GETTING MARRIED IN FRENCH POLYNESIA

Please note that the following process will take approximately three to five months to complete.

Eligibility to Get Married in Tahiti

• Both spouses must be at least 18 years old.
• Neither spouse can be currently married.
• The couple cannot be related by direct lineage.
• The couple cannot be French nationals or residents of France
• The bride and the groom must each choose a witness who must be 18 years of age or older (if the chosen witness is not present, the mayor’s office can provide a witness).

Required Documents

• The “Marriage of Foreign Citizens in French Polynesia” application must be completed.
• A letter signed and dated by both future spouses, addressed to the mayor of the commune chosen for the marriage ceremony.
• A copy of both spouses' passports is required for proof of identity
• A certified copy of both spouses’ birth certificates authenticated with an “Apostille” (note: the birth certificates must have been issued less than 6 months prior to the date of the marriage). Both of the birth certificates and the “Apostille” must be translated into French and the signature of the translator need to be legalized by the French Consulate.
•  If either future spouse has been previously married they must provide an original copy of their Divorce Decree or, in the case that either spouse is a widow or widower, they must provide a Death Certificate together with certified copies in French.
• A “Certificate of Celibacy” —also called “Affidavit of Single Status” or “Certificate of Non-Marital Status” (Certificat de célibat) —signed by a lawyer, translated into French and legalized by the French Consulate. Proof of residency for both of the future spouses (a utility bill or any bill noting names and physical address will suffice). A photocopy of bills for both spouses is acceptable.
• Optional, if a prenuptial agreement has been created, it must be translated into French and the translation legalized by the French Consulate.

Send All Materials to French Polynesia

• Expedite all materials to the mayor’s office of the commune in which the couple is getting married at least 45 days prior to the ceremony.
• The mayor’s office will then contact the bride and groom to advise them of the approved date and time of the wedding.

About The Ceremony

• On the day of the ceremony the couple, their guests and the witnesses go to the city hall (mairie).
• The mayor (or an appointed representative from the mayor’s office) will perform the ceremony, in the presence of at least two witnesses in the language chosen by the wedding couple. After the ceremony, the mayor will give the couple a Marriage Certificate. This certificate will be dated and signed by the mayor’s office of the commune in which the marriage takes place. In our experience, the marriage certificate has been in French and you will need to get a certified translation when you return to the US for name change and other purposes.