How to get married in Ecuador

The information on this website on marrying in Ecuador is provided only as a general guide and is based on information provided to us by the relevant local authorities. Therefore the information on this website may not be fully up to date or accurate so we cannot be held liable for any mistakes or inaccuracies.

We strongly advise British Nationals wishing to obtain information about marriage to contact the relevant local authority to ensure that they have the exact requirements needed for their wedding ceremony to go ahead.

Guidance for British Nationals wishing to marry in Ecuador

Latest local regulations: On 16 March 2010, the Ecuadorean authorities announced that foreigners wishing to get married to Ecuadorean citizens need to previously obtain a non-immigrant visa, either from an Ecuadorean Embassy overseas or from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs once in Ecuador. In addition, on 4 June 2009, the Ecuadorean Registry Office announced that foreign visitors wishing to get married in Ecuador must have resided in Ecuador for at least 75 consecutive days before being entitled to get married, except for those foreigners who have registered children with Ecuadorean citizens, who will be able to get married straight away. The main purpose of these new regulations was to reduce marriages of convenience. For further details and specific enquiries please visit  www.registrocivil.gov.ec  /  www.mmrree.gov.ec.

• If you are currently in Ecuador
  British Nationals wishing to marry in Ecuador would need to obtain a Certificate of No Impediment in Spanish.  To get this certificate in Ecuador you will need to submit to the Consular Section of the British Embassy the Oath-Affidavit and the Notice of Marriage. The applicant must have resided in the consular district where notice of the proposed marriage is to take place for a least 21 clear days before they give notice to the British Embassy in Quito, or to Guayaquil/Galapagos British Honorary Consulates.

Oath - Affidavit: This form has to be completed by the British national and signed in front of a Consular official. You should bring your passport as proof of identity when applying for the Certificate. Oath form

Notice of Marriage: This form must be completed by the British national and signed in front of a Consular official. The charge for this service appears under FEES.  We will display the Notice of Marriage in the Embassy consular notice board for 21 clear days, after which we can issue the Certificate of No Impediment in Spanish.

Template - Notice of Marriage Application form

Certificate of No Impediment: Provided no impediment has been shown to exist during the 21 days of the notice being displayed, a Certificate of No Impediment can be issued in Spanish. The charge for this service appears under FEES.  You will have to submit this certificate to the Ecuadorean Registry Office to demonstrate that you are legally free to marry in Ecuador.

A Certificate of No Impediment is only valid for 3 months, from the date of issue.

The following original documents are required to apply for a Certificate of No Impediment, which will be examined by a Consular official of the British Embassy or Honorary Consulate. There is no need to make an appointment to submit documents. You can come at any time within our working hours:

a) Original full Birth Certificate
b) British passport
c) Fiancé(e)´s Ecuadorian identification card or passport
d) Divorce documents duly legalised and translated into Spanish (if applicable)
e) Appropriate FEES.

(*) If you have already obtained a Certificate of No Impediment from the UK (in English) prior to arriving in Ecuador, we can issue the Spanish version of the certificate on the same day, at a cost.

(**) You are strongly encouraged to get your original full Birth Certificate legalised in the UK as the local registry office authorities are likely to request an “apostilled” version. Please check the Legalisation Office of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website.

• British Nationals currently in the UK

Before coming to Ecuador, you should approach a Registry Office in the area where you live in the UK and explain that you intend to get married abroad. They will ask you to submit the above documents in order to qualify for a Certificate of No Impediment.

You will need to take an oath stating that there is no impediment to your getting married and to complete a Notification of Marriage form, which will be displayed in a public area for 21 days. After this period, the UK Registry Office will issue a Certificate of No Impediment in English.

Once you are in Ecuador, you should approach the Consular Section of the British Embassy in Quito (or Guayaquil/Galapagos/Cuenca Honorary Consulates). Bring all the required documents listed above, as well the original Certificate of No Impediment in English. We can issue the Spanish version on the same day, at a cost (see FEE).

For further information, please contact:

General Register Office for England & Wales
Marriages & Civil Partnerships
Trafalgar Road
Southport
PR8 2HH
Tel:  0151 471 4803   (9.00 am to 5.00 pm - Monday to Friday)
Fax: 0151 471 4523  
Email: marriages.gro@ips.gsi.gov.uk
General Register Office - GRO

Directgov

Post-Overseas Marriage Issues (Q&A)

Q: Can my spouse apply for British Nationality?

A: Please note that a foreign national does not automatically acquire British nationality through marriage to a British National. He or she will require a visa to visit or settle in the United Kingdom. For information on UK immigration, please refer to the UK Visas website at www.ukvisas.gov.uk

People who wish to apply for naturalisation as a British citizen must spend a minimum period of time living in the UK - the minimum period of residence for spouses is currently three years.

Q: If we have any children born in Ecuador, will they have British nationality?
A: Nationality is a complex area. For more information on the nationality of children born outside the United Kingdom please check the Home Office UK BorderAgency

• If both parties of the marriage are British citizens

• Both parties of the marriage must give Notice of Marriage (each one needs to complete and sign the Notice of Marriage and swear an affidavit).
• Each party of the marriage will be charged the corresponding fees (12 & 13).
• Both Notices of Marriage should be displayed on the Consular notice board during 21 days.
• The Consulate will need to issue each party of the marriage with a Certificate of No Impediment.

• Payment process if applicant of Notice of Marriage is planning to marry in another country

• Consular fee number 12 for giving Notice of Marriage should be paid to the relevant Consular Section receiving the application
• Consular fee number 13 for issuing Certificate of No Impediment should be paid at the Consulate in the country where this certificate is to be issued.

For further details, please contact the Consular Section.