Is it possible to get married in Canada while you are a citizen of another country? Well, You can get married either on a visitor visa or Canadian temporary resident visa.
Nowadays, destination weddings have become a trend all over the world and if the place is one of the famous countries like Canada, it becomes more glorious moments for couples.
If you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, and you want to marry a foreign partner, you have the right to marry in Canada.
However, this option is also available for those people who belong to a foreign nation and want to do a destination wedding in Canada. For this, you don’t need to take Canadian citizenship or PR status. Instead, you need to meet some documentation and other requirements.
Steps Involved to Get Married in Canada on a Visitor’s Visa
Every province has its requirements and criteria regarding marriages in Canada. Here are some steps you are required to follow to get married in Canada. These are-
Choose an Officiant
An officiant is a person responsible for making sure that you meet all the legal requirements. For a religious ceremony, a minister of religion can be authorized as an officiant.
However, if you want to marry in a public place, there can be so many public officials ( mayor, notary, clerk and many others) who can be chosen as a celebrant.
Decide a Venue
Choosing an appropriate venue is a big task as the venue must be a place which is open to the public and where all your dear ones and close family members can reach easily.
Legally, you could get married to the courthouse and then celebrate your marriage in some other place if you have any dream or plan to do so.
Choose the Appropriate Time and Language
A standard time of marriage at the courthouse is between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm. However, for your desired location of the wedding, the time can be between 9:00 am and 10:00 pm.
Usually, the language of marriage in Canadian provinces are English and French. However, you can hire an interpreter if you have complexities in understanding either of the languages.
Marriage Preparation and Arrangement
Before you get married, you are required to do some essential marriage preparation and arrangement like shopping, menu selection for the ceremony, ceremony’s theme selection(for theme wedding) and some others.
Getting a Marriage License
Before you get married, you need to apply for a marriage license through the city hall or municipal office of your selected province. The validity period of the license is 90 days only, so you need to get married within 3 months.
To get your marriage license, you need to duly fill the marriage license application form and submit it to the municipal office or city hall with all the necessary documents and application fee.
Sixteen years is the minimum age requirement for getting married. However, you need written consent from your legal guardians or parents if your age is under 18 years.
How to Get a Marriage Certificate?
Well, sometimes, people might get confused between marriage license and marriage certificate. Remember that you can apply for a marriage certificate only after getting married. In contrast, a marriage license is a necessary document that allows couples to get married in the Canadian province.
Once you get married the officiant forward your marriage license to the Office of General Registrar for the registration of your marriage, it will take up to a few weeks to process your application.
You can apply for your marriage certificate once the application gets registered. However, you have 1 year from the date of your marriage to apply for the marriage certificate.
You can choose various methods (online, offline, Mail or fax) to apply for the certificate of your marriage. The offline mode is available for Toronto and Ottawa only.
Finally, getting married overseas like Canada can be a dream of many people. However, people must be conscious while selecting the right venue for their marriage. Prior research is always beneficial before making any decision.