Getting Married
in Barbados

If only every island made it this easy!

Wedding in Barbados

Residency

No minimum waiting period.

Application for the license must be made in person by both parties at the office of the Ministry of Home Affairs (246-228-8950), on the fifth floor of the General Post Office in Cheapside, on the outskirts of Bridgetown.

Required Documents

a) Valid passports or original or certified copies of birth certificates.

b) In the event of a past divorce, an original absolute decree or a certified copy of the final judgment.

c) If a previous spouse died, a certified copy of the Marriage Certificate and Death Certificate.

d) Any documents not in English must have a certified translation.

On-Site Formalities

a) For a civil wedding you will need to go to the district court of the parish where you wish to be married and obtain the letter of intention of marriage to present to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

b) After applying for the marriage license at the Ministry of Home Affairs, you must return to the district court to register the marriage.

c) Fees for the magistrate performing the ceremony are about BDS $100 (US $50) along with a BDS $25 stamp duty

d) Marriage curfew: Most magistrates will not conduct a ceremony after 6 p.m., which means sunset weddings require careful timing. The official ?curfew' on marriages, however, is 9 p.m.

e) For a religious ceremony, contact the appropriate church. Some churches request ?offerings' for officiating and/or use of facilities. Some churches or ministers may require pre-marital counseling.

f) To obtain a marriage certificate: Your magistrate priest or minister files the information with the Registry Department. It will take several days after filing for the certificate to be prepared. The Registry Department can forward your marriage certificate to your home upon your request. Or you can request it from the Registrar of the Supreme Court, Coleridge St., Bridgetown, Barbados, BWI.

g) Fee for the certificate for non-residents is BDS $150 and a $25 stamp duty.

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(GTCV.com is not responsible or liable for any changes in requirements or errors or omissions. It is your responsibility to take charge of your own wedding.)