Marriage Ordinance
Marriage in Gibraltar is governed by the Marriage Ordinance.
Special Marriage Licence
A civil marriage is possible, without residential qualifications, by Special Licence granted by the Governor of Gibraltar under Section 13 of the Ordinance.
Marriage in Gibraltar is governed by the Marriage Ordinance.
Special Marriage Licence
A civil marriage is possible, without residential qualifications, by Special Licence granted by the Governor of Gibraltar under Section 13 of the Ordinance.
General Conditions for Marriage
In order to get married in Gibraltar, you need to satisfy the Registrar that you are free to marry.
Unmarried persons – In certain countries, persons who have not been married before can obtain a certificate to that effect from their Civil Authority. This certificate is sometimes required, and could be helpful to speed up completion of the formalities.
What is required is your birth certificate.
Widows or Widowers
If you are a widow or widower, you must furnish:
Divorced Persons
If you have been previously married, you must submit:
Office examined or certified copies will usually be accepted, but they must bear an original seal of the court. Divorce decrees of countries other than Great Britain may need to be legalised by the British Consular Authority for the place where the divorce decree was granted, except in the case of countries, which have ratified the convention for abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation of Foreign Public Documents (The Hague, 5th October 1961).
If you are in doubt, write to the Marriage Clerk and send a photocopy of your divorce decree.
In some countries, a divorce must be transcribed in the appropriate civil registry before it becomes final and absolute. In such cases, a certified copy of the relevant entry must be produced.
If a divorce decree is written in a language other than English, you must produce a certified copy of a translation into English of the whole divorce decree.
Persons under age 18
If you are under 18 years of age, you must produce the written consent of either your parents or legal guardians. The consent to marry must be valid by the Law of the country where you are domiciled.
Persons may not marry unless they are over the age of 16, unless the Court in Gibraltar orders otherwise.
Change of Name
If you have changed your name by deed poll or in some other way, you should submit your original change of name deed.
How to obtain a Special Licence
To obtain a Special Licence, you need to:
If you decide to apply for a Special Licence in person at the Registry Office in Gibraltar, you can swear the affidavits before a Gibraltar Commissioner for Oaths. This is the quickest and most efficient way of obtaining a Special Licence.
You are advised to order your Special Licence once you arrive at Gibraltar.
All original documents produced in support of a request for a Special Licence will be kept at the Registry and returned to you after you get married together with your marriage certificates, unless the Registrar specifically requires that certain documents be retained at the Registry.
Commanding Officer’s Consent (for members of the Armed Forces only)
Service Personnel should ensure that a Commanding Officer’s Consent (if required by service regulations) is obtained in writing before submitting an application for a Marriage Licence.
Making an appointment for a Marriage
Marriages usually take place during the following hours, on Monday to Friday between 10am – 12noon.
Once you have chosen a date for your marriage, you may telephone the Marriage Registry to make a booking for the day of your choice. The booking will initially be a provisional booking, and will be held until 10.00am on the day immediately before that date. For example, if a booking is made for Thursday 3rd May, it will be held until 10.00am on Wednesday 2nd May, by which time arrangements to finalise the paperwork must have been commenced.
If you have made a provisional booking by telephone or in writing, you can change this to another date if you so wish.
When you make a provisional booking, you will not be allocated a time for the wedding. This will be allocated once all the paperwork has been completed and the Special Licence has been ordered. At this stage, the booking for the marriage becomes a firm booking and ceases to be a provisional booking.
Please note that it normally takes at least 1 day to complete the paperwork, swear the affidavits and obtain a Licence: you cannot get married on the same day that you apply for a Special Licence.
Fees
When your booking becomes a firm booking, and you arrange with the Marriage Registrar to be married on a date and at a time which is mutually convenient, you will be asked to pay the fees due.
Check with Marriage Registrar for actual fees.
All fees are payable in pounds sterling or Gibraltar pounds.
If you order a Special Licence and later decide you do not wish to get married in Gibraltar, or its validity expires, refunds will not normally be granted.
The Marriage Ceremony
You will attend before the Marriage Registrar on a date and time, which is mutually convenient. You will need:
The ceremony is conducted in English. If you do not speak English, you must arrange and provide your own interpreter, except in the case of the Spanish language, where the Registry can provide you with a Spanish interpreter. There is a fee for the services of a Spanish / English interpreter. The Registry Office can give you the names and addresses of persons who can act as interpreters in Gibraltar. It is helpful if you notify the Marriage Registry in advance that you will need the services of an interpreter.
Photography is allowed for the second part of the ceremony, viz the exchange of rings (if any) and the signing of the Registers. If you wish, you may arrange for a photographer to be present at your wedding. The Marriage Registry can supply you with the names of different photographic studios in Gibraltar.
You are also welcome to make arrangements with florists in Gibraltar for any special flower arrangement, which you would like to order for the Marriage Room for your wedding. Lists of names and addresses of Gibraltar florists are available on request.
Visa Requirements
The Marriage Registry cannot advise you on whether you need a visa to enter Gibraltar. If you have any doubts, please enquire at a British Consulate or contact Civil Status & Registration office, Passport Office, Joshua Hassan House, Secretary’s Lane, Gibraltar, Tel: +350 20051728
Further Enquiries
The Registrar and staff at the Registry Office are there to help you every step of the way and to ensure that your special day is worry free.
If you have any further enquiries, these should be addressed in English to:
Civil Status & Registration Office
Joshua Hassan House
Secretary’s Lane
Gibraltar
Tel: +350 20072289
Fax: +350 20042706
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
In order to get married in Gibraltar, you need to satisfy the Registrar that you are free to marry.
Unmarried persons – In certain countries, persons who have not been married before can obtain a certificate to that effect from their Civil Authority. This certificate is sometimes required, and could be helpful to speed up completion of the formalities.
What is required is your birth certificate.
Widows or Widowers
If you are a widow or widower, you must furnish:
- a certified copy of your birth certificate
- a certified copy of the death certificate of your spouse
- if the death certificate does not name you as the widow or widower of the deceased, it is also essential that you send in a certified copy of your original marriage certificate.
Divorced Persons
If you have been previously married, you must submit:
- your birth certificate
- your previous marriage certificate
- an original copy of your final and absolute divorce decree
Office examined or certified copies will usually be accepted, but they must bear an original seal of the court. Divorce decrees of countries other than Great Britain may need to be legalised by the British Consular Authority for the place where the divorce decree was granted, except in the case of countries, which have ratified the convention for abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation of Foreign Public Documents (The Hague, 5th October 1961).
If you are in doubt, write to the Marriage Clerk and send a photocopy of your divorce decree.
In some countries, a divorce must be transcribed in the appropriate civil registry before it becomes final and absolute. In such cases, a certified copy of the relevant entry must be produced.
If a divorce decree is written in a language other than English, you must produce a certified copy of a translation into English of the whole divorce decree.
Persons under age 18
If you are under 18 years of age, you must produce the written consent of either your parents or legal guardians. The consent to marry must be valid by the Law of the country where you are domiciled.
Persons may not marry unless they are over the age of 16, unless the Court in Gibraltar orders otherwise.
Change of Name
If you have changed your name by deed poll or in some other way, you should submit your original change of name deed.
How to obtain a Special Licence
To obtain a Special Licence, you need to:
- prove to the Marriage Registrar that you and your future spouse are both free to marry, by producing the appropriate documents listed at paragraph 3;
- bring your passports;
- swear an affidavit each, in the manner prescribed by the Marriage Ordinance.
If you decide to apply for a Special Licence in person at the Registry Office in Gibraltar, you can swear the affidavits before a Gibraltar Commissioner for Oaths. This is the quickest and most efficient way of obtaining a Special Licence.
You are advised to order your Special Licence once you arrive at Gibraltar.
All original documents produced in support of a request for a Special Licence will be kept at the Registry and returned to you after you get married together with your marriage certificates, unless the Registrar specifically requires that certain documents be retained at the Registry.
Commanding Officer’s Consent (for members of the Armed Forces only)
Service Personnel should ensure that a Commanding Officer’s Consent (if required by service regulations) is obtained in writing before submitting an application for a Marriage Licence.
Making an appointment for a Marriage
Marriages usually take place during the following hours, on Monday to Friday between 10am – 12noon.
Once you have chosen a date for your marriage, you may telephone the Marriage Registry to make a booking for the day of your choice. The booking will initially be a provisional booking, and will be held until 10.00am on the day immediately before that date. For example, if a booking is made for Thursday 3rd May, it will be held until 10.00am on Wednesday 2nd May, by which time arrangements to finalise the paperwork must have been commenced.
If you have made a provisional booking by telephone or in writing, you can change this to another date if you so wish.
When you make a provisional booking, you will not be allocated a time for the wedding. This will be allocated once all the paperwork has been completed and the Special Licence has been ordered. At this stage, the booking for the marriage becomes a firm booking and ceases to be a provisional booking.
Please note that it normally takes at least 1 day to complete the paperwork, swear the affidavits and obtain a Licence: you cannot get married on the same day that you apply for a Special Licence.
Fees
When your booking becomes a firm booking, and you arrange with the Marriage Registrar to be married on a date and at a time which is mutually convenient, you will be asked to pay the fees due.
Check with Marriage Registrar for actual fees.
All fees are payable in pounds sterling or Gibraltar pounds.
If you order a Special Licence and later decide you do not wish to get married in Gibraltar, or its validity expires, refunds will not normally be granted.
The Marriage Ceremony
You will attend before the Marriage Registrar on a date and time, which is mutually convenient. You will need:
- Some means of identification (i.e. passport or identity card which bears a recent photograph);
- Two witnesses for the marriage. Please note that under no circumstances can the Registry Office provide two witnesses. Your witnesses may be related to either of you, related to each other, friends or colleagues but they must be able to speak and understand English and be over 18 years of age.
The ceremony is conducted in English. If you do not speak English, you must arrange and provide your own interpreter, except in the case of the Spanish language, where the Registry can provide you with a Spanish interpreter. There is a fee for the services of a Spanish / English interpreter. The Registry Office can give you the names and addresses of persons who can act as interpreters in Gibraltar. It is helpful if you notify the Marriage Registry in advance that you will need the services of an interpreter.
Photography is allowed for the second part of the ceremony, viz the exchange of rings (if any) and the signing of the Registers. If you wish, you may arrange for a photographer to be present at your wedding. The Marriage Registry can supply you with the names of different photographic studios in Gibraltar.
You are also welcome to make arrangements with florists in Gibraltar for any special flower arrangement, which you would like to order for the Marriage Room for your wedding. Lists of names and addresses of Gibraltar florists are available on request.
Visa Requirements
The Marriage Registry cannot advise you on whether you need a visa to enter Gibraltar. If you have any doubts, please enquire at a British Consulate or contact Civil Status & Registration office, Passport Office, Joshua Hassan House, Secretary’s Lane, Gibraltar, Tel: +350 20051728
Further Enquiries
The Registrar and staff at the Registry Office are there to help you every step of the way and to ensure that your special day is worry free.
If you have any further enquiries, these should be addressed in English to:
Civil Status & Registration Office
Joshua Hassan House
Secretary’s Lane
Gibraltar
Tel: +350 20072289
Fax: +350 20042706
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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