Getting married or registering a civil partnership abroad
Check if you can get married or register a civil partnership abroad
Whether you can get married or register a civil partnership in your chosen country depends on local laws.
You might not be able to do this if you or your partner:
- are not nationals of the country or do not meet residency requirements
- want a same-sex marriage or civil partnership and these are not recognised there
- do not meet legal, cultural or religious requirements
Check the laws of your chosen country
You need to check the laws in the country where you want to marry or register a civil partnership.
You’ll need to:
- check if you’re allowed to get married or register a civil partnership there
- find out the process you need to follow
- check which documents you’ll need to prove you’re free to marry or form a civil partnership
You can get advice from:
- the person conducting the ceremony
- the authority that registers marriages or civil partnerships in that country
- a wedding planner
If you cannot get married or register a civil partnership in your chosen country
In some countries, you may be able to marry or register a civil partnership at a British embassy, consulate or high commission. This is called a ‘consular marriage’ or ‘consular civil partnership.
Check which countries offer consular marriage and consular civil partnership and the processes you’ll need to follow.
Convert a same-sex civil partnership to a marriage
You may be able to convert a UK same-sex civil partnership into a marriage in some countries abroad.
You cannot convert an opposite-sex civil partnership into a marriage abroad.