| Many engaged couples looking to have their wedding | | | | empowered to make entries directly to a registry and |
| in Costa Rica are not aware of the required | | | | register documents. All notaries are attorneys, |
| documents, rules and regulations pertaining to marriage | | | | however not all attorneys are notaries, so make sure |
| in this country. For instance, only a Catholic Priest or a | | | | you hire the right person! |
| Lawyer can marry a couple in Costa Rica, a | | | | If one person is a foreigner and the other is Costa |
| Protestant Pastor may not. My husband and I were | | | | Rican you will need to provide His/her "cédula" |
| married in Costa Rica and I decided to write a post to | | | | (Costa Rican identity card), A Certificate of Civil Status |
| help those interested in a destination wedding in this | | | | issued by the Civil Registry. This document is to prove |
| romantic country. Here is all the up-to-date information | | | | that the Costa Rican spouse is single. You will also |
| needed to have a civil ceremony in Costa Rica... | | | | need proof from the foreigners country that the |
| If both the groom and the bride are foreigners | | | | foreign spouse is also single. |
| * Each person must have a valid passport which does | | | | If you or your future spouse is divorced, she/he will |
| not expire for 6 months, and you must submit two | | | | require a copy of the divorce paperwork certified and |
| copies of each to your lawyer | | | | with the proper stamps, or a copy of the previous |
| * You will need to locate and hire a local attorney to | | | | spouse's death certificate with the proper stamps and |
| marry you and file your paperwork. If you are being | | | | a document certifying his civil status sworn before the |
| wed at a hotel, the hotel will likely recommend an | | | | notary in addition to the above required documents. |
| attorney or hire one for you. If the hotel does locate | | | | If your future spouse is a Costa Rican female and has |
| one, it will likely cost around $500 USD; however if you | | | | been divorced or is widowed, she can remarry. |
| hire one on your own it will likely cost around $300. If | | | | However, she must wait three hundred days after the |
| one person's first language is not Spanish, then a | | | | official issuance date of the divorce decree or |
| translator must be present and the ceremony must be | | | | publication of her former spouse's death certificate. |
| held in both languages | | | | The other alternative is to have the future wife prove |
| * You will need to give your lawyer the following | | | | that she is not pregnant before the marriage |
| information approximately one month before the | | | | ceremony, so that the the above mentioned |
| wedding: | | | | requirements can be waived. This can only be proven |
| Full name of both Bride and Groom: first, middle and | | | | by taking a pregnancy test administered at the |
| last. No initials will be accepted. | | | | Forensic Medicine Office in San Joaquin de Flores in |
| * Passport numbers and nationality | | | | Heredia. Marriage can occur immediately if the test |
| * Birth dates and places of birth | | | | results turn out negative. |
| * Foreign address | | | | Only a lawyer (notary) or Catholic Priest in Costa Rica |
| * Occupation/Profession | | | | can perform the ceremony and the marriage is |
| * Marital status certificate - if divorced you will need to | | | | considered official when the document has been |
| provide a copy of the divorce decree. If the Bride has | | | | registered with the Registro Civil (Civil Registry). This |
| been divorced for less than 12 months, she may need | | | | can take anywhere between 3 months to almost a |
| to present a negative pregnancy test to the nearest | | | | year. |
| Costa Rican consulate for authentication. | | | | Marriages legally performed and valid in Costa Rica |
| * Both the Bride and Grooms Mother and Father's full | | | | are also legally valid in other countries; however you |
| name and nationality, the mother's full name should | | | | may need to have it certified by your countries |
| actually have her maiden name, not married name | | | | consulate in Costa Rica. |
| * Parent's address | | | | For Canadian and American citizens, the marriage |
| Two Witnesses are required to sign the marriage | | | | certificate must be translated into English by an Official |
| license. If you are traveling alone, the hotel will most | | | | Translator who is accredited by the Ministry of Foreign |
| likely provide you with the witnesses. Some people will | | | | Relations and then authenticated at the "Yellow |
| tell you these witnesses need to be non-family related, | | | | House" in San Jose by the Ministry of Foreign |
| however ours were. You will need to present the | | | | Relations. You will then have to take it to your |
| following information about your witnesses to your | | | | countries consulate and have it signed by your |
| lawyer at least one month before the wedding: | | | | embassy's Consular Section. Your lawyer may offer |
| * Full name, no initials | | | | to do this service for you as well for another fee. |
| * Current address | | | | We paid $300 USD for our lawyer. Some lawyers |
| * Date and place of birth | | | | raise the price for foreigners to $500 or even $1000! |
| * Passport number (copy of passport) and nationality | | | | Do not be fooled, this is not a good price! If you are |
| * Marital status | | | | looking for a lawyer, contact us and we will help you |
| ** Please Note* In Costa Rica a notary is not solely | | | | find one at a decent price! |
| one who validates signatures. Here, a notary is | | | | |