid in the country you’re going to too. Once you’ve confirmed this, you’ll send your documents to your local clerk or court, and pay the apostille fees.
Always make sure you look for a sworn translator if you’re going to be translating English documents to another language; you should ensure the translated documents are sealed and stamped, as well.
You may also need to register your documents with the government of the country you’re getting married in. To do this, you may have to go to a civil registry office or court. The process varies depending on the country you’re in, however, so always check in advance.
Plan your future
If you plan to get married abroad, you will, of course, need to plan what you’re going to do after the wedding. Do you plan to move to the country where you’ll be getting married, or will you fly back to the US and apply for the C1 marriage visa for your spouse?
Ensure that your marriage will be viewed as legally binding even at home in the US, as not all religious marriage ceremonies are recognised in all countries. Be prepared to opt for a civil wedding.
You’ll also want to make sure you’ll be able to live with your partner peacefully and harmoniously. By the time you choose to get married, hopefully you’ll have gotten to know each other pretty well. If you haven’t spent a lot of time together in person due to geographical constraint, however, you might want to hold off on getting married until you’ve been able to spend more quality time together. In any case, however, if you have marriage concerns, BetterHelp’s advice column on marriage might help you out (https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/marriage/).
Schedule your wedding
It should go without saying that you’ll want to schedule your wedding as early as possible, to ensure you can book for your desired date. Processing times vary between countries, and the last thing you’d want would be for your tourist visa to run out while you’re waiting.
To avoid this, apply for marriage approval and submit all relevant documentation at the beginning of your stay. Once you have a date approved, do your best to stick to it, as rescheduling will only delay matters.
Arrange your witnesses
There’s nothing worse than planning your dream wedding abroad, only to be told that it can’t go ahead because you don’t know anyone in the area who can be your witness. Remember, most wedding certificates require two or more witnesses to sign that they were present during your wedding, in order to ensure the validity of the marriage. If you don’t know anyone in the area, you could ask your fiancé if they know of a friend or family member who could help out.
If neither if you are able to find a suitable wedding witness, however, you could resort to asking your accommodation hosts, or posting in a local Facebook group to see if you can find someone that way.
Consider immigration implications
If you’re planning to immigrate to the country where you’ll be getting married, you’ll likely need to show all the required documentation for a family visa application.
In most cases, you’ll need proof of your marriage certificate, proof of your relationship and a criminal background check, along with all the documents you brought to your marriage registration appointment. If you have children, you’ll also need to bring their legal documents so that you can prove they’re not tied to custody laws in their home country (like visitation rights with their other parent, for example).
Getting married abroad, or welcoming your spouse to your home country to marry you, is an exciting yet exhilarating experience. However, once the process is complete, no doubt it’ll be worth worth every penny and second spent planning, so you can spend the rest of your life with your loved one, either at home or abroad.
Have you ever considered getting married abroad, or welcoming a partner from elsewhere to marry you in your home country? Comment below to share advice and experiences.
This post is written in partnership with BetterHelp.