Free Tool · For Couples
Marriage license requirements by country
What it actually takes to legally marry in 12 top destination-wedding countries — required documents, residency, blood tests, apostille, fees, and whether to marry legally there or at home.
Mexico
Most American couples marry symbolically in Mexico and legally at home — the legal route needs an in-country blood test, apostilled + Spanish-translated documents, and several business days of paperwork.
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Dominican Republic
No blood test and no residency requirement, but the legal route uses a Spanish-language ceremony and a multi-week Spanish certificate — so symbolic-in-country, legal-at-home is common.
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Jamaica
One of the easiest legal options — just 24 hours in-country, no blood test, and no apostille for English documents.
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Saint Lucia
No residency period — a same-day license is available for a higher fee, making St. Lucia one of the easier islands to marry in legally.
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Aruba
One of the few Caribbean destinations where non-resident foreign couples can have a fully legal civil marriage — filed ~1 month ahead at City Hall in Oranjestad.
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Costa Rica
A legally binding civil marriage via a notario público needs no residency, no waiting period, and no blood test — the certificate just arrives weeks after the ceremony.
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Bahamas
Straightforward and legal: be in-country 24 hours before applying, no blood test, ~$120 license fee.
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Barbados
One of the fastest in the Caribbean — no residency or waiting period, no blood test, same-day license for ~$112 in government fees.
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Antigua and Barbuda
The fastest of the group — with the Special License there's no residency and couples can effectively marry the same day they arrive.
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Grenada
A legally binding civil marriage is achievable; the main thing to confirm is the current residency rule, which sources report inconsistently.
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Curaçao
The bureaucratic outlier — Dutch-style civil marriage needs a written petition ~2 months ahead and apostilled, Dutch-translated documents, so many couples do symbolic-only here.
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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Easy and legal — the Governor General's Special Licence needs just 24 hours in-country, with no blood test and same-day issuance.
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This is general guidance to help you plan, not legal advice. Marriage rules change and vary by region, officiant, and personal circumstances. Always confirm with the official source on each country’s page and your venue or travel advisor before booking.