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Getting Married in Costa Rica

By Stacey Reid ⋅ October 17, 2008 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

Getting married in Costa Rica is not difficult, but like most foreign countries, requires quite a bit of paperwork. A lawyer will be appointed to handle all the legalities to make your marriage legal in Costa Rica and your home country. The following papers need to be presented at least one month in advance of your arrival to ensure a smooth and stress-free wedding day.

What are the most common mistakes before the wedding?

Without a doubt, the most common mistake is getting the proper documentation for marital status and birth certificates. You will need to have these documents approve by the Costa Rican Embassy in the country where you reside. You will also need to get these documents translated by the Embassy. What ever you do, do not wait until the last moment to do this.

What do you need to bring?

Full name of both Bride and Groom, first, middle and last. No initials will be accepted.
Original Passport
Birthplace
Address
Occupation
Marital status-if divorced you will need to provide a copy of the divorce decree. If the Bride has been divorced for less than 12 months, she must present a negative pregnancy test to the nearest Costa Rican consulate for authentication.
Parents’ names and occupation
Parents’ address
Birth Certificate

Witnesses

Costa Rican law requires two witnesses to sign the necessary documents. If you are traveling with friends they may act as your witnesses, however, immediate family members are not allowed to act as witnesses. Your witnesses will need to supply the following information:

Full name, no initials
Date and place of birth
Current address
Passport number and nationality
Marital status