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MARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ELOPEMENT TO THE CARIBBEAN

Whether you imagine yourself on a pristine white beach or in a lush garden setting, the islands of the Caribbean are a breathtaking option for a luxury elopement. We highlighted four of the easiest Caribbean islands to elope to so you can review what it takes to put together a legal* luxury elopement at this top wedding destination.

QUICK INFO FOR THE CARIBBEAN

ARUBA

Office of Civil Registry

Schoolstraat 2

Oranjestad, Aruba

Tel: +1.297.583.4400

Fax: +1.297.583.9160

Email: pivaruba@setarnet.aw

 

 

CAYMAN ISLANDS

Passport and Corporate Services Office

Sussex House, 128 Elgin Avenue

George Town, Grand Cayman

Tel: +1.345.943.7678

 

District Commissioner's Office

Government Administration Building

Cayman Brac

Tel: +1.345.948.2222
Email: passport&corporate@gov.ky

 

 

JAMAICA

Ministry of Justice

NCB Towers
2 Kensington Crescent
Kingston 5

 

Registrar General's Department
Twickenham Park
St. Catherine
Tel: +1.876.984.3041 x5
Email: information@rgd.gov.jm
Website: www.rgd.gov.jm

 

 

TURKS AND CAICOS 

Office of the Registrar

Tel: 1.649.946.2800

It may take some advance planning, but a luxury elopement to Aruba blends the seaside beauty of a Caribbean island with the whimsical elegance of colorful Dutch architecture in town – a striking backdrop for any marriage. Luxury resorts and hotels abound, many of which have wedding coordinators on staff to help you plan your elopement and handle the paperwork. Still, it's a good idea to know in advance what’s required for a legal marriage in Aruba so you can make an informed decision on whether or not it’s the elopement destination for you.

 

Basic Marriage Requirements for Aruba

The basic requirements for a legal wedding in Aruba are in accordance with Dutch law and fairly simple:

 

  • Marriage license

  • Two witnesses over the age of 18

  • Marriage must take place in the Department of Civil Registry at City Hall

 

While it may sound clinical and impersonal to marry at a government office, Aruba's City Hall is actually quite picturesque, and the room where marriages take place is lovely. As for witnesses, they can be provided for you locally if you're truly eloping and don't wish to bring anyone else along.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

Getting a Marriage License in Aruba

The process for obtaining a marriage license begins by submitting a letter of intent along with the required documents (see below) one month in advance of your wedding. The letter of intent will need to be signed by both the bride and the groom, and list the professions of the brides and groom; the names of both sets of parents; the dates and places of birth for both sets of parents; and the mothers' maiden names.

 

Required U.S. Documents

  • Passport picture pages or state-issued picture IDs for the bride, groom, and witnesses

  • Certified copies of birth certificates with Apostilles

  • First and last pages of divorce decree(s) in the case of dissolution of previous marriage(s)

  • Death certificate(s) in the case of widow- or widowerhood

  • Affidavits of Single Marital Status with Apostilles

 

Send your letters and documents to:

 Bureau Burgerlijke Stand

 Attn. Betto Christians

 Schoolstraat 2

 Oranjestad, Aruba

 

Please note that you will need to have the original documents (passports, etc.) with you to be reviewed before the ceremony.

 

Learn more about Aruba and what makes it a fantastic destination for a luxury elopement, or discover other dazzling elopement locations in the Caribbean.

Aruba

MARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ELOPEMENT TO ARUBA

Cayman

MARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ELOPEMENT TO THE CAYMAN ISLANDS

Lauded for their beauty, security, and the ease with which non-residents may marry there, the Cayman Islands represent the quintessential Caribbean paradise. All three islands – Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman – share the same easy legal requirements, and the lack of a waiting period or residency requirement means you can choose to elope on Monday and return to the states on Wednesday, married. But why would you want to? See how simple it is to coordinate a luxury elopement in the Cayman Islands, and plan to linger as long as you can in heaven on earth.

 

Basic Marriage Requirements for the Cayman Islands

  • A non-resident marriage license obtained on the islands

  • The bride and groom must be at least 18 years of age or have written parental consent by the father(s) or legal guardian(s)

  • The marriage ceremony must be conducted by a licensed marriage officer

  • The marriage ceremony must be performed in the presence of two witnesses over the age of 18

 

Your hotel or resort will likely be able to refer a marriage officer to you, but you may also access the list of Register of Marriage Officers.

 

Getting a Non-resident Marriage License in the Cayman Islands

Provided that you complete the application and send the necessary documents to your marriage officer in advance (see below), he or she may obtain your marriage license on your behalf, and you can marry as soon as soon as you arrive in Grand Cayman.

 

Required U.S. Documents

  • Valid U.S. passports or original (or certified copies) of birth certificates

  • Cayman Islands Immigration Department card (received a port of entry) or Cayman Islands international embarkation/disembarkation card for cruise ship passengers.

  • Decree Absolute(s)/Annulment Decree(s) in the case of dissolution of previous marriage

  • Death certificate(s) in the case of widow- or widowerhood

 

If you want or need to arrange for your marriage license yourself, you'll bring the above-mentioned documents to the appropriate government office (Passport and Corporate Services office for Grand Cayman, and the District Administration office on Cayman Brac for the other two islands) to complete and file the application. You'll be required to list the name of the marriage officer who will be officiating, so make sure you have that information with you.

 

Discover more reasons to love the Cayman Islands, or learn more about the other fantastic elopement destinations in the Caribbean.

Source: www.gov.ky

Jamaica

MARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ELOPEMENT TO JAMAICA

The beaches, the reggae, the rum – there's a lot to like about Jamaica, including the ease with which you can arrange a luxury elopement. No blood tests, no complicated requirements, no translators are necessary, plus English is the spoken language and your officiant can coordinate your paperwork in advance. Read on for the details of a legal marriage to Jamaica and consider whether or not this particular paradise is perfect for your luxury elopement.

 

Basic Marriage Requirements for Jamaica

  • The marriage license (also known as a minister's license) must be obtained on the island of Jamaica

  • There is a required residency period of 24 hours for the bride and groom

  • The bride and groom must be 18 years of age or older to marry without the written, notarized consent of a parent or guardian

  • The marriage ceremony must be conducted by a civil registrar or authorized marriage office

 

Getting a Marriage License in Jamaica

The marriage officer may coordinate the marriage license – which permits him or her to perform the ceremony – on your behalf provided that you send copies of all of the required documents in advance; however, you must also bring the originals with you to the islands, so be sure to have the below in order before you leave the states.

 

Required U.S. Documents

  • Valid passport

  • Original or certified copies of birth certificates

  • Decree Absolute(s)/Annulment Decree(s) in the case of dissolution of previous marriage

  • Death certificate(s) in the case of widow- or widowerhood

  • Notarizations for all of the above

 

If your marriage officer is handling the license for you, you needn't do anything else; however, if you're responsible for obtaining a marriage license yourself, there will be several steps you'll need to take in order to secure one.

 

Step #1: Print a Declaration Form and have a witness ("Declarant") with knowledge of the approaching marriage sign the completed form in the presence of a justice of the peace in Jamaica. (The Declarant can be your marriage officer, a friend, or a family member.)

 

Step #2: Go to the Ministry of Justice and obtain a blank Minister's Marriage License form from the customer service desk.

 

Step #3: Proceed to the Stamp Duty Office to have the blank marriage license stamped after payment (JA $4,000.00).

 

Step #4: Return to the Ministry of Justice and submit both the stamped, blank Minister's Marriage Licence form and the completed Declaration Form along with the supporting documents listed above.

 

After the wedding, you will apply for a Marriage Certificate (proof that the marriage took place) at the Registrar General's Department.

 

Find out more about Jamaica, or discover some of the other amazing locations for luxury elopements in the Caribbean.

Turks

MARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ELOPEMENT TO TURKS AND CAICOS

If the idea of an exotic Caribbean locale appeals – complete with white-sand beaches and idyllic weather year-round – the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) should be at the top of your list of luxury elopement options. The beautiful British territory features English as its first language and doesn't require blood tests. In fact, the biggest hurdle to eloping to TCI is the timeline, which necessitates approximately a week in the islands to complete the legalities. Event coordinators (both independent and hotel-staffed) will often help facilitate the legal aspects, but familiarize yourself with the requirements below so you can gauge if a luxury elopement to Turks and Caicos is right for you and get your paperwork in order before you leave the states.

 

Basic Marriage Requirements for Turks and Caicos

  • The marriage license must be obtained within the islands of Turks and Caicos

  • There is a required residency period of 72 hours for the bride and groom before an application for marriage may be placed

  • The bride and groom must be 21 years of age or older to marry without the written, notarized consent of a parent or guardian

 

The marriage ceremony must be conducted by an authorized marriage officer (a minister or justice of the peace with a government-issued license)

 

Getting a Marriage License in Turks and Caicos

Although per the above, the bride and groom are required to be in TCI together for 72 hours before the application for a marriage license is made, it is their marriage officer who submits the application for a special license at the office of the Registrar in Providenciales. You or your planner will need to coordinate with the marriage office in advance and make sure all of the required documents are in order.

 

Required U.S. Documents

  • Valid passports

  • Original or certified copies of birth certificates

  • Evidence of the couple’s arrival date(s) in Turks and Caicos (passport stamp, etc.)

  • Decree Absolute(s)/Annulment Decree(s) in the case of dissolution of previous marriage (a copy may be used but must be notarized and sealed by a County Clerk)

  • Death certificate(s) in the case of widow- or widowerhood

  • Notarized Affidavit(s) of Single Marital Status in the case of the bride and/or groom not having been married previously

  • Affidavit(s) of Name Change in the case of name change by Deed Poll or adoption

  • Apostilles for all of the above

  • Letters of personal declaration that state the bride and groom’s occupations, their current marital status, ages as of their last birthdays, their present address(s) of residence, and the full names of their fathers

 

Processing of the application takes between 48 to 72 hours, which brings the current time required in TCI before the ceremony may take place to as few as five and as many as six days before the ceremony may take place (including the 72-hour residency requirement before the application may be submitted).

 

Learn more about Turks and Caicos, or discover some of the other amazing locations for luxury elopements in the Caribbean.

Sources: turksandcaicostourism.comtcimall.tc; visittci.com

 


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