Civil Marriages in Malta
Civil marriage between foreign nationals is popular in Malta, partly because it is possible for them to take place in many locations - you are not confined to a Registry Office.
Malta is one of the simplest countries in which to arrange a wedding and the Registrar is very helpful in expediting paperwork for overseas couples.
Locations for Civil Marriages
Marriages can take place at the Office of the Registrar in Valetta, however most civil marriages of foreign nationals take place in Hotels or at special Wedding Halls.
Maltese law allows for weddings to take place any place "open to the public and which the Registrar accepts as appropriate". Thus if you want to get married at a specific location which is not already approved, it is open to you to make application to the registrar for approval.
Please note however that beach or poolside locations will not receive approval
Getting Married in Gozo
For weddings in Gozo the procedures are the same but all paperwork must be directed through the Marriage Registry Office in Victoria in Gozo.
Procedure in Detail
Marriages of non-citizens in Malta are conducted under the provisions of The Marriage Act (1975), which introduced civil marriages for the first time. Prior to that it was only possible to marry in a church.
Applications for either a Civil or Religious Wedding is made to the Office of the Registrar in Valetta (or Gozo). You do need to make your application for a marriage licence well in advance, but that can be done entirely from your home country, documents are accepted in English and you can then just pick up your license when you arrive in Malta.
In the case of a religious wedding a date and location for the wedding and the name of the celebrant must be known before an application to the registrar can be made.
All documentation can be submitted in English.
Documentation
The following documentation should be sent with the request for publication of Banns:
- Birth certificates
- Declarations of Freedom to marry (one for each party to the wedding). These must be on Form RZ2, which you can download here in PDF format.
- A Free Status Certificate - ie Certificate of no-impediment
- Copies of your passports
- In the case of a divorced person
- A copy of your Decree Absolute
- An affidavit by a 3rd person drawn up in the
presence of a solicitor, stating that since
the date of divorce you did not re-marry.
- In the case of widowed person
- Certificate of your first marriage
- Death certificate of deceased spouse
- An affidavit by a 3rd person drawn up in the
presence of a solicitor, stating that since
death of former spouse you did not re-marry.
- Parental consent to marry if under 18.
Publication of Banns
No more than three months and no less than 6 weeks before the date of the wedding, an application is made for the publication of marriage banns at the Public Registry in Valetta.
The application must be made using form RZ1, which you candownload here in PDF format.
Residency
There is no residency requirement in Malta.
Age Requirements
If aged under 18 years parental consent is required in the form of Statutory Declaration stamped and signed by a solicitor.
Issuing of Marriage Licence
A Licence to marry will be issued by the Office of the Registrar 10 days prior to the date of the wedding. It can be collected in person from the Office of the Registrar in Valetta on arrival in Malta.
Marriage Certificates
A Marriage Certificate will be provided by the registrar or the approved celebrant of the marriage immediately after the wedding.