Marriage Certificate
Civil registry document recording a legal marriage. Required for spouse visas, family reunification, name changes, and inheritance.
What is a Marriage Certificate?
A marriage certificate is an official civil registry document proving that a legal marriage was recorded between two people. For international use — immigration, spouse visas, family reunification, joint bank accounts, inheritance — the certificate typically needs to be apostilled and often translated. Marriages performed in religious ceremonies without civil registration may not be recognized abroad without additional documentation.
Common uses internationally
Consulates require an apostilled marriage certificate to process spouse visa applications and family reunification requests.
Changing your name in a foreign country after marriage typically requires an apostilled marriage certificate as proof.
Courts and notaries in foreign countries require apostilled marriage certificates to recognize a spouse's inheritance rights.
Can this document be apostilled or legalized?
Marriage certificates can be apostilled in Hague Convention member countries. The apostille goes on the civil registry's certified copy — not on a church or religious certificate.
See apostille services →When the destination country is not a Hague Convention member, the same document requires full consular legalization instead of apostille.
See legalization services →Who issues this document?
Civil Registry (Registro Civil) of the city/state where the marriage was recorded.
Requirements at a glance
Common mistakes to avoid
- Submitting a church marriage certificate instead of a civil registry document — religious marriages may not be legally recognized abroad.
- Using an old handwritten certificate when a modern certified copy is required.
Countries where this document is commonly processed
Relevant services
Frequently asked questions
Is a religious marriage certificate valid for immigration purposes?
In most countries, no — immigration authorities require a civil registry document (acta de matrimonio), not the religious ceremony certificate. If you only had a religious ceremony, you may need to register the marriage civilly first.
My marriage certificate has a different last name than my current passport. Is this a problem?
Potentially — if the names do not match your passport, some consulates will ask for additional documentation (e.g., a name change document or previous passport). We flag these issues during our pre-processing review.
Reviewed by
María GarcíaDocument Consultant
Specialist in apostille and legalization with over 8 years of experience helping Spanish-speaking families.
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