Getting Married in Spain?

To a Spanish National ? Then you need to read this.

After several petitions, today we are going to inform you on how a foreigner can marry a Spanish national, the requirements and steps to follow.

We are proud to say we were part of many client’s marriage and this makes us very happy.

SGM team is here to guide you and help you in the bureaucratic paperwork for the big step which is getting marry.

Although it can seem like a complicated process, with this guide we are offering you will see its easier than you think.

The first information you must have, is what “REGISTRO CIVIL” (civil registry) you belong to. Below is the link, so you can see what registry you belong to according to your Spanish padron. Click on the photo.

The documentation that is required is more or less the same for every civil registry, but it can vary depending on the registry you belong to. So the first step you must take, is to apply for the required document from the civil registry.

At a general level, these documents must demonstrate two main points:

Indeed, there is an emotional bond between both members of the couple, and it is not a union of convenience (only to get the papers, for example).
Both members must be single.

What documents must the foreign citizen provide to establish a marriage with a Spaniard?

Copy of all the pages of his / hers passport (not just the first, the full passport).
Proof that the foreign citizen is single, or divorce sentence in the case of having been married.
Copy of the birth certificate, also an original document that will be given by the civil registry of the city or country in which he/she was born.
Registration certificate (padron) for the last two years. If you have been living with your partner in countries other than Spain, you will also need to provide the registration certificate of all the places where you have lived during the previous 24-month period.
Certificate issued by the Consulate of the country of origin of the foreign citizen in Spain that proves the capacity to marry (some registries do not require it).

It is important to bear in mind that any document from abroad must be duly legalized. This means, the document issued outside of Spain, will need to be Apostilled. (The apostille is what will give that international document, international validity).

If said documents are in a language other than Spanish, they must be translated by a sworn translator. On the other hand, the Spanish citizen must provide:

Copy of ID or passport.
Birth certificate. Although in this case it already includes his single status, a life certificate can also be presented, certifying that he is single (something that’s recommended).
In the case of having been married before, divorce sentence.
Padron certificate.

Bearing in mind, you must demonstrate the real bond between the couple, any other document you can provide to reassure the bond is advised, such as (joint bank accounts, joint properties, sending of funds to each other or anything else you may consider)

Once you have all the documentation ready, you must go to the civil registry (which, as we have mentioned, it must be the corresponding one according to your padron). Once there, a marriage file will be issued, which you must complete with basic data and attaching all the documents.

While you are there providing the documents to the civil registry, they will give you a date and time for the “interview”. They will also indicate which day which witnesses must appear in order to ask them a few simple questions about the relationship. This is again, to verify the true bond and veracity of the relationship. If the foreigner does not speak Spanish, it’s advised to take a translator with you.

You will then be put in separate rooms, and both given the same questions to answer, (personal questions, such as name and date of birth of your couple, couple parents’ names, couples job, where you met, how long have you been together….), questions along those lines.

Once the interview has been carried out, and the documents registered, the file will go to the Prosecutor, who must check it and allege what he deems appropriate by means of an opinion. If there is no problem, the marriage approval order will be issued, its notification and the wedding date will be set.