How to Get Married in Ireland
Amidst the excitement and pageantry of your wedding day, it is easy to overlook the actual legal requirements to get married in Ireland, so here we have provided a comprehensive nuts-and-bolts breakdown of the paperwork you must have in order to make your marriage official.
To get married in Ireland you need to get a marriage registration form, also called a marriage licence. That’s the green folder that you may have seen at other wedding ceremonies. On the day, it will be signed by you, your partner, two witnesses above the age of eighteen, and the registered officiant marrying you both. It is required for all civil, religious, or secular marriages.
You can get this form from the HSE (Health Service Executive) civil registration service. To do so, you must book a marriage notification appointment with your local office at least 3 months before your intended wedding date, either online or by phone. Both of you need to attend this appointment, where you will meet the local registrar and sign a declaration stating that you do not know of any legal reason why the marriage cannot take place. Once everything is in order, the registrar will give you a marriage registration form.
Be advised, there is a €200 fee for a marriage notification appointment, usually paid at the appointment itself.
What to bring to the notification appointment:
Bring a valid photo ID and a photocopy of the photo page of one of the following:
passport
refugee card/asylum card issued by the Department of Justice and Equality
national identity card from an EU country that accepts national identity cards as a travel document
You will also need:
the original and photocopy of your birth certificates
proof of address – original and photocopy dated within last 3 months
your PPS numbers
Your marriage registration form is valid for 6 months from the proposed date of your wedding. If you need to change your wedding date beyond 6 months, you can have the form amended for no extra charge. After the form is signed on your wedding day, you have 1 month to return it to the registrar’s office, to officially register your marriage.
