Civil Marriages

Application for a civil marriage must be made to the Civil Registry (Registro Civil) or District Court (Juzgado) in the place where the marriage will be celebrated.
The following documents are generally required, and in many cases take some time to obtain. There are local variations, and you should check with the Civil Registry or District Court prior to assembling your documents.

Application Form: This form can be obtained from the Civil Registry or District Court assuming jurisdiction. It should be signed by both bride and groom and include their full names, occupations, places of domicile or residence, and the citizenship of the couple and their parents.

Birth Certificate: The original document is mandatory. If you were not born in Spain, you should submit the document with an "apostille," an official international seal verifying a document for use outside its country of origin.

If you live outside of Spain, you should also have a Spanish translation of the certificate made and authenticated by the Spanish Consulate or Embassy nearest your place of residence. If you are in Spain, the certificate must be translated into Spanish by an official translator.

Proof Both Parties Are Free to Marry: "Fe de Solteria y Vida". Civil Registries have a document for this purpose that can be signed there when presenting the rest of the documents.

Divorce/Annulment/Death Certificates: If you have been married before, you must submit evidence that the relationship has ended. Certified documents originated outside the Kingdom of Spain must be accompanied by an apostille and Spanish translations.

Certificate of Residence: Legal residents of Spain can obtain a certificate of residence at no charge from the Tenencia de Alcaldía in their district of residence. (First confirm that you are registered with the Censo). Foreigners who are temporary residents of Spain or have lived here less than two years may execute an affidavit regarding their place of residence before a consular officer. Both registration letter and affidavit are fee services.

Apparently, Spanish law permits foreigners who are not Spanish legal residents to marry here. The different autonomous communities in Spain may, however, interpret this law differently and may be required that one of the parties be a citizen or resident of Spain.

Posting of Banns: Banns are a public announcement that a couple plans to marry, giving any knowledgeable citizen (such as another wife) an opportunity to object. In Spain they are required when one or both of the parties concerned lives in a town of less than 25,000 inhabitants. After the judge has accepted all the documentation required, banns are posted for a period of no less than fifteen days prior to the marriage ceremony.

After you have assembled these documents and the ceremony is performed, the marriage is then recorded in the Civil Registry and a Spanish marriage certificate issued.

A religious ceremony may be performed after or in lieu of a purely civil ceremony if desired.

Religious Marriages

Spanish law recognizes Catholic, Protestant, Islamic and Jewish marriages as valid in Spain without the need of a second civil marriage. Regulations may vary depending on the religious denomination.

Couples marrying through one of the latter three rites will need to first obtain authorization from the Civil Authorities by presenting the requirements described previously under "Civil Marriages". For Catholic marriages, the documents listed below must be presented to the priest performing the ceremony. If you wish to have a Catholic ceremony and either you or your betrothed is a foreigner in Spain, you must contact the Bishop in the area where you plan to marry. Arrangements for a Catholic marriage generally take from one to three weeks, and the following documents are generally required:

Birth certificate: Spanish translation is required.
Baptismal certificate: This must be issued within the six month period prior to your wedding, and authenticated by the issuing Bishopric. A Spanish translation must be attached.
Proof Both Parties Are Free to Marry: "Fe de Solteria y Vida".

After a religious ceremony, you have one week to present the church-issued certificate to the nearest civil registry. The marriage is NOT recognized in Spain if you fail to register.

Gibraltar

Where marriage in Spain is not practical, Gibraltar can offer a possible alternative. It is quite straightforward and the ceremony takes place in English. It is advisable but not essential to book the registrar several weeks ahead. This can be done by telephone. The paperwork should be completed the previous day as a special licence is required for non residents. This includes a sworn statement of elegibility at a local lawers office. Full details can be obtained from the registers office: Registrar, Marriage Registry, 277 Main St., Gibraltar. Tel +350 72289 or +350 78303.

Note1: It is important to note that paperwork can be lengthy and time consuming and ample forward planning is necessary, especially where a marriage is to be celebrated during the summer months

Note2: Anyone under l8 who wishes to marry must have parental consent.