Documentation and legal requirements - Mexico
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: 5 days (excluding day of arrival, weekends and bank holidays).
Witnesses required: 2. Witnesses must travel in the same week as the bride and groom.
Minimum Age: 21 (If under 21, see below).
Marriage Certificate issued in local language? Yes.
Other requirements: The bride and groom must also pay locally for a medical certificate (approximately US$25 per person – Cancun area only) and a blood test (US$120-160 per couple). If the test shows positive for any STD’s the wedding will not be performed.
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? No.
If divorced: Decree absolute and an affidavit stamped and signed by a solicitor declaring marital status and eligibility to marry. The bride must have been divorced for 12 months.
If widowed: Spouse’s death certificate and previous marriage certificate.
If adopted: Adoption Certicate.
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 21: Parental consent in the form of an affidavit, stamped and signed by a solicitor and the parents are required to attend the wedding.
Also required: Immigration card received upon entry into Mexico. Names on all documents including birth certificate and passports must be the same.
Certification / Legalisation / Translation of all documents? Each original document must be certified by a solicitor, legalised by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and translated into Spanish. Documents can be translated in resort for approximately US$30-40 per document.
