- Start collecting documents required 4 months before your wedding.
- All the legal documents must be certified as original copies by an Apostille Stamp.
- Translate and certify your documents in the Greek Embassy or Greek Consulate of your country Once your documentation is ready, you will send to us for review.
- We have to review all documents at least 3 months before the wedding day via email or fax to us.
- After that you just need to bring the originals with you. Have in mind that all documents must stay in the Town Hall here or elsewhere in Greece.
- You have to stay one day after your wedding to sign your Marriage License.
What is required for foreigners to commit to Civil Marriage:
- Marriage License from the country specific, confirming that the person concerned has no impediment to get married and all the mandatory information of the intended spouse is stated.
For citizens from Hungary, Estonia, USA, Russia and Bulgaria confirmation that they have no impediment to get married is needed from their Consulate in Greece, translated into Greek and certified by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs (no validation is required for Estonian Consulate). - Birth Certificate.
- A residence permit or VISA whose validity period has not expired (not required for E.U. citizens).
- A valid passport or identity card for citizen’s members of the E.U.
Passport copies of Bride and Groom
Certificates issued in countries that have signed the Hague Convention should bear an apostille of the Hague Convention (APOSTILLE) by the foreign authority, on the original foreign document and not in translation. Certificates issued in Austria, France, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Turkey, are accepted without APOSTILLE stamp.
Certificates issued in countries which have signed the Hague Convention, but Greece has raised objections to their membership (e.g. Albania), should bear legalization of the Greek consular authorities abroad for the genuineness of the signature of the foreign authorities. The validation in this case is done on the original and not a photocopy.
Apostille Stamp
This Stamp refers the legalization and vadility of your documents for international use. (1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public documents). The Apostille Stamp is necessary for birth Certificates, Certificates of no Impediment to marry and Free to Marry Affidavits.
For more information, how to obtain Apostille Stamp:
UK citizens
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/ta-relevant-to-you/overseas-weddings
Australian citizens
http://smartraveller.gov.au/guide/all-travellers/birth-death-marriage/getting-married-overseas.html
http://www.apostilleinfo.com/australia.htm
Hong Kong citizens
http://www.judiciary.gov.hk/en/crt_services/apostille.htm
Russian citizens
http://moscow.usembassy.gov/apostille.htmlCertificates issued in countries that have not signed the Hague Convention should bear legalization of Greek consular authorities abroad or the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs as to the authenticity of the signature of the foreign authorities. The validation in this case is done on the original and not a photocopy.
Marriage licenses that have been issued in accordance to the Munich Convention 05.09.1980 (CERTIFICAT DE CAPACITE MATRIMONIALE) from the following countries: Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey and Moldova are accepted without validation. - Divorce Certificate.
If any of you has been married and divorced at the past,a Certified copy of Decree must be provided. - Death Certificate.
If any of you, Bride or Groom is a widower, a death Certificate must be obtained. - Baptism Certificate.
Only in Religious wedding. The document can be provided from the Church you have been Baptized. - Adoption Certificate.
If any of you is adopted, the Certificate must be provided. - Document of changing your name at the past.
If any of you has changed his/her name at the past, an official document is necessary.
Official translation is considered:
- From the Translation Service of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Athens).
- From an authorized permanent civil servant of the corresponding Greek consular authority of the country issuing the certificate.
- From a Greek lawyer who certifies that he has sufficient knowledge of the language from which he translated from.
- From a professional translator certified by the Ionian University.
Civil Marriage:
To commit a civil marriage, the couple must submit a request to the Municipality of Rethymnon, no later than three working days before the wedding. On the same day they should submit the necessary documents and pay the corresponding amount.
Witnesses:
During the marriage, each person about to be married should be accompanied by a witness, who must be an adult. The witnesses may be relatives and they have to carry their identity card or passport with them.
Marriage Certificate:
You have to stay one day after your wedding to sign your Marriage License. We provide personal escort to the Town Hall to collect the marriage Certificate.
Your marriage certificate will be issued in Greek, about 3-4 weeks after your wedding and will be sent to you by registered mail.
If you like, we can also arrange translation of this from Greek to English and send it by courier to your home. This service is subject to an additional cost; please ask us for what this is.