Reference
Marriage Abroad Terms Reference
A marriage abroad is a sequence of separate procedures: civil registration, document authentication, visa evidence and recognition at home. These entries explain what each term covers and what to verify before paying.
How to use this reference
Each entry explains a term structurally: what it is, who issues or charges it, what varies by destination and what to confirm before paying. Fees and timelines are deliberately not stated because they are set locally and change.
Use the linked calculator to price the part you control, then verify the rule with the official authority. The calculators are budgeting tools; they do not decide eligibility, validity, recognition or tax treatment.
All entries
Marriage licenceThe permission or registration a couple obtains from a civil authority before or at the marriage.
Certificate of no impedimentA document from the home authority stating there is no known obstacle to the marriage.
ApostilleA certificate that authenticates the signature or seal on a public document for use in another country.
Certified translationA translation prepared or certified by a translator acceptable to the receiving authority.
Consular marriageA marriage solemnised or registered at a consulate of one of the couple’s countries.
Spouse visaA residence route that allows the spouse of a citizen or resident to live in the destination.
Sponsor incomeThe income or savings the sponsoring partner must show to support a spouse visa.
BiometricsFingerprints, photograph and sometimes a signature collected for identity checks.
Police certificateA record from the police or a public authority about a person’s criminal history.
Prenuptial agreementA contract signed before marriage that sets how property and finances are treated.
Recognition abroadThe process by which a marriage valid in one country is accepted in another.
Wedding budgetThe planned cost of the celebration, separate from the legal and immigration costs.