Can US Citizens Get Married in The Bahamas?

Can US Citizens Get Married in The Bahamas? Absolutely Yes!

Yes, US citizens can get married in The Bahamas.  And The Bahamas is a popular destination for weddings for couples from the U.S. and around the world. As The Bahamas is one of the easiest places in the world to get married. 

In terms of legal requirements under the marriage laws in The Bahamas, it's relatively easy, stress-free, and straightforward for U.S citizens to get married in The Bahamas and a Bahamian marriage is legally binding under U.S law, as the certified Bahamas marriage certificate issued after your wedding is internationally recognized no matter where you may live in the world.

Legal Requirements for US Citizens to Get Married in The Bahamas

1. Both persons must be at least 18 years of age according to the Bahamas Marriage Laws
2. Both persons must be present at the time of marriage license application and should have been resident in The Bahamas for a minimum of 24 hours before applying for a marriage license.
3. The 24-hour residency is proven by the Bahamas Immigration stamp that is placed in your passport on arrival in The Bahamas.
4. You will need to apply in person to the Registrar General in order to get a marriage license and
5. Complete a written marriage application form, which includes a sworn declaration that there are no legal impediments to you getting married. This is critical and you need to ensure that your declaration is accurate as there are serious legal consequences under Bahamas Marriage Laws for a false declaration.

Requirements for Single US Citizens to Get Married in The Bahamas

• If you are single and have never been married then you will have to complete an Affidavit of Single-hood in The Bahamas, declaring that you have not been married before. Again, a false declaration on your part carries serious legal consequences under Bahamas marriage laws.

Requirements for Divorced & Widowed US Citizens to Get Married in The Bahamas

• If you have been Divorced, then you will need to present the original or certified copy of your "Divorce Decree Absolute", and
• If widowed, you will need to present the original or certified copy of your spouse's death certificate.

All documents presented must be in English, and an authentic translation certified by an Apostille. 

Once the marriage license is issued, weddings can be performed right away as there is no waiting period. Your Bahamas Marriage License is valid for 90 Days.  The Bahamian law also requires that your wedding ceremony must be performed by a licensed Bahamas Marriage officer as these are the marriage officers appointed by the Bahamian government to perform marriages.

After the ceremony, it is the officiant's duty as required by the marriage laws in The Bahamas, to forward a copy of the marriage ceremony register (Form 9) to the Registrar General's Department, where it is recorded as proof of the marriage and a certified Bahamas Marriage Certificate issued, which is your proof that you have been legally married in The Bahamas.

Proof of US Citizen Legal Marriage in The Bahamas

It is worth noting that your marriage in The Bahamas is not recognized as legal in the US until you have your certified Bahamas Marriage Certificate. Therefore, it is critical that you get this document as soon as possible after your wedding in The Bahamas.

If you need help getting your certificate just use this Application for Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate Bahamas to get your proof that you were legally married in The Bahamas.

Help for US Citizens Getting Married in The Bahamas

And if you are a US citizen planning on getting married in The Bahamas, our Priority Bahamas Marriage License Application Service can help.

So, Can US Citizens Get Married in The Bahamas? Absolutely Yes!

US Citizen Getting Married in The Bahamas

Lisa Gould

Glen is a rockstar! He took care of every detail, marriage license, venue etc. He was very responsive and always available and incredibly professional. He is very engaging and thoughtful. I would recommend him 100%.. not one miss step. He put Mark and I at ease with the whole process. Thanks Glen for making the day even more special. Like icing on a cake!!!