Getting married in Costa Rica is a pretty straight forward process. Here we have complied everything you need to know on Costa Rica marriage laws. We will help you through the process for an amazing elopement adventure!
UPDATE! – As of April 2020 I am proud to say our country Costa Rica now recognizes same sex couples and their right to marriage! 🙂
Required Documents
If you are not a Costa Rican citizen, you are required to present the following documents:
- A passport valid for at least six months
If you are marrying a Costa Rican citizen, your future spouse will need the following documents:
- A Costa Rican identity card (Cedula de Identidad)
- A Certificate of Single Status (Certificado de Solteria) issued by the Civil Registry
Special Requirements for Women
If a woman has been divorced or is a widow, she can only remarry after 300 days have elapsed from the official issuance date of her divorce decree or her former husband’s death certificate. She can waive this requirement if she proves that she is not pregnant before her marriage ceremony.
Validity of Marriages
In Costa Rica, only priests, judges and lawyers are legally authorized to perform a marriage ceremony. If you wish to have a religious, but non-Catholic, wedding ceremony, a judge or lawyer must also be present to make the marriage official. Civil marriages legally conducted in Costa Rica are valid worldwide. It takes about three months for the Costa Rica Civil Registry to issue your marriage certificate, which your lawyer will have translated and then sent to your closest consulate or embassy to be authenticated. Be sure to stop by your local city hall or equivalent government office, and request the requirements for registering a marriage conducted abroad.
To be legally recognized in the United States, your Costa Rican marriage certificate must be:
- Translated into English by an official translator
- Authenticated by the Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Relations
- Notarized by a Public Notary
- Certified and signed by the U.S. Embassy’s Consular Section
To be legally recognized in Canada, your Costa Rican marriage certificate must be:
- Translated into English by an official translator
- Authenticated by the Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Authenticated by the Canadian Embassy in Costa Rica
- All documents must be presented to your Province’s Vital Statistics Offices for appropriate registration in Canada.
It is not necessary to visit or reside in Costa Rica for any period of time before getting married. The documents brought by you do not need to be translated into Spanish, and you do not need to bring the original copies.
You do not need to apply for a marriage license from your Home Country or in Costa Rica. According to Costa Rican law, women do not change their last name when they get married. In the legal documentation and in your marriage certificate, your names will appear as they currently appear on your passports. You can start the process in order to change your last name in your Country of Residence if you wish to do so when your marriage certificate is sent to your Country.
We can handle all paperwork requirements for you with the consulate and any public offices.