Marriage Abroad
Some countries may require non-nationals, before they can get married in their jurisdiction, to produce a certificate from their country of origin that they are free to marry. These are usually known as Certificats de Coutume or in the case of Italy 'Nulla Osta' and may be issued to Irish citizens abroad who apply, to the Irish Diplomatic or Consular Mission nearest to where the applicant normally resides or, if resident in Ireland, to:
Consular Section
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
80 St. Stephen’s Green
Dublin 2
Telephone: (10.00-13.00)
Certificat de Coutume: (01) 408 2682
Nulla Osta (for Italy): (01) 408 2568
For the Munster area::
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,
1A South Mall,
Cork
Telephone: (10.00-13.00) 021 4944763
Application forms for Certificats de Coutume/ Nulla Osta and details of the requirements, procedures and fees in local currencies will be provided on request by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or the relevant Mission. Alternatively, application forms can be downloaded below. Before completing the application forms please ensure you have read our Explanatory Note (PDF 124kb) along with the following important information:
Applications should be submitted at least four months before the date of the marriage. However, they should not be completed more than six months prior to the date of the intended marriage.
All applications must be accompanied by an original long form birth certificate, along with a certified translation if the birth certificate has been issued in a language other than English/Irish.
All Irish citizens applying must provide a photocopy of their current Irish passport.
Applicants who hold a divorce issued by the Irish courts must provide the original final decree of divorce.
Applicants who hold a foreign divorce (i.e. a divorce which has not been issued by the Irish courts) must provide BOTH the original petition for divorce and the original final decree of divorce, along with a certified translation if they have been issued in a language other than English/Irish.
Applicants who have previously been married and are now widowed must provide the original death certificate, along with a certified translation if issued in a language other than English/Irish.
All original documentation will be returned to the applicant.
Please refer to the explanatory note above for fees and further important information.
Please ensure that the appropriate fee is included. As of 1 March 2013, if applying to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the fee is €60 per Irish applicant.
Applications submitted 28 days or less before the date of the intended marriage or civil partnership will incur an additional fee of €60 per Irish applicant.
Application forms to be completed as appropriate:
(Please Note: Applicants who are entering into a same sex union abroad should contact Consular Section in either Dublin or Cork, if resident in Ireland, or if abroad their nearest Diplomatic or Consular Mission, for the appropriate application forms).
To be completed by all applicants:
MP1 (PDF 431kb) - Questionnaire to be
completed by Irish citizen seeking 'Certificat De Coutume'/
'Nulla Osta' for marriage abroad.
To be completed by all applicants who are getting married
in Italy:
MP2
(PDF 32kb)
To be completed by applicants not previously
married:
MP2A (PDF 423kb) - Statutory declaration by
Irish citizen seeking 'Certificat de Coutume'/ 'Nulla
Osta' for marriage abroad,
To be completed by applicants who hold an Irish
divorce:
MP2E (PDF 60kb) - Statutory
declaration to be made by an Irish Citizen holding a divorce
decree issued by the Irish courts requiring a 'Certificat de
Coutume'/ 'Nulla Osta' for marriage abroad.
To be completed by applicants who hold a foreign
divorce:
MP2B (PDF 709kb)
- Statutory declaration to be made by a divorced
Irish citizen requiring a 'Certificat de Coutume'/ 'Nulla
Osta' for marriage abroad.
To be completed by a divorced person (holding a foreign
divorce) wishing to marry an Irish citizen (This only
relates to citizens wishing to marry in Poland, Germany, Sweden,
Hungary, Bulgaria, Portugal and Italy)
:
MP2D (PDF 674kb) - Statutory
declaration to be made by a divorced person wishing to marry an
Irish citizen requiring a 'Certificat de Coutume'/ 'Nulla
Osta' for marriage abroad.
To be completed by a divorced person (holding an Irish
divorce) wishing to marry an Irish citizen (This only relates to
citizens wishing to marry in Poland, Germany, Sweden, Hungary,
Bulgaria, Portugal and Italy):
MP2F (PDF 526kb) - Statutory declaration to
be made by a person holding a divorce decree issued by the Irish
courts who wishes to marry an Irish citizen requiring a
'Certificat de Coutume'/ 'Nulla Osta' for marriage abroad.
Please Note: Application forms cannot be submitted via e-mail. Original application forms and documentation should be sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or relevant Irish Mission.
Persons under 18 years of age should contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade before completing an application for a Certificat de Coutume/Nulla Osta.
