Seychelles is one of the easiest places in the world for foreigners to marry legally, as long as the documents are right. This is the full, current list from the Seychelles Civil Status Office, explained in plain language. You gather the papers, we handle every filing, submission and stamp on your behalf.
A clear copy of the photo page for both parties. Your passport must be valid for your travel dates. No apostille or certification needed, a good scan is enough for the initial filing.
The original birth certificate for both parties, with an apostille from your home country. This is the document the Civil Status Office scrutinises most, so get the apostille early.
| Your situation | Document needed | Apostille |
|---|---|---|
| Your country requires proof you're free to marry | Celibacy certificate / Certificate of No Impediment. Required by Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium and others. Full country guide below. | Required |
| Previously married (divorced) | Divorce certificate / Decree Absolute | Required |
| Widowed | Death certificate of your former spouse | Required |
| Name changed since birth | Deed poll / Change of name certificate | Required |
An apostille is an official certification that makes a document from one country legally valid in another. It is issued under the Hague Convention of 1961, of which Seychelles is a member. You obtain the apostille in your home country, typically from a court, notary office or your ministry of foreign affairs, before sending the documents to us. Processing times vary widely: a few days in the UK, several weeks in Germany, so start early.
If your country is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, your documents must instead be authenticated by your country's Department of Foreign Affairs. Tell us your nationality and we'll point you to the exact authority and process; we've guided couples from dozens of countries through it.
Also called a certificate of no impediment, capacity to marry certificate, or Ehefähigkeitszeugnis in German. It's a document from your home country confirming you are legally free to marry. Not every country requires one, but many European countries do. Here's where to get it:
| Country | Where to obtain it | Local name |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Standesamt (civil registry office) | Ehefähigkeitszeugnis |
| Austria | Standesamt | Ehefähigkeitszeugnis |
| Switzerland | Zivilstandsamt | Ehefähigkeitszeugnis |
| France | Mairie (town hall) | Certificat de capacité à mariage / certificat de célibat |
| Belgium | Commune / Gemeente | Certificat de non-empêchement |
| United Kingdom | General Register Office | Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) |
Not sure if your country requires one? Message us your nationality on WhatsApp and we'll confirm within a day.
Collect your documents and apply for the apostilles in your home country. Processing varies from a few days (UK) to several weeks (Germany), so this is the step that decides whether everything else is relaxed.
Email scanned copies of everything to [email protected]. We submit them to the Civil Status Office and arrange publication of the marriage banns, which the law requires for 11 days.
Carry the original documents (or certified copies) with you to Seychelles. The registrar verifies them before the ceremony.
The official registrar conducts your legal ceremony on the beach. If you're travelling as just the two of you, we provide the witnesses.
You receive your official Marriage Certificate. We arrange the apostille from the Seychelles Supreme Court and, where your country requires it, a Letter of Authentication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For UAE and GCC couples we also handle Embassy attestation, so your marriage is fully registered when you land back in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Doha.
Language: all documents must be in English or French. If yours are in another language, German, Italian, Russian, Arabic or anything else, they must come with a certified or sworn translation. We arrange translations on request; just mention it when you send your scans.
Your marriage certificate: the certificate issued by the Seychelles Civil Status Office is a legal document recognised worldwide. Before you leave the islands, we make sure it carries the apostille from the Seychelles Supreme Court, plus a Letter of Authentication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where your home country requires one. UAE and GCC couples additionally receive attestation by the UAE Embassy in Seychelles. In short: you fly home with paperwork that no registry office can argue with.
Ready to look at dates and beaches? Compare our wedding packages for all three islands, read the La Digue wedding guide, browse our photographers and films, or see the Islamic wedding and Nikah arrangements. Every common question is answered in our wedding FAQ.
Every couple needs a valid passport and an apostilled birth certificate for both parties. Depending on your situation, you may also need an apostilled celibacy certificate (certificate of no impediment), divorce decree, death certificate of a former spouse, or change-of-name certificate. All documents must be in English or French, or come with a certified translation.
Yes. The Seychelles Civil Status Office requires an apostille on foreign birth certificates and on all situational documents such as divorce decrees. The apostille is issued in your home country, usually by a court, notary office or ministry of foreign affairs.
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Belgium are the most common, with the document known locally as the Ehefähigkeitszeugnis, certificat de capacité à mariage or certificat de non-empêchement. UK couples can obtain a Certificate of No Impediment from the General Register Office. If you're unsure about your country, send us your nationality and we'll confirm for free.
Send scanned copies at least 14 days before your wedding date. Seychelles law requires the marriage banns to be published for 11 days before the ceremony, and we file everything with the Civil Status Office on your behalf.
Usually yes. If your documents arrive less than 11 days before the wedding, a special marriage licence can be issued within 2 days for an additional fee of SCR 500, approximately €35. We arrange it for you, and it's how our express weddings work.
They need a certified or sworn translation into English or French. We can arrange the translation for you; just mention it when you email your scans.
Yes. Your Marriage Certificate is apostilled by the Seychelles Supreme Court under the Hague Convention, which makes it legally recognised internationally, including across the UK, EU and GCC. Where your country requires it, we also obtain a Letter of Authentication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and for UAE and GCC couples we arrange Embassy attestation.
No. If you're eloping as a couple, we provide the legally required witnesses for your ceremony.
Every nationality has its quirks, and we've filed them all since 2016. One message with your two nationalities and your rough wedding date, and we'll tell you precisely which documents you need, where to get them, and when to send them.
