Menu
Expat.com

Getting married in Costa Rica

Last activity 09 September 2024 by rainagain

Post new topic

alvpackman

Hello.  My fiance and I are interested in knowing what requirements and costs are in Costa Rica to be married please?  I live in the US and she is in Ukraine.  We will be vacationing in Costa Rica this year and want to know what requirements are and costs involved to be married.  Anyone with knowledge and experience to offer will be most appreciated.  Thank you.  Alan and Svetlana

tovstipartizany

I would highly recommend Marcelo Galli, we just got married and he organized all official documents and ceremony for us. You can find him at marcelogalli com .

alvpackman

Thank you.  I have sent an email to them and now await their assistance.  Can you tell me a little about your particular circumstances and experience please?

tovstipartizany

Sure, it was pretty smooth, all documents were accepted electronically, and there are not many of them, especially if neither of you were ever divorced. We were also considering Gibraltar and Greece, but comparing to Costa Rica they require much more paperwork. Once you book the appointment with the officiant you appear at the ceremony, say "I do", sing the papers and in one month your certificate should be ready, with official translation to English and an apostille. You also need two witnesses (one could be your photographer and one can be provided by Marcelo if you don't have anyone else). The price depends where you want to have the ceremony, the further from San Jose, the pricier. We got married at the Esterillos beach near Parrita, and the location is just fantastic, but there are just too many other beautiful places to choose from. Your certificate could be sent to you by mail if you are not staying in Costa Rica.

daveandmarcia

I once acted as a combination witness and bridesmaid for a couple who were staying with us and wished to be married. It was very simple.


The "official" who performed the "ceremony" was an attorney/notary acting in his capacity as a notary. That permits him access to the National Registry where marriages are legally recorded. The couple stated their intents, signed a couple of documents, paid the fee, and walked out "married". It took about fifteen minutes and was done in the attorney/notary's office.


I think I know that there is a standard flat fee for an attorney/notary to "perform" a marriage.


In Costa Rica, marriage is a legal civil status. It is officially performed by that attorney/notary. Clergypersons are not legally able to perform marriages although they can lead those additional ceremonies that we North Americans generally think of as "weddings".


If it's a ceremony you want, I may be able to help. I'm fully qualified in norse pagan, orthodox and reform Druid, zoroastrian and rastafarian. If you want dreadlocks, I'll need some notice.

michaelthomas71

If I have an American (USA) Passport and marry a Costa Rican Female is she atomically eligble to attain an American Passport? What are the "hoops?"

Jungler

@michaelthomas71

No. She is not a US citizen...

She is able to get a CR passport and then you will have to get a US visa.....$$$

Nomanjvd

hello hope u all r fine. I am from Pakistan and i married a woman from costa rica she came and we married in Pakistan i have all my attested documents and i attested from ministry of forign affair of Pakistan and apostile all my documents and submitted register in costa rica. What are the requirments for register my marriage and requirments for immigration office. She wish that we live in costa rica but if i am not able to get the visa we will live in Pakistan. Can u help me about the documentation if u have some idea. And how much time it takes.

Nomanjvd

@hello hope u all r fine. I am from Pakistan and i married a woman from costa rica she came and we married in Pakistan i have all my attested documents and i attested from ministry of forign affair of Pakistan and apostile all my documents and submitted register in costa rica. What are the requirments for register my marriage and requirments for immigration office. She wish that we live in costa rica but if i am not able to get the visa we will live in Pakistan. Can u help me about the documentation if u have some idea. And how much time it takes.

Nomanjvd

@tovstipartizany

hello hope u all r fine. I am from Pakistan and i married a woman from costa rica she came and we married in Pakistan i have all my attested documents and i attested from ministry of forign affair of Pakistan and apostile all my documents and submitted register in costa rica. What are the requirments for register my marriage and requirments for immigration office. She wish that we live in costa rica but if i am not able to get the visa we will live in Pakistan. Can u help me about the documentation if u have some idea. And how much time it takes.

Nomanjvd

@alvpackmanhello hope u all r fine. I am from Pakistan and i married a woman from costa rica she came and we married in Pakistan i have all my attested documents and i attested from ministry of forign affair of Pakistan and apostile all my documents and submitted register in costa rica. What are the requirments for register my marriage and requirments for immigration office. She wish that we live in costa rica but if i am not able to get the visa we will live in Pakistan. Can u help me about the documentation if u have some idea. And how much time it takes.

Nomanjvd

@daveandmarcia

hello hope u all r fine. I am from Pakistan and i married a woman from costa rica she came and we married in Pakistan i have all my attested documents and i attested from ministry of forign affair of Pakistan and apostile all my documents and submitted register in costa rica. What are the requirments for register my marriage and requirments for immigration office. She wish that we live in costa rica but if i am not able to get the visa we will live in Pakistan. Can u help me about the documentation if u have some idea. And how much time it takes.

daveandmarcia

For the purpose of obtaining legal residency, about ten couples we know all got married again in the same "ceremony", here in Costa Rica, using the same Notary. It was quick and easy. At least a couple of the "remarrieds" were not U.S. citizens or had been originally married outside the U.S. or Canada.


Simplest thing . . . Forget about your Pakistani marriage and the associated documents. Just get married here.

rainagain

Listen to Dave!!!!!    He is giving REAL testimonial Proof of what and how to do it. 

Look...CR is 'officially' a Christian/Catholic country... it (religion)  is in their constitution... so Marriage here... is looked upon as a beautiful and good thing to do.  They do not make it difficult.  You can even marry your cousin.  But please don't.

Pura Vida

Articles to help you in your expat project in Costa Rica

All of Costa Rica's guide articles