MARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS:

• Both parties must be in The Bahamas at the time of the application.
• The Bahamas Law states that the couple must be resident in The Bahamas for 24 hours prior to the date of the application.
• The parties must produce evidence of the date of their arrival in The Islands Of The Bahamas (i.e., airline ticket, immigration card).
• The parties must produce some form of identification that has a photograph attached. The identification document must be issued by a Government Office in the country where the parties reside. A passport is required for persons who are residents of a Commonwealth country.
• If either party is unmarried, for a citizen or resident of the U.S.A., a declaration certifying this fact must be sworn before a U.S. Consul at the American Embassy, Nassau, Bahamas or a Bahamian Notary Public.
• If either party is unmarried and is a citizen or resident of a country other than the U.S.A., a declaration certifying this fact must be sworn before a Notary Public or other person authorized to administer oaths in that country and must accompany the application for the marriage license. The said declaration may also be obtained at a Notary Public in Nassau.
• If either party has been divorced, the original final decree or a certified copy (with a raised or colored seal) must be produced. For European residents, the original decree or a certified copy (with a raised or colored seal) must be produced in the native language along with a translated certified or notarized copy in English.
• If either party is widowed, the death certificate of the deceased spouse must be produced.
• If either party is a minor (a person under 18 years of age), parental consent is required. Forms of consent may be obtained from the Registrar General's office.
• Persons desirous of being married in a Family Island (any island outside of New Providence or Grand Bahama) can obtain the Marriage License at the Commissioner's Office on that Island
• No blood test is necessary.
• The fee for a marriage license is $40.00 but is often included in the hotel’s wedding package.  For details:  ask me...

For a Roman Catholic service, you are required to complete a 6 week preparation class, which you can do in your hometown.  Please consult with your local priest for details.

For weekend marriages, persons arriving on Thursday may then be married on Saturday the third day; persons arriving on Friday may be married on Sunday. Officers will be available both in Nassau and Freeport to perform weekend weddings.

Apostille Copy of Marriage Certificate
For couples from European countries who may also require an apostille copy of the marriage certificate, this can be obtained after the ceremony once the couple makes an application at the Registrar General's office in Nassau. The process takes seven to ten days.