Canadian citizens or Permanent residents in Canada wishing to get married in Mexico must present the following documents before the officer of Registro Civil (equivalent to the Office of the Registrar General) of the city or town where the marriage is going to take place:
- A filled application form (provided at the local Registro Civil). This includes an agreement prepared by the couple indicating whether their marriage will be signed under the system of separate or common ownership of their goods and properties.
- A certified copy of their birth certificates (long version), previously legalized by the Mexican Consular Office having jurisdiction over the region where the birth certificates was issued.
- In the case one of the parties has been married before, the couple must present a certified copy of the divorce decree, legalized by the Mexican Consular Office having jurisdiction over the region where the divorce decree was issued; or, a certified copy of the Death Certificate, legalized by the Mexican Consular Office with jurisdiction over the place where the spouse died.
- A physician’s certificate stating that according to the blood tests and X- Rays taken in Mexico, neither applicant suffers from any contagious disease.
- Two legally qualified witnesses (over 18 years old), who must be present at the ceremony, swearing that the applicants do not have any legal impediment to marry.
- Payment of a fee.
These are general requirements and could be different depending of the federal state where the marriage will take place. Resorts and hotels could be able to provide information about the local requirements.
Important information
- A civil marriage in Mexico is fully valid for legal purposes in any other country unless the parties were deliberately evading restrictions imposed by their own National Laws.
- A certified copy of the Original Marriage Certificate may be obtained from the Registro Civil, once the marriage has been performed. This document can be legalized by the Canadian Embassy or Canadian Consulates in Mexico, so it can be recognized thereafter as a valid document by any Canadian authority.
- People under 18 years old cannot marry without the consent of their parents or legal guardians.
- In some states divorced people cannot marry in Mexico until one year after the divorce order has been issued by the judge, unless otherwise indicated in the divorce decree.