Bahamas weddings come in all shapes and sizes, from the traditional historic church to a private yacht, from a beautiful tropical garden to the pink sands of Harbour Island's famous pink beach. It is even possible to exchange your vows underwater with the fish as your witnesses and the coral as your backdrop.

You can take a package wedding, a local wedding organizer or do the wedding yourself.

Legally it is quite simple to marry in the Bahamas.

For visitors, entry requirements differ slightly depending upon place of birth, length of stay and what items accompany the traveler.

U.S. and Canadian citizens entering The Islands Of The Bahamas as visitors are required to show proof of citizenship with either a passport (current or expired within five years) or two forms of identification, one of which has to have a photo. For example, you may bring your birth certificate and a driver’s license.

Marriage licenses and Requirements

Marriage licenses are issued at the offices of the Registrar General in Nassau. The office is open Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.

The fee for the license is $100.00. No blood test is necessary.

Both parties must be present at the time of the application and must have been on the island for no less than 24 hours.

Persons wishing to get married on the weekend must arrive by Thursday.

Both parties must produce evidence of the date of their arrival in the Bahamas. This document is presented to all visitors upon clearing immigration when they arrive.

Both parties must produce some form of photograph identification, issued in their country of residence. A passport or birth certificate is appropriate. If the Birth Certificate does not have a photograph, then a Drivers License must be presented along with it.

If either party is a minor (under the age of 18 years), a parental consent form must be completed. (Available at the Registrar’s office)

If either party is unmarried, and has not previously been married, an “affidavit” certifying this fact must be obtained. This “swearing” must be done before a Notary Public or other person authorized to administer oaths in the Bahamas.

If either party is divorced, the original final decree or a “certified copy” (with a raised seal) must be produced. If the divorce decree is in a foreign language, the original language and a translated copy are required. If either party is widowed, the death certificate of the deceased spouse must be produced.

Note:
bahamasgateway.net provides the above information for guidance purposes only. Couples should verify all information with the consulate from their respective countries and with the local offices before making any plans.