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You’ve found the one. You’ve found the dress. You’ve found a dreamy spot in Tuscany or Thailand where the sun sets just-so behind your vows. The only question left when it comes to marrying abroad is: Will your marriage actually be valid back in the UK?

Love may know no borders, but legal systems? Oh, they absolutely do. And while your barefoot beach wedding or clifftop ceremony might feel 100% official in your heart, UK law has its own checklist to follow. Whether you’re planning a whirlwind Vegas elopement, a serene Seychelles ceremony, or a traditional temple wedding in Bali, it’s worth taking a moment – preferably before the confetti – to make sure your overseas vows will stand up in British bureaucracy.

So, grab your passport and your partner — here’s your guide to making sure your wedding abroad won’t turn into a paperwork mess at home.

Can you just go abroad

and get married?

Yes! There’s nothing stopping from you marrying abroad legally – as long as you follow all the rules and submit the required paperwork at the right time. The only thing you need to make note of is the different regulations for the country you plan on marrying in. Each one will have varying processing times for obtaining a license, some may require minimum stays before you can tie the knot (and this can be pretty length in some places!), and some may even require you to have residency or local ties to the area. If you’re LGBTQ, you’ll also want to check what the laws are regarding same-sex marriages in the country you plan to wed in.

Oh, and always make sure to get copies of your certificate at the time if possible, and get them apostilled too (fancy word for authenticating a document), as this can be a faff if you leave it further down the line.

Do you need to register your marriage

in the UK if you married abroad?

When it comes marrying abroad, you’re not legally required to register it in the UK – but there’s some rules to follow.

If you got legally married abroad – and the wedding followed the local laws of that country – then your marriage is legally recognised in the UK. No need to redo the vows under Big Ben. But here’s the caveat: the marriage must have been conducted by an authorised officiant, followed local legal requirements, and produced a valid marriage certificate.

Think of it like this: If the country where you tied the knot says it was legal, the UK usually says, “Cool, we’re good with that.”  But if you’re changing your name, applying for a visa, sorting taxes, pensions, or anything official that needs proof you’re married – you’ll need to show:

  1. Your foreign marriage certificate
  2. An apostille (for some countries – more on that below)

  3. A certified translation, if it’s not in English

An apostille is basically a global notary stamp that says, “Yup, this document is legit.” It makes your foreign marriage certificate officially accepted for use in the UK. You can get them from the country that issued the marriage certificate – usually their foreign ministry or legalisation office.

What countries can Brits

legally marry in?

Australia

Valid in UK if legal in Australia; easy process with 1-month notice. You’ll need to get your certificate apostilled (fancy word for authenticating a document) if you need it for official UK use, which is likely. Same sex marriage? A-okay here!

Barbados

No residency requirement; quick process and valid in the UK (marriages in Commonwealth countries are automatically recognised in the UK). Must apply for a Marriage License in Bridgetown (can do this as soon as you land), and get your marriage certificate apostilled. Same sex marriage? Not allowed currently.

Canada

Another Commonwealth country, legal marriages here are automatically valid in the UK. Get your marriage license once you land and it’s valid for 90 days – do note that marriage laws here are provincial, not national, so always double check for the province you plan to marry in. Get your certificate apostilled. Same sex marriage? Go ahead!

Cyprus

A Commonwealth country, so marrying abroad here automatically makes it valid in the UK. You’ll need to arrive at least 3 working days before to get your marriage license application approved, and then get hitched within 15 days (sometimes you can extend to 3 months). Pay a fee and you can the knot in 2-3 days, express-style. Get your certificate apostilled. Same sex marriage? Not allowed currently.

Denmark

Known for easy marriage rules (like the Vegas of Europe), especially for international couples. Fast-track option. Apply to the Danish Agency of Family Law before you go. You shouldn’t need to get your certificate apostilled. Same sex marriage? Fo’ sure.

Dubai (UAE)

Marrying abroad here is not straightforward – UK does not recognise religious-only or Sharia court weddings unless properly registered. One partner must hold a UAE residence visa, and you’ll need to do a mandatory health and blood test beforehand. Get your certificate apostilled. Same sex marriage? Not allowed currently.

France

Must be resident (for at least 30 days) or have family links to the area. Legal marriages valid in the UK, but you’ll need a fair few documents for it to fly with the French, so make sure they’re all in order. You’ll also have a ten day waiting period while the marriage banns are posted at the marie and objections can be raised. You might need to get your certificate apostilled.

Gibraltar

Marrying abroad here is popular with us Brits – English-speaking, fast process, and valid in the UK. One night minimum stay. You need to apply for a Special License and sign affidavits (this can be done the day before if short on time, but also up to 3 months before.) Get your certificate apostilled.

Greece

Legal marriages valid in UK. No minimum stay required, but it requires quite a bit of paperwork. You’ll need to submit your intention marry at the local town hall, make it a public notice, and then wait 8 days before you can marry. Get your certificate apostilled, official translated, and approved at a Greek consulate.

India

Valid in UK if registered under Special Marriage Act, Christian Marriage Act, or Hindu Marriage Act, and certified. You’ll have to reside in India for at least 30 days before tying the knot, as the public notice period is this long before the license will be granted. Get your certificate apostilled.

Indonesia (e.g. Bali)

Valid in UK if both civil and religious components are completed, and you’ll both have to share the same religion for it to be legal in Indonesia, as they only recognise marriages performed to one of the 6 official world religions. You’ll need a bunch of docs, and they’ll need to be officially translated too. Get your certificate apostilled.

Italy

 Valid in the UK if civil/religious ceremony is registered with local town hall. You’ll need a CNI and Affidavit, and they need to be translated and apostilled. Some regions may require you to wait out the Public Notice period but most don’t bother for foreign couples. Get your certificate apostilled.

Jamaica

A Commonwealth country, so marrying abroad here makes it automatically valid in the UK if officiated and registered by local authorities. Apply for a license once you land in Kingston or any parish court – but at least 24 hours before “I do.” Get married as soon as the license is granted. Get your certificate apostilled.

Malta

Civil or religious weddings valid in the UK. English widely used. You must apply for a marriage license at least 35 days before the wedding. Get your certificate apostilled.

Mauritius

Valid in the UK, but 1-day residency required and CNI often needed – in French. Civil ceremonies only are recognised. Get your certificate apostilled.

Mexico

Must be a civil ceremony. Religious-only weddings are not recognised in Mexico or UK law. You’ll need a CNI and get blood tests done locally (not all places enforce this.) Submit docs to the local Registro Civil, and get your certificate apostilled.

New Zealand

Valid in the UK and one of the easiest countries for marrying abroad in. Apply for a license 3 days beforehand, and make sure to order your marriage certificate after the ceremony as it’s not automatically sent, but no need to get it apostilled.

Norway

Civil marriages recognised and valid in UK. You’ll need a CNI translated into Norwegian and apostilled, depending on the municipality. Once granted, your license is valid for 4 months. Get your certificate apostilled.

Portugal

Civil ceremonies valid in the UK. No residency required, but CNI and translations usually needed. Most ceremonies are conducted in Portuguese, so grab a translator. Get your certificate apostilled.

Seychelles

Very popular – civil weddings are valid in the UK with minimal paperwork; no residency required. No translations or apostilles usually needed if your docs are in English or French. You need to give 11 days notice to the Civil Status Office, but you can do this from the UK if needs be. Get your certificate apostilled as a precaution if you like, but in most cases the UK accepts them as is.

South Africa

Legal weddings valid in the UK. Civil ceremonies must be registered. You don’t need to be a resident, or a CNI, but your docs do you need to be apostilled if the officiant requests it. Request your marriage certificate after the ceremony – this can take a while, so plan extra time or pay for it to be couriered to the UK. Get it apostilled.

Spain

Marrying abroad here is a bit of a trickier one – you need to be resident in Spain (for two years in some regions), or be marrying one, OR you get married in Gibraltar (see above) and have a symbolic one in Spain. You’ll need a CNI, translated and apostilled. Apply for a license pretty early, times vary but give it at least 1-2 months of lead time.

Sri Lanka

Legal and valid in the UK when registered with a local Registrar. Arrive at least 4 working days before the nuptials to get your license approved. Get your certificate translated and apostilled.

Thailand

Civil ceremonies only are valid in the UK, when registered. Book an appointment (usually at the embassy in Bangkok) to get your Affirmation of Freedom to Marry, then get the docs translated to Thai and legalised – this’ll take a few days, so plan ahead. Register the marriage at a local District Office. Get your certificate apostilled.

The USA

Valid in the UK across most states. Waiting times for license vary across states, so plan ahead, but yes, you can get a walk-in license in Vegas. Ensure your certificate is obtained and apostilled.

Countries and ceremonies

tricky for UK recognition

Marrying abroad is largely a fairly smooth process in most cases, but there are a few outliers you need to look out for.

Somalia, Afghanistan, or Iran

Due to inconsistent or unclear documentation the UK may not recognise your marriage if you hold your wedding in these countries.

Religious-only ceremonies

Without civil registration (common in some Islamic countries), your marriage won’t be recognised in the UK.

Embassy-only ceremonies

Yes, you can legally marry at a UK consular office abroad, but only under very specific conditions: Local laws do not allow you to marry in-country, or the host country’s authorities have given permission, and you meet their requirements.

Symbolic-only weddings

These are your “blessing” or resort ceremonies in destinations like the Maldives – beautiful, will make your mother-in-law cry, but not legally binding.

What is the easiest foreign

country to get married in?

Not all countries are created equal when it comes to marrying abroad. Some want blood tests. Others want weeks of residency, notarised love letters, and a blessing from your great-grandmother’s ghost. But some roll out the red carpet and practically hand you a marriage certificate with your welcome drink.

Top of the list is Denmark, so welcoming to would-be-newlyweds that it’s called the Vegas of Europe (just minus the Elvis impersonators). You don’t need to reside there, there’s no minimum stay or waiting period to get your license granted, plus it’s very LGBTQ-friendly and English is widely-spoken, which always helps things along. A sunnier option would be Gibraltar, which is especially handy for us Brits as they follow UK laws. You don’t need residency, just a one night stay (fair enough), and you can even tie the knot the same day if you’re super organised. The icing on the wedding cake? Your marriage is automatically valid in the UK – easy.

If you’re after something more international, the Seychelles is your best bet for a breezy “I do”. You don’t need residency, the paperwork is minimal, and civil ceremonies are valid in the UK. The waiting time is pretty minimal too, as it’s a well-oiled, mega popular, marriage-making machine. That comes with beaches. Many beaches.

Hearing wedding bells? Better get those flights booked

All information correct at time of publishing.