Guest Author - Lisa Shea
A magical wedding in Ireland... the stuff that dreams are made of! If you are planning on getting married in Ireland, there are several legal hoops to jump through. The key to success, as always, is good research and preparation.
Always check with your embassy well in advance for up-to-date requirements. Many embassies recommend that you arrange your Irish wedding through a professional agency, but here are some guidelines if you choose to do-it-yourself.
Documentation
The following documents will be required:
- Passports
- Birth certificates – original or certified copies of long form including names of parents
- Evidence of termination of all previous marriages – original or certified copies of final divorce decrees, annulment decrees or death certificates
All documents issued in a foreign language must be accompanied by certified translations into English. If you were previously divorced in a court outside of Ireland, your divorce will need to be verified before your marriage. This process can take up to six weeks.
You must be eighteen years old to marry in Ireland.
Notice of Intent to Marry
Both parties must submit a Notice of Intent to Marry (Form FLA.1.98) to the registrar for the district in which the marriage is to take place. This form should be submitted at least three-months prior to your proposed wedding date. Directory of Registrars in Ireland
You do not need to appear in person at the registrar’s office to submit your notifications. For Roman Catholic ceremonies, the notifications should be submitted to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and (Roman Catholic) Marriages for the district in which the marriage will take place. For other religious denominations and civil ceremonies, the notifications should be submitted to the local Registrar of Civil Marriages.
The Registrar will issue dated acknowledgements of receipt of the notifications. You will need to produce these documents, upon request, to the person performing the ceremony.
Serving Notice of Marriage
Call the local registrar to make an appointment to appear, in person, to submit all the required documents outlined above. This is not the same as submitting the written notification of intent to marry.
Types of Ceremonies
- Civil ceremonies in register offices
- Religious ceremonies in the Roman Catholic Church
- Religious ceremonies in other denominations
Civil Ceremonies
One of the following is required for a civil ceremony.
1. Registrar's Certificate - Both parties must give notice of intent to marry and must have been resident in the district for seven clear days. After the notice has been submitted, a period of 21 clear days (excluding Sundays) must pass before the marriage can take place.
2. Registrar's License - One party must have been resident in the district for 15 clear days. After the notice has been submitted, seven clear days must pass before the marriage can take place.
For further information, contact:
General Register Office for Ireland
Joyce House, 8/11 Lombard Street East, Dublin 2, Ireland
Phone: 1 6354000
Religious Ceremonies - Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic marriages may be celebrated by:
- Episcopal license
- Publication of banns
- Ordinary ecclesiastical license
- Certificate from a Registrar of Civil Marriages
The following documents may be required for Catholic weddings, in addition to the basic documents previously outlined.
- Baptismal and confirmation certificates
- Pre-nuptial enquiry
- Letter of freedom
- Nihil obstat
According to the website for the Catholic Church in Ireland, if you have been previously married you must get a legal divorce and then a declaration of nullity (annulment) before you may remarry in the church.
For further information, contact:
Catholic Church in Ireland
36, Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
Phone: 1 6633900
Religious Ceremonies - Other
Non-Catholic religious ceremonies must take place in a building licensed, certified or registered for the purpose of marriage (unless by special license). The legal requirements are the same as those that apply to civil marriages. Both parties must submit notices of intent to marry to the Register Office.
Legally valid marriages:
- Church of Ireland (Anglican)
- Presbyterian Church
- Society of Friends
- Jewish Communities
- Other religions (excluding Muslim marriages)
If you plan a religious ceremony outside the Roman Catholic Church you should contact the authorities of the religious denomination concerned.
For further information, contact:
Church of Ireland Marriage Council
Church of Ireland House, Church Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6, Ireland
Phone: 1 4978422
Presbyterian Church
(serving the whole island - north and south)
The Information Office, Church House, Belfast BT1 6DW, Northern Ireland
Phone: 028 9032 2284
