Documentation and legal requirements - Kefalonia
The information below is intended as a guide, as documentation and legal requirements change regularly. Please check with your Wedding Coordinator and with the relevant embassy before arranging your documentation.
Legal requirements
Minimum residency period prior to wedding: 8 days (excluding day of arrival, weekends and bank holidays).
Witnesses required: 2. The witnesses can be arranged by the Wedding Planner if you are travelling alone.
Minimum Age: 18 (If under 18, see below).
Marriage Certificate issued in local language? Yes. You will need to contact a translator on your return.
Other requirements: You are required to place an ad in the local newspaper which your Wedding Planner will arrange for you. The cost is approximately £30 and is payable locally in resort.
Documentation requirements
The following documents must be obtained in the UK and sent to Sovereign no later than 12 weeks before departure. We need two photocopies of the following documents. All original documents must be taken to resort – photocopies of documents are not accepted in resort.
Full 10-year British passports? Yes.
Birth certificates? Yes – full original.
If never previously married:
Single status statutory declaration? No
Certificate of No Impediment? Yes. A Certificate of No Impediment must be obtained from your local Registry Office in the UK for both the Bride and Groom (a joint one will not be accepted). This must be issued within 3 months of your return date.
If divorced: Decree absolute.
If widowed: Spouse’s death certificate and previous marriage certificate.
If adopted: Adoption certicate and short birth certificate.
If name changed: Proof of deed poll or statutory declaration. This is also required for divorcees or widows who have reverted back to their maiden name.
If under 18: Parental consent in the form of an affidavit or statutory declaration, stamped and signed by a solicitor.
Certification / Legalisation / Translation of all documents?
All documents (excluding passports) must be certified by a solicitor. All certified documents must be officially legalised by the Legalisation Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth in London. The charge is currently £19.00 per document. (Subject to change without prior notice). All documents must then be translated into Greek by an official translator and legalised by the Greek Embassy.
You will need to contact the Greek Embassy for an up to date list of legal translators who you will need to speak to, to arrange for your documents to be translated. This will cost approx £30 per document.
When you receive your translated documents back from the translator you will need to send them (certified copies) to the Greek Embassy to be legalised.
Information can be found on their website: www.greekembassy.org.uk - visit the consular section.
All original documents and the certified / translated copies of all documents must be taken with you to Kefalonia. All English and Greek certified documents will be kept in Kefalonia, these documents will not be returned to the UK.
In Kefalonia you need to arrange final documentation and Marriage License applications. Costs for transport to and from the Town Hall will be incurred, payable locally.
