Legalizing your marriage abroad: Europe vs Georgia – a guide to procedures, benefits and pitfalls

Getting married is an emotional milestone, but when it happens abroad, the romance is intertwined with practical legalities. A destination wedding involves several critical factors: local residency laws, international recognition of the union, and specific language requirements for your documentation.

In some countries, foreigners can complete the marriage process by presenting only their passports and a few supporting documents. In others, authorities may require a residence permit, an extended stay on foreign soil, or specific local government approvals. However, a few countries exist where residency is not a requirement for marriage.

For example, in Georgia, you can officially register your marriage within just a few days without a residence permit or any special permissions. Similarly, there is no need to obtain a visa or residency for a wedding in Denmark or Gibraltar.

Here is how the registration procedures differ between Georgia and several European countries.

Georgia is one of the most convenient destinations for a wedding. Foreign citizens can get married in just 1–2 business days, with no visa or residence permit required. This makes it an ideal choice for couples planning a last-minute ceremony or those working with a tight timeline.

Despite the liberal local laws, a marriage application will be denied if:

• Either partner is staying in the country illegally.
• One or both partners are under the legal age of majority (18 years old).
• One of the partners is already legally married.
• One or both individuals lack the legal capacity to enter into a contract.
• The partners are of the same sex (same-sex marriage is not currently recognized).
• The bride and groom are close blood relatives (sharing a parent, siblings, etc.).
• For all other categories of foreign citizens, Georgia offers a seamless opportunity to officially register their relationship.

A wedding is a deeply emotional milestone, and it is easy to overlook critical details in the excitement. The “Violet Weddings” agency is here to handle every aspect of organizing one of the most significant events of your life. We bring your vision to life to ensure your wedding day is truly unforgettable.

To officially register your family status in Georgia, foreigners must provide:

• A valid international passport (some foreign nationals may also require a visa or residence permit).
• A Divorce Decree or Death Certificate of a former spouse if one or both partners were previously married.
• Notarized translations of all documents into Georgian.

Document translation and notarization

The Public Service Hall (House of Justice) accepts documents only in Georgian. In all other cases, documents must be translated and certified by a notary or an apostille.

We recommend verifying your legal eligibility to marry well in advance. While getting married in Georgia is simpler than in many other countries, certain restrictions still apply. It is also essential to confirm whether a Georgian marriage certificate is recognized as legal in your home country.

Our wedding agency can help you pre-verify all documentation and even file the marriage application on your behalf. This allows the bride and groom to arrive directly for their scheduled date.

Important! Georgian is not a widely spoken language, and certified translators may not be available in all cities worldwide. We strongly recommend arranging the translation of your marriage documents into the language of your country of residence while you are still in Georgia. Our agency works with certified translators and assists with the legalization or apostille process.

Filing the marriage application

Once all documentation is ready, it can be submitted to the Public Service Hall. In addition to the standard application form, you must pay the state fee and receive confirmation that the marriage registration can proceed. The document verification process can take anywhere from a few hours to a full day.

According to Georgian law, the application can be filed either by the couple themselves or by a third party acting via a notarized power of attorney.

The marriage is officially registered only when the bride and groom personally sign the document.

A unique requirement for wedding registration in Georgia is the mandatory presence of two witnesses, who must also sign to confirm the union. If the witnesses are not Georgian citizens, they will also need their international passports along with a certified Georgian translation.

The official ceremony can take place at the Public Service Hall or at an off-site location; both options carry full legal weight. For those preferring a simple registration without a ceremony, this can be done at a specialist’s desk in the main halls of Tbilisi, Kutaisi, or Batumi during weekdays.

Receiving and legalizing the marriage certificate

Once the union is official, you will receive the marriage certificate. While the original document is valid in Georgia, it must be legalized for use in your home country. You should consult your local consulate or authorized government bodies to confirm the specific legalization procedure required. Currently, there are two primary methods:

Apostille: A special stamp that verifies the document’s authenticity. Apostille certification is legally recognized in countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention (including most of Europe, Ukraine, the USA, Israel, etc.) and requires no further certification.

Consular Legalization: This involves certifying the marriage documents at the consulate or embassy of your home country. This process grants the certificate legal force in your territory (commonly required for countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East).

“Violet Weddings” agents not only support the couple before and during registration but also assist with all legal formalities after the certificate is issued.

Important! Getting married in Georgia is a legal procedure. Religious ceremonies (weddings in a church) do not have legal force. A marriage is only considered official if it is registered through the Ministry of Justice.

Under local law, the religion and nationality of the bride and groom do not matter, opening the door for lovers from all over the world.

Marriages registered in Georgia are recognized as valid in almost every country worldwide. For the majority of visitors, there isn’t even a need to apply for a visa, thanks to the country’s extensive visa-free regime. Many couples are also drawn to the competitive wedding organization costs. To ensure you are recognized as husband and wife after registering in Georgia, you simply need to have the certificate translated into the language of your country of residence and have that translation notarized.

If your country of permanent residence is a member of the Hague Convention, an apostille must be affixed to the marriage document. This includes most EU countries, the USA, and Israel. Notably, as of January 11, 2024, Canada has also joined the convention and now accepts the apostille. Upon returning home, the certificate is simply entered into your local database. For other countries—such as the UAE, Qatar, or Thailand—documents must undergo the standard consular legalization procedure.

In most European countries, couples are forced to deal with a sluggish bureaucratic machine, requiring a mountain of additional paperwork just to get married. In Georgia, however, the entire procedure can take less than 24 hours, provided all necessary documents are in order. Newlyweds enjoy several key advantages:

• Legal simplicity and Speed: streamlined processing without the typical wait times.
• No extra requirements for non-Residents: no need for local permits or long-term residency.
• International recognition: your marriage certificate is legally valid worldwide.
• Stunning diversity of locations: a wide range of venues for both the official ceremony and the celebration.
• Turnkey agency support: comprehensive assistance from the initial consultation to final legalization and event planning.

By comparison, in Denmark, you must prepare and submit your documents well in advance, wait for government approval, and only then schedule a ceremony for a few days later. While Denmark is considered “simplified” by EU standards, it still lacks the immediate turnaround found in Georgia.

If you are considering the Seychelles, the registration process typically takes about a week. You will need your passport and proof of single status. While incredibly romantic, a Seychelles wedding is best suited for those with a “hefty” budget.

Свадьба в Грузии выигрышный вариант, так как сочетает роскошные пейзажи, умеренный бюджет и быструю официальную регистрацию для нерезидентов страны.

To ensure that a marriage concluded in Georgia is recognized in the Russian Federation, certain legal conditions must be met. A marriage will not be recognized if it violates fundamental legal restrictions—for instance, if it is between close blood relatives or if one spouse is already legally married.

For the document to gain legal force in Russia, the following requirements must be fulfilled:

• Translation: the Georgian marriage certificate must be translated into Russian.
• Notarization: to be accepted by Russian authorities, the translation must be performed by a professional translator and officially notarized within the Russian Federation.
• Legalization (Apostille): although Russia and Georgia are parties to the Minsk Convention (which theoretically allows for document exchange without extra stamps), in practice, Russian state bodies often require an Apostille. It is highly recommended to have the Apostille affixed in Georgia to avoid any bureaucratic delays.
• Mandatory notification: since 2019, Russian citizens who marry abroad are legally required to notify the ZAGS (Registry Office) of their change in marital status within one month. This can be done at a local ZAGS office in Russia or through a Russian consulate abroad.

Germans are known for their meticulousness when it comes to documents. In order for a marriage conducted in Georgia to be recognized in Germany, an application must be submitted to the Standesamt (civil registry office) of the couple’s last place of residence. If the couple has never lived in Germany, the documents are submitted to Standesamt I in Berlin. All papers must be submitted directly to the Standesamt. If the spouses are abroad, the documents can be submitted through the consulate, where the spouses’ signatures will also be certified and the papers forwarded to the German civil registry office.

Important! Both spouses must be present when submitting the documents.

Registering a marriage in Germany is not a quick process. Preparing the necessary documents can take several months. Many Europeans who value a faster registration process turn to wedding agencies in Georgia to get married in a short time.

In some countries, the rules for entering into marriage are quite strict. Their legislation dictates who can get married, the required length of stay in the country, and most importantly, the religious affiliation of the partners. Muslim couples can only marry according to the norms of Islamic law. At least one partner must hold a residency permit in the UAE. Civil marriage is only possible in certain emirates. For instance, in Abu Dhabi, civil registration is available only for non-Muslim foreign citizens, but even in such cases, a significant package of documents will be required.

If UAE citizens have registered their relationship outside the country, it is crucial to meet all conditions for the marriage to be recognized as valid in their homeland:

• Obtain a marriage certificate, for example, in Georgia;
• Attest the document at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia;
• Submit the certificate to the UAE Embassy or Consulate for authentication.

In most cases, the physical presence of the spouses is required for the legalization of a marriage certificate for the UAE.

Our team will handle all responsibilities regarding wedding organization and the processing of necessary documentation. The newlyweds only need to book their flight and arrive for the ceremony. Although, we can buy the tickets too! A wedding in Georgia is fast, legal, luxurious, and unforgettable!

We have prepared a table showing the average cost of standard wedding packages offered by other agencies. You can compare them with our company’s offers to make your choice.

Just give us a hint of how you envision your wedding, and we will create a truly romantic event where you, the lovers, play the leading role.

Our team will fill the story of your feelings with an atmosphere of love and romance. Every minute of your celebration will be filled with warmth, comfort, and harmony. If you want a stylish, sincere, and unforgettable wedding, contact our agency. Call us or write to us in any way that is convenient for you. We are ready to turn your dreams into reality.