FAQ

Question	My partner and I want to get married in Spain in September this year. We understand that policies and procedures vary from region to region so could you please advise us on who to contact to complete the necessary paperwork. Also could you inform us how long we need to be in the country before we would be allowed to marry.
Answer	To be married in a Roman Catholic church in Spain at least one partner must be a Roman Catholic, a divorcee isn't permitted to marry in a Spanish church if the previous marriage was solemnised in church. A certificate of baptism is required plus a declaration from your former parish priest that you are a Roman Catholic and are free to marry. You receive a certificate from the priest, which must be presented within one week to the local civil registry in order to obtain an official marriage certificate. Couples also receive a family book when they marry, which is the official registration of a couple and their children. In order for two non-Catholic foreigners to marry in Spain , one must have lived (and have been domiciled) in Spain for at least two years. Marriages are held at Spanish civil registry offices and are presided over by a judge (church weddings for non-Catholics in Spain aren't legally recognised). If you're divorced or widowed, you must produce an official divorce or death certificate. A divorced person requires a legal declaration (certificado de ley) drawn up by a lawyer and legalised by a Spanish consul in the country of origin. Some foreigners find it easier to get married aboard e.g. Britons and Americans can get married in Gibralter, where couples are married in a registry office in front of two witnesses. Many foreigners can also be married at their country's embassy in Spain . For further information please contact the British Consulate on http://www.conspalon.org or the British Embassy on www.ukinspain.com Information taken from Living and Working in Spain by David Hampshire.