Freedom to marry

If you are planning on getting married overseas you may well need to sign documentation in front of a notary public confirming, for example, you are free to marry.

The paperwork you may require differs between countries but is likely to require you to confirm you are free to marry and confirm that you have never been previously married. If you have been married before then the details of your previous marriage and evidence of divorce from a previous marriage will need to be included.

Obtaining the correct documentation in good time for a forthcoming marriage can be of vital importance because any failure to do so, may ultimately result in a planned marriage not being allowed to proceed.

Once a document has been certified by a notary public it becomes an official legal document in another country and is recognised internationally.

You may also need other documents such as a birth certificate or divorce papers notarised.

Many countries will require legalisation by the Foreign Office and/or a consulate of the notarised documents.