The information below is general and may be subject to change without notice by the Costa Rican government. Please refer to the information page from the Embassy of Costa Rica in Canada: http://www.costaricaembassy.com/ and the Costa Rican Tourism Board: http://www.visitcostarica.com
Legal Ceremonies
Legal ceremonies are performed by judges and lawyers or Catholic priests only. Anticipate additional fees for their services in addition to your resort wedding package. The resort will provide you with the required legal contacts and help prepare the documentation.
Following your wedding, the Costa Rica Civil Registry will issue your Marriage Certificate within about three months. Arrangements must be made with the representative in Costa Rica to have this translated by an Official Translator, authenticated by the Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, authenticated by the Canadian Embassy in Costa Rica and then brought to Ontario’s Vital Statistics office to be properly registered in Canada.
Check with the resort – the officiant that they use may be able to facilitate the whole process and also simplify the documentation requirements (below is the “official” list).
Documentation Requirements
The following documents are required for weddings in Costa Rica, per the Canadian Costa Rican Embassy. Officially, they will need to be legalized at the Consulate before being submitted in Costa Rica. However, in some cases your officiant may be able to assist in simplifying the need for certain documents.
- A passport that is valid for at least six months
- Original birth certificates
- Certificate of Civil Status
- Wedding Questionnaire
- Police record
- Divorce decree (if applicable)
On the day of the ceremony, two documents will be signed by bride/groom and witnesses: a sworn statement attesting marital status, and the marriage document itself.
Additional Documentation for Special Circumstances:
If the bride has been divorced or widowed, and she is remarrying less than 10 months/300 days since the divorce/death certificate was issued, she must provide proof that she is not pregnant in order to remarry. This must be conducted by the Supreme Court of Costa Rica at the Forensic Medicine Office.
Documentation Required from the Witnesses
Two witnesses (non-family) who are at least 18 years of age are required for any legal ceremony. The resort can typically provide you with witnesses if you need them as part of your wedding package. However, if the witnesses are provided by the couple, they will need to present:
- Valid passports
- Statement of civil status, nationality, address and occupation
Residency Requirements:
There is no official waiting period, however sometimes the resort will require a few days just to ensure paperwork and ceremony details are in order. Check with the resort coordinator.
Religious Ceremonies in Costa Rica
Catholic Ceremonies
In accordance with the laws of the Catholic Church, Catholic weddings must take place inside a Chapel or Church with a full Catholic mass. Arrangements must be made directly with the Church.
It is likely that the Catholic ceremony will be performed in Spanish and that the priest may only speak Spanish. There may also be a reluctance to marry non-parishioners.
Your local priest will need to be in touch with the Archdiocese in Costa Rica as early as possible.
Other Religious Ceremonies
Non-Catholic ceremonies require that a Costa Rican judge or lawyer also be present in order for the marriage to be official.
