Legal Requirements

All information shown below relating to legal requirements and documentation required ONLY APPLIES TO BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS. If you do not hold a British Passport, please let us know at first contact by phone and / or email

VERY IMPORTANT: If you have a middle name it has to be on every document submitted, including your passport, otherwise, your documents will not be accepted by the registry offices overseas.. This means that all certificates as well as your passport must show the exact same names in order to be accepted.

Weddings in Cyprus

Important: All information below ONLY APPLIES TO BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS. If you do not hold a British Passport, please let us know at first contact by phone and / or email.

Wedding deposit required at the time of booking

For 2024 a non-refundable deposit of £550 must be paid by yourself to Planet Holidays at the time of booking - £750 if you book a wedding only
We will also confirm to you if your wedding venue / hotel requires a non-refundable deposit to secure your wedding date.
Most deposits required for resorts / venue / hotels need to be paid directly to the resort / venue in Euro.

How soon do we need to book?

Paperwork is processed once you arrive at your resort in Cyprus. Your stay must be a minimum of 7 nights.

Documentation required for Weddings in Cyprus:

You will need to TAKE WITH YOU to CYPRUS THE DOCUMENTS LISTED BELOW (as applicable to you):

PASSPORT (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must be in possession of a 10 year British passport with a minimum 6 months validity on their return date to the UK. Non-British passport holders MUST notify us at first contact.
FULL LENGTH BIRTH CERTIFICATE (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must produce a certified copy of their full length Birth Certificate showing the names of both parents.
AFFIDAVIT (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must obtain an affidavit as legal proof that they are free to marry. These 2 documents will need to be legalised by the FCDO, having been duly signed and dated by a solicitor.
DECREE ABSOLUTE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been divorced, she/he must produce a certified copy of the Decree Absolute. This document will also need to be legalised by the FCDO.
DEED POLL CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has effected a change of name for any reason (including personal reasons, remarriage of a parent or if the bride reverted to her maiden name after divorcing), a Deed Poll Certificate must be produced. A certified copy of this document must be stamped and signed by a solicitor and must include the solicitor’s practice name and address plus the full name of the solicitor who witnessed the change of name. This document will need to be legalised by the FCDO.
WRITTEN CONSENT FOR UNDER 18’s (If applicable): If either the bride or groom is under the age of 18 years, written consent from parents/guardians must be supplied to us with the Application for Marriage form.
ADOPTION CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been adopted, the Original or a Certified Copy of the Adoption Certificate must be produced.
DEATH CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been previously widowed, a Certified copy of the Death Certificate must be produced. This document will also need to be legalised by the FCDO.
LEGALISATION OF DOCUMENTS (Compulsory): All the documents required for your civil wedding in Cyprus must be legalised by the FCDO (www.fco.co.uk). It is your responsibility to ensure that this has been done before any documents are forwarded to Cyprus, as advised by us at the time of booking. The FCDO charges £30 per document (this fee could change at any time) and an extra £5.00 to cover Special Delivery postage to send the legalised documents back to you. Payment must be made on-line (www.fco.co.uk) by yourselves - full details of what needs to be done will be sent to you approximately 18 weeks before your wedding date. Please send your documents and the application form to:
The Legalisation Office, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, P.O. Box 7656, Milton Keynes, MK11 9NS (TEL: 03700 00 22 44).

PLEASE NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS WILL BE KEPT IN CYPRUS AND WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO YOU.

Legal Requirements for CIVIL WEDDINGS in Cyprus:

You will need to obtain and take with you to Cyprus all applicable documents listed above. All paperwork will be processed once you arrive in-resort. Planet Holidays will assist you locally to complete the various procedures and make the necessary appointments including the visit to the Registry Office to register your intent to marry and for a witnessed reading of the Oath and reconfirmation of the date and time of your wedding. Your Wedding Co-ordinator in Cyprus will obtain, on your behalf, the Special Licence that authorises your wedding to take place during your stay.

Legal Requirements for ANGLICAN CHURCH WEDDINGS & BLESSINGS in Cyprus:

You will need to obtain and take with you to Cyprus all applicable documents listed above. All paperwork will be processed once you arrive in-resort. Planet Holidays will assist you locally to complete the various procedures including arranging a visit for you to meet the person who will officiate at your wedding/blessing. Additionally, for all Anglican church weddings, either the bride or groom must obtain and take to Cyprus a copy of her/his baptism/christening certificate and the name and address of her/his home church minister. This information must be passed on to the Anglican priest in Cyprus.

Legal Requirements for CATHOLIC CHURCH WEDDINGS in Cyprus:

All Catholic church weddings MUST be preceded by a civil ceremony. Please check the requirements for Civil Weddings listed above. In addition, a Catholic church wedding can only be allowed if neither the bride nor the groom has been previously married. To arrange your Catholic church wedding in Cyprus, you will need to tell your local Catholic priest that you wish to get married overseas and take to him yours and your future spouse’s Birth Certificates as well as the contact details (supplied to you by us) of the overseas priest who will conduct your wedding. Your local priest will then confirm to you which documents are required and he will be responsible for forwarding them to the overseas priest. Upon arrival in-resort, Planet Holidays will assist you with any further requirements.

VERY IMPORTANT: If you have a middle name it has to be on every document submitted, including your passport, otherwise, your documents will not be accepted by the registry office in Cyprus. This means that all certificates as well as your passport must show the exact same names in order to be accepted.

In-Resort Expenses & Visits in Cyprus:

Tragel expenses for the various visits you need to make in-resport will need to be paid by yourselves locally.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

You now need an apostille on each copy of your marriage certificate (should you require more than one copy). It is obtained from the CITIZEN’S SERVICE OFFICE (ΚΕΝΤΡΟ ΤΟΥ ΠΟΛΙΤΗ).

The apostille stamp must have a 5 euro revenue stamp for each certificate, from the Post Office.
You will need to make an appointment in order to get this apostille and details will be given to you in resort as to where the nearest Citizen Service Office is or we can arrange for this to be collected, stamped and delivered back to your hotel via a courier service at a cost of €40 or €45 (+ €5 per extra certificate). This will be paid to your wedding coordinator in resort.

Weddings in Greece

Important: All information below ONLY APPLIES TO BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS. If you do not hold a British Passport, please let us know at first contact by phone and / or email.

Wedding deposit required at the time of booking

For 2024 a non-refundable deposit of £550 must be paid by yourself to Planet Holidays at the time of booking - £750 if you book a wedding only
Some resorts may also require a non-refundable deposit of £100 to secure the registrar.
We will also confirm to you if your wedding venue / hotel requires a non-refundable deposit to secure your wedding date.
We will advise you at the time of booking where the deposits will need to be paid. Some deposits required for resorts / venues / hotels need to be paid directly to the resort / venue in Euro, others will be paid to Planet Holidays in Pound Sterling.

How soon do we need to book?

The notice is governed by how long it takes to process the paperwork at your nuptial resort. For Greece, as this varies between destinations, specific information on when we need to receive your documentation will be advised at the time of booking.

Documentation required for Weddings in Greece:

For weddings in Greece, you will need to produce the DOCUMENTS LISTED BELOW (as applicable to you). These then need to be legalised by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and they will then be forwarded to Planet Holidays on your behalf (see below):

Important: Only original documents or certified copies are acceptable. Copies of documents can be certified by a solicitor in the UK.

PASSPORT (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must be in possession of a 10-year British passport. Non-British passport holders MUST notify us at first contact.
FULL LENGTH BIRTH CERTIFICATE (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must produce an original full length Birth Certificate showing the names of both parents. The short version of the Birth Certificate is not acceptable in Greece.
CERTIFICATE OF NO IMPEDIMENT (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must obtain a Certificate of No Impediment as legal proof that they are free to marry. This document is issued by your local Registry Office and must not be dated more than 3 months prior to your wedding date. Important: Please allow at least 4 weeks to obtain your Certificates of No Impediment.
DECREE ABSOLUTE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been divorced, she/he must produce an original Decree Absolute. This document should carry a coloured court stamp - however, if it has been issued electronically as a PDF it will have to be certified by a solicitor before it is sent to the Foreign Office - please contact our office for more details.
DEED POLL CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has effected a change of name for any reason (including personal reasons, remarriage of a parent or if the bride reverted to her maiden name after divorcing), a Deed Poll Certificate must be produced. This document must be stamped and signed by a solicitor and must include the solicitor’s practice name and address plus the full name of the solicitor who witnessed the change of name.
WRITTEN CONSENT FOR UNDER 18’s (If applicable): If either the bride or groom is under the age of 18 years, written consent from parents/guardians must be supplied to us with the Application for Marriage form.
ADOPTION CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been adopted, an Adoption Certificate must be produced.
DEATH CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been previously widowed, a Death Certificate must be produced.
LEGALISATION OF DOCUMENTS (Compulsory): All the documents required for your civil wedding in Greece must be legalised by the FCDO (www.fco.co.uk). It is your responsibility to ensure that this has been done before any documents are forwarded to us. The FCDO charges £30 per document (this fee could change at any time) and an extra £5.00 to cover Special Delivery postage to send the legalised documents back to Planet Holidays. Payment must be made on-line (www.fco.co.uk) by yourselves - full details of what needs to be done will be sent to you approximately 18 weeks before your wedding date. Please send your documents and the application form to: The Legalisation Office, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, P.O. Box 7656, Milton Keynes, MK11 9NS (TEL: 03700 00 22 44).
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENTS: For civil weddings in Greece, all required documents must be translated into Greek. This includes your Birth Certificates and Certificates of No Impediment plus any other documents if you have been married before or changed your name by Deed Poll. (*= the copies of your Marriage Certificate translated into English will be sent to you in the UK approximately 3 weeks after your wedding). IMPORTANT: PLEASE BE AWARE THAT NONE OF THE DOCUMENTS SENT OVERSEAS CAN BE RETURNED TO YOU AS THEY NEED TO BE KEPT IN GREECE BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES. WE STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU OBTAIN CERTIFIED COPIES TO BE SENT TO GREECE.

Legal Requirements for CIVIL WEDDINGS in Greece:

You will need to obtain all applicable documents listed above. These must be legalised by the FCDO and forwarded to Planet Holidays. The time taken to process your documents in Greece depends on your chosen resort. For full details, please see the individual resort introduction pages. Upon your arrival in Greece, your Wedding Co-ordinator will assist you to complete the various procedures and make the necessary appointments. These include:

A visit to the Registry Office to register your intent to marry
A return visit to the Registry Office after your wedding - this means that you will need to remain in the resort/island for at least 1 or 2 working days after your wedding has taken place.

Legal Requirements for CATHOLIC CHURCH WEDDINGS in Greece:

Catholic church weddings can be arranged in Zante, Corfu, Kefalonia & Rhodes and the civil papers are signed in church when your Catholic wedding takes place. Full details will be given to you when you enquire. VERY IMPORTANT: If you have a middle name it has to be on every document submitted, including your passport, otherwise, your documents will not be accepted by the registry office in Greece. This means that all certificates as well as your passport must show the exact same names in order to be accepted.

In-Resort Expenses & Visits in Greece:

Travel expenses for the various visits you need to make in-resort will need to be paid by yourselves locally. Planet Holidays will assist you to arrange the necessary visits and your local Wedding Co-ordinator will meet you at the Town Hall.

Weddings in Portugal

Important: All information below ONLY APPLIES TO BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS. If you do not have a British Passport, please let us know at first contact by phone and / or email.

Wedding Deposit required at time of booking

For 2024 a non-refundable deposit of £750 must be paid by yourself to Planet Holidays at the time of booking.
We will also confirm to you the amount of the non-refundable deposit required by your chosen venue and other suppliers in Portugal to secure your wedding date.
All deposits required for resorts / venues / hotels / suppliers need to be paid directly to the resort / venue in Euro.

How soon do we need to book?

For weddings in Portugal, we need at least 7 weeks’ notice prior to your wedding. Your stay in Portugal must be a minimum of 7 nights.

Documentation required for Weddings in Portugal:

For weddings in Portugal, you will need to produce the DOCUMENTS LISTED BELOW (as applicable to you). Documents may have to be legalised by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and we will advise you at the time of booking. Documents will have to be translated into Portuguese.

Important: Please note that only original documents or certified copies dated less than 6 months prior to the wedding are acceptable. If necessary, copies of documents can be certified by a solicitor in the UK.

PASSPORT (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must be in possession of a 10-year British passport. Non-British passport holders MUST notify us at first contact.
FULL LENGTH BIRTH CERTIFICATE (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must produce a recent certified copy of their full-length Birth Certificate showing the names of both parents. The short version of the Birth Certificate is not acceptable in Portugal. IMPORTANT:
- This must not be dated/issued more than 6 months prior to your wedding day.
- Documents need to be legalised by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
DECREE ABSOLUTE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been divorced, she/he must produce an original Decree Absolute. This should carry a coloured court stamp. Wedding certificate must also be produced (this does not need to be apostilled).
DEED POLL CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has effected a change of name for any reason (including personal reasons, remarriage of a parent or if the bride reverted to her maiden name after divorcing), a Deed Poll Certificate must be produced. This document must be stamped and signed by a solicitor and must include the solicitor’s practice name and address plus the full name of the solicitor who witnessed the change of name. The British Consulate must also issue a declaration in Portuguese stating why the name change took place and confirm that it is the same person. Therefore, the couple must also request this document from the British Consulate in the Algarve.
WRITTEN CONSENT FOR UNDER 18’s (If applicable): If either the bride or groom is under the age of 18 years, written consent from parents/guardians must be supplied to us with the Application for Marriage form.
ADOPTION CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been adopted, an Adoption Certificate must be produced.
DEATH CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been previously widowed, a Death Certificate must be produced. Wedding certificate must also be produced (this does not need to be apostilled).
LEGALISATION OF DOCUMENTS (if requested at the time of booking): All the documents required for your civil wedding in Portugal may have to be legalised by the FCDO (www.fco.co.uk). It is your responsibility to ensure that this has been done before any documents are forwarded to Portugal. The FCDO charges £30.00 (this fee could change at any time) per document and an extra £5.00 to cover Special Delivery postage to send the legalised documents back to you. The amount due to the FCDO is paid online (www.fco.co.uk) and you will be requested to complete an application form. Please send your documents and the application form to: The Legalisation Office, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, P.O. Box 7656, Milton Keynes, MK11 9NS (TEL: 03700 00 22 44).
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENTS (Compulsory): For civil weddings in Portugal, all required documents must be translated into Portuguese. This will be done by our office in Portugal. All documents must be scanned and sent first by email to Planet Holidays to be checked. Once we have confirmed all OK with documents, these are to be forwarded by post to Portugal (full postal details will be given to you). PLEASE NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS WILL BE KEPT IN PORTUGAL AND WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO YOU.

Legal Requirements for CIVIL WEDDINGS in Portugal:

Upon your arrival in Portugal, your Wedding Co-ordinator will assist you to complete the various procedures and make the necessary appointments. These include:
- A visit to the Registry Office to register your intent to marry.
- A return visit to the Registry Office after your wedding to collect your wedding certificate but if this is not possible our wedding coordinators will arrange for this to be sent to you.

Legal Requirements for CATHOLIC CHURCH WEDDINGS in Portugal:

A Catholic Church wedding can only be allowed if neither the bride nor the groom has been previously married. To arrange your Catholic church wedding in Portugal, you will need to tell your local Catholic priest that you wish to get married overseas and take to him yours and your future spouse’s Birth Certificates as well as the contact details (supplied to you by us) of the overseas priest who will conduct you wedding. Your local priest will then confirm to you which documents are required and he will be responsible for forwarding them to the overseas diocese Upon arrival in-resort, your wedding coordinators will assist you with any further requirements.

Important: All religious weddings must be preceded by a civil ceremony. Please check the requirements for Civil Weddings above. VERY IMPORTANT: If you have a middle name it has to be on every document submitted, including your passport, otherwise, your documents will not be accepted by the registry office in Portugal. This means that all certificates as well as your passport must show the exact same names in order to be accepted.

In-Resort Expenses & Visits in Portugal:

Travel expenses for the various visits you need to make in-resort will need to be paid by yourselves locally.

IMPORTANT NOTE regarding English-speaking Registrar in Portugal:

The date of your wedding will be confirmed to you at the time of booking but the exact time for the ceremony will not be known more than 6 months before your wedding day along with details of which registrar will be performing your ceremony. We aim to have most of our weddings in Portugal performed by an English-speaking registrar. However, should we only be able to book a Portuguese registrar on your behalf, a translator will also have to be present during the ceremony and a fee of €400 (correct as of May 2023) will apply and will need to be paid by yourselves. This will be confirmed to you as soon as we are advised, approximately 6 to 5 months before your wedding.

Issue of Marriage Certificate:

A few days after the ceremony has taken place an international wedding Certificate will be issued (costs to be paid in resort).

Weddings in Italy

Important: All information below ONLY APPLIES TO BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS. If you do not hold a British Passport, please let us know at first contact by phone and / or email.

Wedding deposit required at the time of booking

For 2024 a non-refundable deposit of £750 must be paid by yourself to Planet Holidays at the time of booking.
We will also confirm to you the amount for the non-refundable deposit required by your chosen venue and other suppliers in Italy to secure your wedding date.
We will advise you at the time of booking where the non-refundable deposits will need to be paid. Some deposits required for resorts / venues / hotels will be paid directly to the resort / venue in Euro, others will be paid to Planet Holidays in Pound Sterling.

How soon do we need to book?

For weddings in Italy, we need at least 6 month’s notice prior to your wedding. Your stay must be a minimum of 7 nights..

Documentation required for Weddings in Italy:

For weddings in Italy, you will need to obtain and produce the DOCUMENTS LISTED BELOW (as applicable to you). A scanned copy of all documents will need to be emailed to Planet Holidays to ensure they are all correct – once this has been confirmed, we will provide you with details of where you will need to send all original papers to Italy:

Important: only original documents are acceptable. Only passports can be photocopied.

PHOTOCOPY OF YOUR PASSPORT (Compulsory): the bride and groom must be in possession of a 10-year British passport. Non-British passport holders MUST notify us at first contact. You will need to send us a photocopy of the passports of the Bride & Groom.
PHOTOCOPY of witnesses' passport (also, please advise where they live, just the town/city/county and country). The witnesses must be aged 18+ years old. FULL LENGTH BIRTH CERTIFICATE (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must be in possession of an original or certified copy full length Birth Certificate showing the names of both parents. The short version of the Birth Certificate is not acceptable in Italy.
CERTIFICATE OF NO IMPEDIMENT (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must obtain a Certificate of No Impediment as legal proof that they are free to marry. This document is issued by your local Registry Office and must not be dated more than 6 months** prior to your wedding date. (**) = If you are resident in Scotland, the Certificate of No Impediment cannot be issued more than 3 months prior to the wedding date. Important: Please allow at least 4 weeks to obtain your Certificates of No Impediment. Once obtained these certificates must be legalised (apostilled) by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
STATUTORY DECLARATION (Compulsory): While you are waiting for your Certificate of No Impediment you should make a Statutory Declaration before a solicitor or public notary in the UK. The declaration is required by the Italian authorities and gives additional information that isn’t detailed on your CNI. The solicitor or public notary will charge a fee for this service. Fees will vary so it might be worth shopping around. Once obtained these Statutory Declarations must be legalised (apostilled) by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCDO).
DECREE ABSOLUTE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been divorced, she/he must produce an original Decree Absolute. This document should carry a coloured court stamp - however, if it has been issued electronically as a PDF it will have to be certified by a solicitor before it is sent to the Foreign Office - please contact our office for more details. You will also need to present your first marriage certificate for some areas of Italy.
DEED POLL CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has effected a change of name for any reason (including personal reasons, remarriage of a parent or if the bride reverted to her maiden name after divorcing), a Deed Poll Certificate must be produced. This document must be stamped and signed by a solicitor and must include the solicitor’s practice name and address plus the full name of the solicitor who witnessed the change of name.
WRITTEN CONSENT FOR UNDER 18’s (If applicable): If either the bride or groom is under the age of 18 years, written consent from parents/guardians must be supplied to us with the Application for Marriage form.
ADOPTION CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been adopted, an Adoption Certificate must be produced.
DEATH CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been previously widowed, a Death Certificate must be produced. You will also need to present your first marriage certificate for some areas of Italy.
LEGALISATION OF DOCUMENTS (Compulsory): All the documents required for your civil wedding in Italy must be legalised by the FCDO (www.fco.co.uk). It is your responsibility to ensure that this has been done before any documents are forwarded to Italy, as advised by us at the time of booking. The FCDO charges £30 per document (this fee could change at any time) and an extra £5.00 to cover Special Delivery postage to send the legalised documents back to you. Payment must be made on-line (www.fco.co.uk) by yourselves - full details of what needs to be done will be sent to you approximately 18 weeks before your wedding date. Please send your documents and the application form to: The Legalisation Office, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, P.O. Box 7656, Milton Keynes, MK11 9NS (TEL: 03700 00 22 44).

PLEASE NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS WILL BE KEPT IN ITALY AND WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO YOU.

Legal Requirements for CIVIL WEDDINGS in Italy:

You will need to obtain all applicable documents listed above. These must be forwarded to Italy to the address advised to you by Planet Holidays. The total time taken to process your documents is about 2 months. Upon your arrival in Italy, your Wedding Co-ordinator will assist you to complete the various procedures and make the necessary appointments. These include a visit to the Registry Office to register your intent to marry where necessary.

Legal Requirements for CATHOLIC CHURCH WEDDINGS in Italy:

Church weddings in Italy have also civil value. So you don’t need to precede the Catholic ceremony by a civil ceremony because it will take place at the same time in the same ceremony. The paperwork required is the same as per the civil wedding. In addition, please note that a Catholic church wedding can only be allowed if neither the bride nor the groom has been previously married. To arrange your Catholic church wedding in Italy, you will need to tell your local Catholic priest that you wish to get married overseas and take to him yours and your future spouse’s Birth Certificates as well as the contact details (supplied to you by us) of the overseas priest who will conduct your wedding. Your local priest will then confirm to you which documents are required and he will be responsible for forwarding them to the overseas diocese. Upon arrival in-resort, Planet Holidays will assist you with any further requirements.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2 WITNESSES AND AN ENGLISH-SPEAKING PRIEST ARE REQUIRED FOR THE CIVIL WEDDING.

Legal Requirements for SYMBOLIC WEDDINGS in Italy:

These have no legal validity, but couples can opt to have a Symbolic Ceremony with family and guests after a simple civil ceremony.

Legal Requirements for RELIGIOUS BLESSINGS (Protestant Church) in Italy:

Protestant Church weddings in Italy have no civil value. So you need to precede the Protestant ceremony by a civil ceremony in Italy or in your country. You will need to show your civil certificate of marriage to the pastor before the ceremony.

To arrange your Protestant church wedding in Italy, you will need to tell your local Pastor that you wish to get married overseas and take to him yours and your future spouse’s Birth Certificates as well as the contact details (supplied to you by us) of the overseas Pastor who will conduct your wedding. Your local priest will then confirm to you which documents are required and he will be responsible for forwarding them to the overseas Pastor. Upon arrival in-resort, Planet Holidays will assist you with any further requirements.

VERY IMPORTANT: If you have a middle name it has to be on every document submitted, including your passport, otherwise, your documents will not be accepted by the registry office in Italy. This means that all certificates as well as your passport must show the exact same names in order to be accepted.

In-Resort Expenses & Visits in Italy:

Travel expenses for the various visits you need to make in-resort will need to be paid by yourself locally. We assist you to arrange the visits and your Wedding Co-ordinator at your resort will meet you at the Town Hall.

Issue of Marriage Certificate:

A few days after the ceremony has taken place an international wedding Certificate will be issued (costs to be paid in resort) and with this document you can register your wedding in the UK to prove that you are legally married.

Weddings in Malta & Gozo

Important: All information below ONLY APPLIES TO BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS. If you do not hold a British Passport, please let us know at first contact by phone and / or email.

Wedding deposit required at time of booking

For 2024 a non-refundable deposit of £750 must be paid by yourself to Planet Holidays at the time of booking.
We will also confirm to you the amount of the non-refundable deposit required by your chosen venue and other suppliers in Malta/Gozo to secure your wedding date.
We will advise to you at the time of booking where the non-refundable deposits will need to be paid. Some deposits will be paid directly to the resort / venue in Euro, others will be paid to Planet Holidays in Pound Sterling.

How soon do we need to book?

For weddings in Gozo, we need at least 10 weeks’ notice prior to your wedding but documents must not be dated any earlier than 12 weeks before your wedding date. Your stay must be a minimum of 7 nights.

Documentation required for Weddings in Malta & Gozo:

For weddings in Malta & Gozo, you will need to obtain and produce the DOCUMENTS LISTED BELOW (as applicable to you). A scanned copy of all documents will need to be emailed to Planet Holidays to ensure they are all correct – once this has been confirmed, we will provide you with details of where you will need to send all original papers to Malta.

Important: only original documents are acceptable. Only passports can be photocopied.

PASSPORT (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must be in possession of a 10-year British passport. Non-British passport holders MUST notify us at first contact. You will need to send Planet Holidays a photo copy of the passports of the Bride & Groom.
FULL LENGTH BIRTH CERTIFICATE (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must be in possession of an original or certified copy full length Birth Certificate showing the names of both parents. The short version of the Birth Certificate is not acceptable in Malta. IMPORTANT: Each birth certificate will need to be apostilled by the FCDO.
3rd PARTY DECLARATION (single) - the 3rd Party Declaration has to be completed by a member of your family or a very close friend (who has known you for 5 years or more) in the presence of a solicitor not more than 3 months prior to the date of marriage. It is absolutely necessary that the solicitor signs, dates the declaration and affixes his personal stamp or seal. Both bride and groom needs one if they are single. IMPORTANT: Each declaration will need to be apostilled by the FCDO.
3rd PARTY DECLARATION (single / divorced / widower) - the 3rdParty Declaration has to be completed by a member of your family or a very close friend (who has known you for 5 years or more) in the presence of a solicitor not more than 3 months prior to the date of marriage. It is absolutely necessary that the solicitor signs, dates the declaration and affixes his personal stamp or seal. Both bride and groom needs one if they have been married before. IMPORTANT: Each declaration will need to be apostilled by the FCDO.
RZ1 FORM to be signed by both the groom and the bride. The bride has to indicate which surname she will be using after marriage.
RZ2 FORM to be signed by the groom and the bride in the presence of a solicitor, not earlier than 3 months prior to date of marriage. The Solicitor must sign, date and stamp the declaration. Please use separate forms for bride and groom (one each).
PHOTOCOPY of witnesses' passport (also, please advise where they live, just the town/city/county and country). The witnesses must be aged 18+ years old.
Occupation of spouses.
DECREE ABSOLUTE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been divorced, she/he must produce an original Decree Absolute. IMPORTANT: Certificate will need to be apostilled by the FCDO.
DEED POLL CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has effected a change of name for any reason (including personal reasons, remarriage of a parent or if the bride reverted to her maiden name after divorcing), a Deed Poll Certificate must be produced. This document must be s tamped and signed by a solicitor and must include the solicitor’s practice name and address plus the full name of the solicitor who witnessed the change of name. IMPORTANT: Certificate will need to be apostilled by the FCDO.
WRITTEN CONSENT FOR UNDER 18’s (If applicable):
If either the bride or groom is under the age of 18 years, written consent from parents/guardians must be supplied to us with the Application for Marriage form.
ADOPTION CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been adopted, an Adoption Certificate must be produced. IMPORTANT: Certificate will need to be apostilled by the FCDO.
DEATH CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been previously widowed, a Death Certificate must be produced. IMPORTANT: Certificate will need to be apostilled by the FCDO.
LEGALISATION OF DOCUMENTS (Compulsory): All the documents required for your civil wedding in Malta/Gozo must be legalised by the FCDO (www.fco.co.uk). It is your responsibility to ensure that this has been done before any documents can be checked by Planet Holidays before being forwarded to Malta/Gozo, as advised by us at the time of booking. The FCDO charges £30 per document (this fee could change at any time) and an extra £5.50 to cover Special Delivery postage to send the legalised documents back to you. Payment must be made on-line (www.fco.co.uk) by yourselves - full details of what needs to be done will be sent to you approximately 18 weeks before your wedding date. Please send your documents and the application form to: The Legalisation Office, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, P.O. Box 7656, Milton Keynes, MK11 9NS (TEL: 03700 00 22 44).

PLEASE NOTE: All documents must be received in MALTA no less than 6 weeks prior to the wedding date and all documents are kept in Malta and not returned to you. Upon your arrival in Malta, your Wedding Co-ordinator will assist you to complete the various procedures and make the necessary appointments. These include: A visit to the Registry Office to register your intent to marry.

VERY IMPORTANT: If you have a middle name it has to be on every document submitted, including your passport, otherwise, your documents will not be accepted by the registry office in Malta. This means that all certificates as well as your passport must show the exact same names in order to be accepted.

In-Resort Expenses & Visits in Malta & Gozo:

Travelling expenses for the various visits you will need to make in resort will need to be paid by yourselves locally.

Weddings in Croatia

IMPORTANT: All information below ONLY APPLIES TO BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS. If you do not hold a British Passport, please let us know at first contact by phone and / or email.

Wedding deposit required at the time of booking

For 2024 a non-refundable deposit of £750 must be paid by yourself to Planet Holidays at the time of booking.
We will also confirm to you the amount for the non-refundable deposit required by your chosen venue and other suppliers in Croatia to secure your wedding date.
We will advise you at the time of booking where the non-refundable deposits will need to be paid. Some deposits required for resorts / venues / hotels will need to be paid directly to the resort / venue in Euro, others will be paid to Planet Holidays in Pound Sterling.

How soon do we need to book?

For weddings in Croatia, we need at least 40 days’ notice prior to your wedding. Your stay must be a minimum of 7 nights.

Documentation required for Weddings in Croatia:

Procedure for British citizens:
A photocopy of the DOCUMENTS LISTED BELOW must be sent to Planet Holidays at least 40 days before your wedding day. You will need to take with you to Croatia all original documents. Your documents (excluding your passports) must not be dated more than 3 months prior to the wedding date.

PHOTOCOPY OF YOUR PASSPORT (Compulsory): including photo pages and personal pages for both the bride & groom. DO NOT send original passports to Planet Holidays.
PHOTOCOPY OF 2 WITNESSES' PASSPORT (Compulsory): including photo pages and personal pages. Please also write on the photocopies your witnesses’ full address and their occupation. DO NOT send original passports to Planet Holidays.
FULL LENGTH BIRTH CERTIFICATE (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must produce an original full length Birth Certificate showing the names of both parents. The short version of the Birth Certificate is not acceptable in Croatia. IMPORTANT: You are not submitting the birth certificate that was issued when you were born, your registry office will issue a CERTIFIED COPY OF AN ENTRY and the certificate must not be issued more than 3 months before the wedding date. Also the birth certificate must NOT be issued electronically. It must be issued by their local registry office. Also, the birth certificates MUST be hand-signed in ink by a registrar and dated on the date of the issue.
CERTIFICATE OF NO IMPEDIMENT (Compulsory): Both the bride and groom must obtain a Certificate of No Impediment as legal proof that they are both free to marry. This certificate is issued by your local Registry Office and must not be dated more than 3 months prior to your wedding date. Important: Please allow at least 4 weeks to obtain your Certificates of No Impediment.
DECREE ABSOLUTE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been divorced, she/he must produce an original Decree Absolute. This document should carry a coloured court stamp - however, if it has been issued electronically as a PDF it will have to be certified by a solicitor before it is sent to the Foreign Office - please contact our office for more details.
DEED POLL CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has effected a change of name for any reason (including personal reasons, remarriage of a parent or if the bride reverted to her maiden name after divorcing), a Deed Poll Certificate must be produced. This document must be stamped and signed by a solicitor and must include the solicitor’s practice name and address plus the full name of the solicitor who witnessed the change of name.
WRITTEN CONSENT FOR UNDER 18’s (If applicable): If either the bride or groom is under the age of 18 years, written consent from parents/guardians must be supplied to us with the Application for Marriage form.
ADOPTION CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been adopted, an Adoption Certificate must be produced.
DEATH CERTIFICATE (If applicable): If either the bride or groom has been previously widowed, a Death Certificate must be produced.
LEGALISATION OF DOCUMENTS (Compulsory): All the documents required for your civil wedding in Croatia must be legalised by the FCDO (www.fco.co.uk). It is your responsibility to ensure that this has been done before any documents are scanned and emailed to Planet Holidays, as advised by us at the time of booking. The FCDO charges £30 per document (this fee could change at any time) and an extra £5.00 to cover Special Delivery postage to send the legalised documents back to you. Payment must be made on-line (www.fco.co.uk) by yourselves - full details of what needs to be done will be sent to you approximately 18 weeks before your wedding date. Please send your documents and the application form to: The Legalisation Office, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, P.O. Box 7656, Milton Keynes, MK11 9NS (TEL: 03700 00 22 44).
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENTS (Compulsory): All documents need to be translated into Croatian. This will be done in Croatia and the applicable fee (confirmed to you at the time of booking) will need to be paid by yourselves locally. VERY IMPORTANT: If you have a middle name it has to be on every document submitted, including your passport, otherwise, your documents will not be accepted by the registry office in Croatia. This means that all certificates as well as your passport must show the exact same names in order to be accepted. PLEASE NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS WILL BE KEPT IN CROATIA AND WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO YOU.

In-Resort Expenses & Visits in Croatia:

Get in touch today

Complete the form below to have one of our team contact you regarding the preparations for your special day.

}