How To Plan A Destination Wedding On The Greek Islands

Wedding Documentation & Legal Papers

Please see all the appropriate documents required for your wedding in Greece.
The documents required for a legal Civil wedding in Zakynthos/Crete or elsewhere in Greece can vary slightly depending upon the island, you will take them from and individual circumstances. However, we have tried to be as transparent as possible and to the best of our knowledge.

PLEASE CONTACT US DIRECTLY TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHICH DOCUMENTS YOU WILL NEED TO PREPARE BACK HOME FOR A WEDDINGS IN GREECE, LAPLAND & OTHER DESTINATIONS.

GUIDANCE

Please note that without the correct documents the civil wedding cannot be performed!!

FOR EUROPEAN UNION CITIZENS:

FULL BIRTH CERTIFICATES (with both parent’s names inside) with an APOSTILLE stamp, translated into relevant language.
MARRIAGE LICENSE/SINGLE STATUS LETTER/ CAPACITY TO MARRY/ LETTER OF NO IMPEDIMENT with both of your names written on it, with an APOSTILLE stamp, translated into Greek.
DIVORCE CERTIFICATE (if you have been married previously)
Death Certificate, Deed Poll Certificate or Adoption Certificate (if appropriate)
PHOTOCOPIES of your PASSPORTS

Please contact us for more information.

FOR UNITED KINGDOM & AUSTRALIAN CITIZENS:

FULL BIRTH CERTIFICATES (with both parent’s names inside) with an APOSTILLE stamp, translated into Greek
SINGLE STATUS LETTER or LETTER OF NO IMPEDIMENT (one for each of you) with an APOSTILLE stamp, translated into relevant language. “Single Status” is a document issued from your local Registrar and ensures that you are free to get married.
DIVORCE CERTIFICATE (if you have been married previously)
Death Certificate, Deed Poll Certificate or Adoption Certificate (if appropriate)
PHOTOCOPIES of your PASSPORTS

FOR UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CITIZENS:

There are two different options/choices available to you
Please find both of them below (you will need to select the one that works for you)

OPTION 1 (DOCUMENTS TO BE TAKEN ONLY FROM USA):

FULL BIRTH CERTIFICATES (with both parent’s names inside) with an APOSTILLE stamp, translated into Greek
SINGLE STATUS LETTER or LETTER OF NO IMPEDIMENT (one for each of you) with an APOSTILLE stamp, translated into the relevant language. “Single Status” is a document issued from your local Registrar and ensures that you are free to get married.
MARRIAGE LICENSE with APOSTILLE (one license covers both of you), that is valid for a wedding outside of the state, translated in the relevant language.
AFFIDAVIT of SINGLE STATUS (no translation and no apostille is required) We will email to you this form for completion – it must be stamped from the Registrar’s office
DIVORCE CERTIFICATE (if you have been married previously)
Death Certificate, Deed Poll Certificate or Adoption Certificate (if appropriate)
PHOTOCOPIES of your PASSPORTS

OPTION 2 (YOU WILL PASS BY IN PERSON TO THE USA EMBASSY IN ATHENS): For Greek / Finish Weddings.

From the USA Embassy in Athens you will take in person an Affidavit of Marital Status to cover both the bride and groom INSTEAD of the Marriage License and Single Status letters as mentioned in Option 1 (above).

For more information you can contact the Embassy at:
91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue
10160 Athens, Greece
Phone (Main Switchboard/Info): 30-210-721-2951
E-mail: AthensAmEmb@state.gov

The embassy requires that an appointment is booked in order to issue the Affidavit of Marital Status. You can book your appointment online here: https://athens.usembassy.gov/notaries.html
The following documents will be taken from USA (if you were born there) or from your country of origin.

FULL BIRTH CERTIFICATES (with both parent’s names inside) with an APOSTILLE stamp, translated into Greek/Relevant language
DIVORCE CERTIFICATE (if you have been married previously)
Death Certificate, Deed Poll Certificate or Adoption Certificate (if appropriate)
PHOTOCOPIES of your PASSPORTS

FOR CANADIAN CITIZENS:

FULL BIRTH CERTIFICATES (with both parent’s names inside) translated into Greek/Relevant language
SINGLE STATUS LETTER or LETTER OF NO IMPEDIMENT (one for each of you) translated into Greek/Relevant Language. “Single Status” is a document issued from your local Registrar and ensures that you are free to get married
AFFIDAVIT of SINGLE STATUS (no translation and no affidavit is required) We will email to you this form for completion – it must be stamped from the Registrar’s office
DIVORCE CERTIFICATE (if you have been married previously)
Death Certificate, Deed Poll Certificate or Adoption Certificate (if appropriate)
PHOTOCOPIES of your PASSPORTS

As the documents from Canada do not carry Apostille, all the documents must be stamped and translated ONLY by the Greek/Relevant Embassy or Consulate, otherwise the Registrar cannot accept them.

FOR RUSSIAN CITIZENS:

BIRTH CERTIFICATES both of you with APOSTILLE STAMPED for each and translated to Greek/Relevant lanhuage
SINGLE STATUS LETTER or LETTER OF NO IMPEDIMENT for each with APOSTILLE STAMPED and translated to relevant language.
MARRIAGE LICENSE for each, you need to take it from ZAGS of your region with APOSTILLE and Translated to the relevant language.
PHOTOCOPY of your international PASSPORTS and VISA

For more information regarding the required documents for Brazilian, Turkish, and Lebanon citizens, please contact us.

ADDITIONAL, IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Apostille: What is it?

This is a pre-printed form prescribed by the Convention.
Only those nations party to the Hague Treaty will recognize the apostille certification.
The documents need Apostille stamp as they are official documents to be used outside of your country.
It is different in each country. Some have it as a stamp on the document whilst others as a separate sheet, together with your original document.

Translations:

The documents which require translation to Greek/Relevant language MUST be translated and authenticated ONLY by your local Relevant Embassy or Consulate or official translators who are affiliated from the Relevant Embassy or Consulate.
If it is more complicated for you then you can send us the authenticated original documents and we will take care of the translations here (only from English to Relevant language).
Translation costs are extra – please ask us what they are.
Please remember that we are unable to arrange translations of documents that do not carry Apostille.

Original Documents:

We would like to inform you that in line with Greek law / Relevant Law, ALL the original documents you will provide to us for your wedding will be kept in your marriage file at the Town Hall.
This will include your birth certificates. Therefore, it is a good idea to obtain certified copies of these if you want to keep them.

Issue Date:

The letter of No Impediment or Single Status letters must be issued NO more than 3 months prior to the wedding date or else the document will not be valid.

Timescales:

We need to receive the documents (including Apostilles as appropriate), first by e-mail, two months prior to the wedding date to check them at the Registry office and be sure that everything is correct.
In return we will send you a confirmation issued by the Municipality verifying that all the documents are in order.
The next step will be the translation.
Once all of your documents and the translations have been approved by the Municipality either you will send them with a courier or you will bring all of the originals with you, but only if you are here on the island 5 days prior to the wedding date.

Marriage Certificate:

Your marriage certificate will be issued in Greek/Relevant language, about 3-4 weeks after your wedding and will be sent to you by registered mail unless issued in resort.
We will also arrange translation of this from Greek/Relevant language to English and send it by courier to your home if necessary. This service is subject to an additional cost; please ask us for what this is.