Officiating Weddings In Mexico: What You Need To Know

If you're planning to officiate a wedding in Mexico, there are a few things you need to know. Firstly, only civil weddings are legally recognised in Mexico, so if you're conducting a religious ceremony, it won't be legally binding. Secondly, the requirements for the officiant vary. In some cases, the wedding hotel will provide an officiant, but if you're bringing your own, you may only need to sign the certificate and present proof of ordination. It's important to note that the marriage certificate will need to be legalised in Mexico to ensure it's accepted in your home country. Lastly, there are specific documents required for the marriage to be legal, so it's important to familiarise yourself with these before the wedding.

Civil vs. religious marriage

In Mexico, there are three types of weddings: civil, Catholic, and symbolic blessing ceremonies. Civil weddings are the only type of marriage that is legally recognised, while religious weddings are not legally binding without a civil component.

Civil Weddings

Civil weddings are legally binding in Mexico and are recognised anywhere in the world. The requirements for a civil wedding in Mexico include:

• A valid passport and two copies
• An Apostilled Birth Certificate, certified in Mexico, and translated depending on the region
• Original and copy of migration document, such as a tourist permit
• Medical certificate obtained 15 days prior to the wedding in Mexico
• Four witnesses with valid identification
• Divorce or death certificate, if applicable, apostilled and translated

The cost of a civil wedding in Mexico includes a marriage license fee of approximately $27 USD, as well as fees for obtaining the necessary paperwork, x-rays, and blood tests.

Religious Weddings

Religious weddings in Mexico, such as Catholic weddings, are not legally recognised in Mexico or abroad. Therefore, couples often choose to have both a civil and religious wedding. The requirements for a Catholic wedding in Mexico include:

• Requesting permission from the Catholic church closest to the bride's home
• Attending a Catholic course for a few weeks
• Attending pre-matrimonial talks with the minister
• Obtaining a letter certified by the archdioceses in Mexico
• Civil marriage certificate or proof of confirmed civil ceremony date
• Premarital talks certificate from the minister

Symbolic Ceremonies

Symbolic or non-religious ceremonies are commonly conducted by an officiant or minister and often take place on the beach, in hotel resorts, or in colonial homes. These ceremonies usually require passports in their original form and copies, but the specific requirements depend on the region and the officiant.

Comparison

The main difference between civil and religious weddings in Mexico is that civil weddings are legally recognised, while religious weddings are not. Civil weddings require specific legal documentation and witnesses, while religious weddings involve requesting permission from the Catholic church and attending religious courses and talks. Symbolic ceremonies are often chosen by foreigners as they can be more flexible and personalised.

Legal requirements

If you want to officiate a wedding in Mexico, you must be an official from the civil registry of the local municipality. A religious or symbolic ceremony will not be considered an official wedding.

To get legally married in Mexico, you must meet the following requirements:

• You cannot get married under the age of 18 in Mexico without parental consent. With parental consent, boys as young as 16 and girls as young as 14 can wed.
• During the legal ceremony, you will need four witnesses present, with valid identification.
• Foreigners can get married in Mexico with a passport, tourist visa, and the required documentation. However, if you plan on marrying a Mexican resident, you may need to apply for a foreign marriage permit from the Interior Ministry of the state where the wedding will take place.
• For a civil wedding, you will need to obtain marriage application forms from the local registry office.
• Valid passports and copies of passports are required for both parties.
• Original and copy of your migration document, such as a tourist permit, residencia temporal, or residencia permanente.
• A medical certificate (done 15 days prior to the civil wedding in Mexico) is required.
• Some Mexican states require a chest X-ray in addition to the medical certificate.
• Blood test results (done in Mexico no more than 14-15 days before the date of application) are mandatory.
• If either spouse was previously married or is widowed, copies of the divorce decree or death certificate are required.
• Your marriage certificate will be valid worldwide, but it is recommended to get it legalized in Mexico to ensure it is legally accepted in your home country.
• Only civil marriages are recognized as legal in Mexico. A religious ceremony can be held after the civil ceremony.
• If you are a foreigner and non-Catholic, you will need to visit the Catholic church closest to the bride's home to request permission to marry in a Catholic church. You will also be required to attend a Catholic course and pre-matrimonial talks with the minister.

Validity outside Mexico

Validity of a Mexican Marriage Outside Mexico

A civil wedding in Mexico is legally binding and valid anywhere in the world. However, if you are planning to get married in Mexico, there are a few things you should know.

Legal Requirements

To get married in Mexico, you will need to obtain a permit from your nearest Mexican consulate before your arrival in the country. Once you have your permit, you will need to present it along with your passports at your chosen wedding venue. Depending on where you get married, you may also need additional documents to be able to tie the knot.

• The wedding couple must arrive at least 2-4 full business days in advance of the wedding (arrival day, Mexican holidays, and weekends do not count).
• Four witnesses over 18 years old: two per person.
• Couples and witnesses must have valid passports for at least 6 months.
• Couple and witness tourist cards provided by customs when you arrive in Mexico.
• Health certificate and blood tests: these must be done at the destination where the wedding will be celebrated to have legal value in Mexico.
• In some destinations, you would need a chest X-ray taken a few days before the wedding, at the location where the wedding will take place.
• Couples' birth certificates translated into Spanish and certified (only if the names of the parents are wanted on the Wedding Certificate).
• If widowed, a death certificate will be required.
• If divorced, the final divorce decree will be required, and you must be divorced for over 1 year.
• A civil wedding application form with the names, addresses, nationalities, occupations, and ages of the bridal couple, both parents, and witnesses.
• If one member of the couple is adopted, adoption papers are required.
• All documents must be translated into Spanish.

Legalization of Marriage Certificate

The marriage certificate you receive on the ceremony day is only valid in Mexico. To have your marriage recognized in your country of birth/residence, you must legalize your marriage through the ceremony and then register your marriage certificate at your local City Hall. The wedding coordinator of your hotel will be able to assist you with this process.

Important Notes

• Only civil marriages are recognized as legal in Mexico. Civil marriages are performed by the Registro Civil.
• Marriages performed by religious officials are not considered legal or valid in Mexico.
• U.S. citizens must have a valid passport and either a tourist permit or a resident permit for Mexico.
• Foreigners wishing to marry a Mexican citizen must request permission from the Mexican Immigration Institute.
• Persons under the age of eighteen cannot be married without the consent of their parents or legal guardians.
• Divorced persons cannot marry in Mexico until one year after the finalization of the divorce.

Same-sex marriage

The first entity in the country to legalise same-sex marriage was Mexico City in 2010. Since then, many states have followed suit, including the southern state of Guerrero and the border state of Tamaulipas, which became the last state to authorise same-sex marriage in 2022.

Civil weddings are the only legally recognised weddings in Mexico. For a civil wedding, the requirements are:

• Passports
• Birth certificates
• Original and copy of migration document (tourist permit, residencia temporal, or residencia permanente)
• Medical certificate (obtained in Mexico 15 days prior to the wedding)
• Four witnesses with valid identification
• Divorce or death certificate, if applicable
• Chest X-Ray plates (done in Mexico)
• Blood test results (done in Mexico no more than 14 days before the application)
• Foreign marriage permit, if required by the municipality

All foreign documents must be accompanied by a Spanish translation and be notarised by the Mexican government. They must also have an Apostille stamp, which can be obtained from the relevant government body in your home country.

Blood tests and X-rays

Blood tests and chest X-rays are mandatory in some Mexican states, but not all. These tests are used to detect HIV and syphilis and must be carried out in Mexico, no more than 14 days before the date of application. The results must be in Spanish.

The cost of the blood test is $300 per couple, and the results are typically available within 24 hours.

If you are getting married in a state that requires a chest X-ray, you will need to obtain the plates from the X-ray and submit them as part of your documentation.

These tests are an essential part of the legal requirements for getting married in Mexico, and you will not be allowed to marry without them.

Frequently asked questions