There are many reasons to love Aruba. This Caribbean Island has everything from natural beaches to beautiful historical sites to still blue waters. And when you are not staring at its sights, you enjoy its fresh and tantalizing foods, warm weather, and exciting culture. These and more factors make it the perfect wedding and honeymoon destination. If this is your dream, read on to learn how to get married in Aruba as a U.S. citizen:
How to Get Married in Aruba As a U.S. Citizen?
Getting married in Aruba packs all wedding essentials into one event. On one hand, you will have the luxurious honeymoon escape you deserve. And on the other hand, you will hold a unique wedding that will be memorable for you and your guests. Below is how you can kill two birds with one stone:
- Choose a wedding option: You can select civil, religious, or symbolic weddings. Your choice will affect your document requirements, wedding preliminaries, where you can have the wedding ceremony, and the validity of your marriage. You must contact the officiant months before the wedding to ensure you complete all the necessary steps. For example, Catholic Church weddings require you to seek approval from the priest at least four months before you get married.
- Hire a wedding planner: Since each wedding type has varying requirements, having someone to hold your hand goes a long way in helping you plan the wedding. The planner can review venues, book vendors, liaise with witnesses and wedding celebrants, and do everything you need help with while you are still in the U.S.
- Book a wedding venue: Once you have confirmed a wedding date with your wedding officiant, you must choose a venue. Civil weddings take place at the Civil Town House. Religious weddings take place in churches, though your officiant can allow you to hold the ceremony in another venue. Symbolic weddings do not have any venue restrictions. Your wedding option will determine your choice at this point.
- Prepare your documents: Birth certificates, passport pictures, certificates of no impediment to marriage, intent to marry forms, and declarations of single status are some of the documents you will need to present for your wedding application. You may need more documentation depending on the type of wedding and whether you have been married. In a later section, we will walk you through the documents you must have.
- Get apostilles: Documents such as birth certificates and divorce decrees must have apostilles to verify their stamps, seals, and signatures. Travel Visa Pro can help you complete this within days to ensure your documents are acceptable.
- Submit documents for processing: You must email or fax your documents to the Aruban government for processing at least five weeks before the wedding date. If they approve your marriage application, you will send the actual documents to the same office four weeks before you get married. Timing is of the essence, and the sooner you do it, the better. Your wedding planner can take care of this on your behalf.
- Get married: Once you get your marriage license, you can get married. Civil weddings take place in the Civil Town House, while religious weddings take place in church or other approved venues. The wedding celebrant will lead the ceremony, after which you will sign the marriage certificate.
- Obtain a marriage certificate: Your wedding officiant will register the wedding at the Registry General’s Office, where you can get your certified marriage certificate.
If you get married in Aruba, is it legal in the U.S.? Your marriage will be valid in Aruba and the U.S. if you follow the proper steps and register it under the Registry General’s Office. You can then use the marriage certificate to acquire joint assets, change your name, and enjoy other marital benefits.
What are the Different Types of Marriage in Aruba?
Aruba marriage laws pave the way for civil and religious weddings. While symbolic weddings also exist, they do not have any legal bearing. We look at the options for wedding in Aruba and what they entail:
1. Civil Marriages
Civil ceremonies allow couples to get married in a straightforward process. These ceremonies take place from Monday to Saturday at pre-determined hours. To qualify for such a marriage, you must meet the following requirements:
- You must meet the eligibility criteria for marriage in Aruba,
- You must prepare and send your documents for review at least a month before the wedding date, and
- You must adhere to the dress codes, e.g., no shorts or slippers.
The civil registrar leads this ceremony in the Civil Town House, where you and your partner exchange vows before signing the marriage certificate. Just like that, you get married and can start living together as a married couple.
2. Symbolic Weddings
If you want a wedding ceremony without the requirements of a civil marriage in Aruba, this option works great. You do not need to meet the legal and document requirements to get married. As such, you can choose where and when to have the wedding, who can officiate it, and what to wear. Such ceremonies are best for couples already married in their home countries and just want a ceremony. They also work for people who have married in civil ceremonies and want to have a celebration outside the Civil Town House.
3. Religious Weddings
People getting married in Aruba often choose religious ceremonies as they allow them to tie the knot in line with their beliefs. Below are the common options available:
a) Catholic Weddings
If you follow the Catholic faith, you can get married in the Catholic Church. However, you must first call the church as you may not qualify to get married – in some cases, you can only get married if you bring your own priest. Generally, the following rules apply to Catholic couples:
- You must have attended pre-marital classes,
- Your local priest must have given you consent to marry in Aruba,
- Your local priest must sign a statement that neither of you has married in a church before,
- You must present your baptismal and confirmation certificates, and
- A copy of your wedding certificate – you can get this from Aruba or your home country.
Once you get the go-ahead from the priest overseeing the wedding, you must send all the required documents to the church at least four months before the wedding. You may also need to attend an interview before getting married. The wedding will occur in the Catholic Church, where you will exchange vows.
b) Protestant/ Episcopalian/ Methodist Weddings
Besides Catholic weddings, Christians can marry in Protestant/ Episcopalian/ Methodist ceremonies. Below are the common requirements for these ceremonies:
- You should have a marriage certificate from Aruba or another country if you have already married,
- The couple must have attended pre-marital counseling, and
- You should have been baptized and confirmed in the church.
Moreover, you may need to submit your documents four months before the wedding date. Based on the church overseeing the ceremony, you can have the wedding at a church or other approved venues. You will then get a marriage certificate.
c) Jewish Ceremonies
If you and your partner are Jewish, you can have the marriage ceremony in a synagogue. You can also choose this ceremony for a symbolic wedding. The following requirements will apply to the process of getting married in Aruba for foreigners:
- You must both be Jewish – you will prove this through verification of Judaism from the rabbi in your hometown,
- You should present Jewish status certificates, and
- You must present a formal petition to the Aruba Jewish Community.
Once approved, the wedding will take place in a synagogue or any other venue approved by the officiant. Dress codes apply to the couple, restricting clothes such as swimsuits for the wedding.
Is a marriage in Aruba recognized in the United States? Only civil and religious (Jewish and Protestant/ Episcopalian/ Methodist weddings) are legally binding as the law does not currently allow couples to marry under Catholic weddings. A U.S. citizen getting married in Aruba can thus choose to have a civil wedding before having a Catholic wedding if they want a legally binding ceremony. Once your marriage has been registered in the Registry General’s Office, you will be married in Aruba and the U.S.
Marriage Requirements in Aruba for U.S. Citizens
The marriage requirements in Aruba are straightforward, allowing couples to assess their eligibility before applying for a marriage license. So, what do you need to get married in Aruba?
- Residency: You do not need to live in Aruba to get married. However, you should submit your documents for review at least four weeks before the wedding. You can do this via mail.
- Age: You should be at least 18 years old to get married. This age applies to all genders.
- Witnesses: You should have at least two witnesses for the ceremony. They must be at least 18 years old and able to enter contracts.
- Single Status: You must be single to marry in Aruba. As such, the bride and groom must present affidavits of their single status. Those who have been married before should submit documents that prove the end of their previous marriages.
- Submissions: All paperwork must be sent to the Aruban government at least four weeks before the wedding date to allow the authorities enough time to process your marriage application.
- Apostilles: Documents issued in the U.S. should have apostilles to certify their stamps, seals, and signatures.
Note that religious ceremonies have additional requirements. For example, people getting married in synagogues must write to the Aruba Jewish Community.
What Documents Do I Need to Get Married in Aruba?
Document requirements for religious ceremonies depend on the church and thus vary a lot. However, document requirements for civil ceremonies are pretty standard and include the following:
- A valid passport: The passport must be valid beyond your departure date and should be in good condition,
- Long-form copies of birth certificates: These documents must have a raised seal and show parental details,
- Passport picture pages or valid IDs: You can either submit a state-issued picture ID, e.g., a driver’s license, or take pictures of your passport picture page,
- Witness passport picture pages or valid IDs: Your witnesses, who must be at least 18 years old, should also present picture IDs,
- A certificate of no impediment to marriage: You must present this certificate, which proves you are free to marry. You can get this from the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
- A divorce decree: If your previous marriage ended in divorce, you must present the first and last pages of the divorce decree.
- A death certificate: You need your previous spouse’s death certificate if they are deceased.
- An intent to marry form: You should complete this application form once you have confirmed the date and time of the wedding.
- A declaration single status form: You must file a statement regarding your marital status.
- Apostilles: Documents such as birth certificate copies and certificates of no impediment to marriage must have apostilles to certify their stamps, seals, and signatures.
If you will have a religious ceremony after the civil ceremony, confer with your wedding official regarding what else you should provide.
How Old Do You Have to Be to Get Married in Aruba?
Many countries have set their legal marriage age at 18 for men and women. But how old do you have to be to get married in Aruba? The same applies. You and your partner must be at least 18 years old. Moreover, you should be capable of entering a contract and eligible to marry in your home state.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Married in Aruba?
Aruba has many wedding options, which has resulted in variations in wedding prices. So, how much does it cost to get married in Aruba? The costs range from $2,000 to $9,000 for a wedding with 50-100 guests. This pricing covers the significant costs, including the wedding dress, catering, and photography. The costs can even be lower for civil weddings, as these cost anything from $150 to $300. Ultimately, your choice of wedding will affect your budget – a wedding planner can help you calculate how much you will spend and alter the costs to fit your financial preferences.
How to Find a Wedding Planner in Aruba?
A good wedding planner is the key to transforming your vision into reality. But how do you find one? You consider the factors below:
- Experience with foreigners’ weddings: You want to hire a planner who understands the differences between foreigners’ and citizens’ weddings.
- Reputation: Banking on a wedding planner with good reviews is always advisable as you know they care about their clients.
- Style: If a planner’s style matches your aesthetic, you will have an easier time achieving the wedding you want and deserve.
- Availability: It’s always best to work with someone with enough time to focus on your wedding. That way, you can reach them as needed.
- Terms: What does the planner expect? What timelines can they guarantee? How do they work with clients?
Finally, ask the planners questions about your wedding and see who best matches your preferences and budget.
