www.ionianweddings.co.uk Tel:020 8755 3113
Paperwork required for your civil wedding in Greece
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| Making your wedding legal |
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The following is intended as a guide to the documents that you will need in order to have a civil wedding in Greece. If you wish to have a Catholic, Anglican or Orthodox wedding, please contact us for more information. It may vary slightly from island to island and this information is subject to change, so please check with the relevant authorities beforehand.
If you use our services, we will provide you with up to date information, costs and full assistance with the paperwork. We can even do most of the paperwork for you, for a small fee, to save you queuing at the embassy! Contact us for more information on our Documentation Service.
Most islands require a stay of 8 days and we usually recommend a stay of 2 weeks. In general, you will need to send the following documentation over to Greece or to your wedding planner. It should be sent a minimum of 2 months before your wedding:
- Birth certificate (for each party). These must be full birth certificates showing parents’ names
- Certificate of non-impediment to marry for each party
- Valid 10 year passports
Please note that the Certificates of Non-Impediment are issued by your local Registrars after a 15 days notice. and are valid for 3 months only. Therefore, you must make sure that their date of issue are less than 3 months before your wedding date.
The following documents are also required where applicable:
- Decree absolute bearing court seal, if you are divorced
- Adoption certificate if you are entered into the registry of adopted children
- Deed poll of change of name
- Death certificate of deceased spouse if you are widowed
Finally, all required documents will have to be:
- Certified (legalised) with the Apostile Seal (the originals) by the Legalisation Office, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Old Admiralty Building, Whitehall, London SW1A 2LG.
- Translated into Greek by an approved translator. For information on such translators, please refer to the Greek Embassy in London.
- Once the documents have been translated, you should take them to the Legalisation Department of the Consulate of Greece to have them authenticated (Greek translations and originals). Their address is: 1A Holland Park, London W11 3TP.
Both the original and translated/legalised copies of ALL documents must be taken to Greece with you. After the wedding, in some town halls your original documents and translations may be kept. Your Greek marriage certificate will need to be translated into your native language on return home. The embassies and offices mentioned are for British citizens residing in the UK. If you are not British, you will need to contact the appropriate department or embassy in your own country.
Documentation service by Ionian Weddings
We can take care of the final stages of your legal paperwork (certification, translation and authentication) for a small fee. This will remove the stress of dealing with the authorities and your completed paperwork will be sent to Greece on your behalf. We will send you details with your wedding proposal once you submit your Wedding Questionnaire.