Costa Rica is one of the easiest countries in the world for foreign couples to marry legally, with no residency requirement and no waiting period.
A licensed notary public, who in Costa Rica is also a lawyer, performs the civil ceremony and registers the marriage for you.
The ceremony is quick, but registration and the official certificate take a few weeks, so plan for the paperwork to follow you home.
To marry legally in Costa Rica, a couple appoints a Costa Rican notary public, who is a qualified lawyer authorised to perform civil marriages. You need valid passports and a sworn statement of your marital status, with two witnesses over eighteen who need not be residents. There is no residency requirement and no waiting period, so you can marry soon after arrival. The notary registers the marriage with the civil registry, and the official certificate, suitable for recognition abroad, usually follows within a few weeks.
The standard process for a foreign couple marrying legally in Costa Rica. Confirm the current detail with your notary or planner, since fees and requirements change.
In Costa Rica a notary public is a qualified lawyer, and only a notary, a judge or a Catholic priest can legally marry you. Most couples appoint a notary, often through their planner, to prepare the documents, perform the civil ceremony and file the registration.
You will need valid passports for both partners and a sworn statement, or affidavit, of your current marital status. If either of you is divorced or widowed, bring the relevant apostilled and translated documents. Your notary will tell you exactly what your situation requires.
Two witnesses over the age of eighteen must be present, and they do not need to be Costa Rican citizens or residents. Friends or family travelling with you can stand as witnesses, which keeps the day simple.
The notary conducts the legal civil ceremony, which can take place at your venue, on a beach or wherever you choose, since Costa Rica does not tie the ceremony to a register office. You sign the marriage act with your witnesses present.
The notary files the marriage with the Civil Registry, and the official marriage certificate is issued in the weeks that follow. For use at home you will usually want the certificate apostilled, which your lawyer can arrange.
Costa Rica places no residency requirement and no waiting period on foreign couples, which is rare and a large part of the appeal. You can marry within days of arriving, schedule and documents permitting.
Because a notary public both performs and registers the marriage, choosing a reputable, English speaking lawyer matters. A good planner will work with notaries they trust, which keeps the legal side smooth.
The ceremony is fast, but registration and the issuing of the official certificate take roughly a few weeks. Build that into your plans, since you will likely receive the document after you return home.
A Costa Rican civil marriage is a full legal marriage recognised internationally once registered and apostilled. Confirm what your home authority needs to record it.
The legal costs in Costa Rica are modest, covering the notary's fees for performing the ceremony, registering the marriage and issuing the certificate, reviewed November 2025.
Beyond the legal work, budget for apostille and translation of any divorce or death documents at home, and for the notary to apostille your final certificate for use abroad.
Treat all figures as indicative and confirm current fees directly with your notary or planner, since charges vary and change over time.
Figures are indicative ranges reviewed November 2025 and will move with season, guest count, and exchange rates. Confirm directly with each venue.
A Costa Rica wedding planner connects you with a trusted notary, gathers the paperwork and arranges witnesses and timing, so the legal side disappears into the day. Their local knowledge is the difference between a smooth registration and a delay.
The notary is the legal heart of a Costa Rican wedding, performing the ceremony and filing it with the registry. Choose one who is reputable and used to working with foreign couples.
Many couples add a celebrant led or symbolic ceremony alongside the legal signing, for a more personal service in a setting of their choosing, while the notary handles the binding marriage.
Tell us your date and your plans, and whether you want help with the legal side. We reply within 48 hours with the right planner and notary, at no cost to you.
Yes, it is one of the simplest in the world for foreign couples. There is no residency requirement and no waiting period, and a notary public performs and registers the marriage for you.
No. Costa Rica places no residency requirement on foreign couples, so you can marry soon after you arrive, subject to your notary's availability and your documents being ready.
Only a notary public, who is a licensed lawyer, a judge, or a Catholic priest. Most foreign couples are married by a notary, who also files the registration.
Valid passports and a sworn statement of your marital status, plus apostilled and translated divorce or death certificates if either of you was previously married. Your notary will confirm what your case needs.
The ceremony is immediate, but registration and the official certificate usually take a few weeks, often arriving after you return home. You will normally want it apostilled for use abroad.
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