Documents required

The Marriage Registry provides also services for Civil Marriages. Those couples who opt for a Civil Marriage have to satisfy the same obligations and formalities requested for a religious marriage.

Not earlier than three months and not later than six weeks prior to the wedding date, you must make an appointment with the Marriage Registry to request the publication of Marriage Banns at the Public Registry of Malta.

a. Government Birth certificates of the Bride and Groom showing both parents' names (Maltese citizens can obtain these certificates that same day from the same building or online on www.certifikati.gov.mt)

b. Identity cards of Bride and Grooom and photocopies thereof

 (Driving License or Passport are accepted too)

c. Identity cards of the Witnesses and photocopies thereof

 (Driving License or Passport are accepted too)

d. Application Form RZ1 and Declaration Form RZ2 duly signed.  These forms will be provided by the Marriage Registry.

 e. Foreigners only - Persons who have never been married must produce a Free Status Certificate from their local Registrar.  If the registrar cannot issue such a certificate, a declaration in the same sense by a member of the legal profession would be accepted, provided that the declaration is the legal person’s own, made after due research, and not your own affidavit.  Please read also this article - More Required Documents by Foreigners

Information required

 The Marriage Registrar should also be given the following information on the meeting day:

a. The place, date and time of the wedding

b. The witnesses' place of work

c. Father's name of both witnesses

d. The surname which the bride will be using after marriage, ie: either keeping her maiden surname or taking her husband's.  For more info about the options available read this article (opens in a new window)

Place of Marriage

Civil Weddings can be celebrated in the Marriage Registry itself, or at any other place open to the public and which the Registrar feels appropriate.  Such venues that have been accepted as appropriate are:  Wedding Halls, Conference Rooms and other public areas within hotel precincts.

It must be pointed out that Civil Marriages are not conducted at pool side areas or on private / public beaches.

For the actual performance of the Civil Marriage at the Marriage Registry of Malta, the Registry is available on any day of the week (Monday to Sunday) on appointment with the couple concerned.

It is your responsibility to make arrangements for at least two witnesses who must be not less than 18 years old.

If the wedding will be held outside the Registry, the couple must provide pick-up and return transport for the Registrar conducting the wedding.