Getting married in Ireland from the United States

Yes, Americans can legally marry in Ireland

You do not have to live in Ireland to marry in the Republic. You do have to follow Irish marriage law. That means giving notice through a civil registration service, getting a Marriage Registration Form, and having the ceremony conducted by a solemniser who is authorised for the date of your wedding.

A US marriage licence does not replace the Irish process. In Ireland, the Marriage Registration Form is the document that gives you permission to marry and records the marriage afterwards.

Choose your ceremony and solemniser first

The registrar will ask for the nature of the ceremony and the name of the proposed solemniser. Start by deciding whether you want a religious celebrant, a non-religious celebrant, organised religion, or a civil ceremony.

A friend or family member cannot legally marry you in the Republic unless they are on the Register of Solemnisers and authorised for that date. Check the registered name before you pay a deposit.

Give at least three months' notice

Both of you normally attend a marriage notification appointment with a registrar. The appointment must be at least three months before the ceremony. Appointments can fill, so the HSE advises booking as soon as you can rather than aiming for the legal minimum.

If you live outside Ireland, contact a civil registration service about postal notification. Postal notice does not remove the in-person step. You still need to meet the registrar at least five days before the ceremony to sign the declaration form.

Prepare your documents

The exact checklist depends on your circumstances. The HSE asks for original documents and photocopies, including photo identification, birth certificates and recent proof of address. Additional documents apply if either of you was previously married or is not an Irish or EU citizen.

Do not rely on a general wedding checklist for a divorce, civil partnership, adoption or name-change situation. Ask the registrar what applies to your documents before booking travel around the appointment.

• Valid photo identification and a colour copy of the photo page
• Original birth certificates and photocopies
• Recent proof of address and a photocopy
• Details of the ceremony, venue, solemniser and two witnesses
• Any extra documents the registrar requests for your circumstances

Bring the Marriage Registration Form to the ceremony

The couple, two witnesses and the solemniser sign the Marriage Registration Form as part of the legal process. Keep it safe.

After a religious or secular ceremony, you bring the signed form to a civil registration service within one month. If a civil registrar conducts the ceremony, the registrar registers the marriage.