Barbados Marriage requirements:

It is very easy to get married in Barbados .. there is no required waiting period or minimum length of stay. Application for a marriage license must be made by both parties in person at the office of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

To Apply:
Applying for the marriage license is made at the island’s Ministry of Home Affairs (246-228-8950), located on the fifth floor of the General Post Office in Cheapside, just on the outskirts of Bridgetown. You enter this building on the Bridgetown side.

You must bring your passport or birth certificate with picture ID as proof of identity. If you have been married before, you will need the original or a certified copy of your divorce decree (known locally as the decree absolute) to confirm any prior divorces. Widowers will need both a Certificate of Marriage and Death Certificate. If you are coming from a non-English speaking country, the documents must have certified translations. You must also present a letter from the officiate that will be conducting the ceremony. This will be either a religious official, or for civil weddings, a magistrate, whose letter will come through his or her district court.

Civil ceremony letter:
In the case of a civil wedding you will need to go to the district court of the parish you are getting married in to obtain the letter of intention of marriage to present to the Ministry of Home Affairs. There may be a fee depending on which magistrate you select to conduct the ceremony. Once you have applied for the marriage license at the Ministry of Home Affairs, you will need to return to the district court to register the marriage. Again, depending on the magistrate you obtain, there may be a marriage fee of BDS $100 (US $50) along with a BDS $25 stamp duty.

The Book & Wedding:
Weddings can be conducted virtually anywhere in Barbados. Limitations on venues exist purely on personal choice by the couple and or the officiate conducting the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony a large book will appear, seemingly from nowhere, and it is in this voluminous album that your marriage will be officially recorded.

Where to Obtain the Certificate?
The wedding over, all that is left is to get your marriage certificate. This is obtained from the Registry Department, whose office is temporarily located at 33 Roebuck Street in Bridgetown. The official location is in Coleridge Street, Bridgetown (246-426-3461). The priest or magistrate who conducted the wedding files the information (taken from the large book) with the Registry and once it is recorded, you can apply to that department for your certificate. There is a nominal fee and a few days’ wait before the certificate is ready. If you are leaving the island before the document is ready, the Registry Department can forward your marriage certificate to your home upon your request. If you leave Barbados before the marriage has been recorded with the Registry, then you can simply write to The Registrar of the Supreme Court, Coleridge Street, Bridgetown, to request your marriage certificate.

Religious Weddings:
Barbados has some 70 religions, embracing all elements of faith from Roman Catholic, Anglican and Jewish to Baha’i, Seventh Day Adventist and Pentecostal.

If you are planning a religious ceremony, you should contact the church of your choice to arrange for an official to minister the proceedings and if you also wish to be married in a house of religion. Many of the churches here will happily accommodate visitors in their wish to have a religious ceremony and can advise couples on appropriate religious venues within their faith.

Many churches often request fees or ‘offerings’ for officiating and/or use of facilities. Some churches and individual ministers may also request a period of counseling beforehand as well.

Documents Required :

• Valid Passports or the original or certified copies of birth certificates.
• If either party was divorced, an original Decree Absolute or a certified copy of the Final Judgment.
• If either party was previously married and widowed, a certified copy of the Marriage Certificate and Death Certificate in respect of the deceased spouse.
• Where necessary, all documents not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
• Fees: if neither party is a citizen or resident of Barbados - BDS $150.00 cash and a $25.00 stamp.

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.