Legal Issues for Marrying in Cyprus

You can choose to have a civil wedding ceremony only or you can elect to have either an Anglican or Catholic service. Catholic couples must also have a civil ceremony preceding their service. For all weddings you must be resident in Cyprus for at least 3 working days before your wedding day. This excludes the day of your arrival/weekends and local public holidays.

Catholic Ceremony

To arrange your wedding you will need the information listed by the Paphos municipality and in addition you will also need to bring your baptism certificate (this is requested by the church). Also required is the address of your local church and the priest in charge. Upon your arrival, you will make your application at the Town Hall and pay the licence fee. Please note that a civil ceremony must precede a catholic ceremony. The Town Hall will then issue your form B for the church. An appointment will be arranged for you to meet with the church co-ordinator and the priest where you will present the form to them. This meeting is to finalise the details for the ceremony. You will pay the church fees directly to them.

Should you wish to proceed with the arrangements yourself please contact Mrs Suzie Allen. Telephone +357 99 615 715

Anglican Ceremony

For those getting married or considering getting married in the Anglican Church of Paphos, the following information may be helpful:

1. For the fees for Weddings, blessings and reaffirmation of vows please contact Helen Smith.

2. Please note that, for weddings, you will be required to obtain a special licence from the Paphos Town Hall. This can be done a few days after your arrival in Cyprus, and you will need your passports and an affidavit each confirming that you are free to marry. If either of you has been divorced then the town hall will need to see the original decree absolute papers; if a widow/widower, they will also need to see the death certificate of the deceased.

3. It is preferable for at least one of you to have been baptised into the Christian faith. We also require a photocopy of both your birth certificates and Baptism certificates, if you have them. The Chaplain would wish to commend you to your home Church vicar or minister back in the UK, so please bring his/her name and address with you. It is also very important to have a photocopy of your witnesses’ full names (including middle names) and passport numbers at interview, this information has to go on your Marriage Certificate so it must be absolutely correct.

For further information and bookings please contact the Parish Administrator, Helen Smith
Telephone +357 26 953 044, Facsimile +357 26 952 486, Mobile +357 99 212 627, e-mail: anglicancofp@cytanet.com.cy web:www.paphosanglicanchurch.org.cy

Instructions for the arrangement of Civil Weddings

Your civil ceremony can be held at Paphos Town Hall or Geroskipou

1. Minimum residency period prior to marriage:
You will need to apply for a special marriage licence from the municipality where you are to be married. The minimum residency period for this type of licence is 3 working days (this excludes the day of your arrival/weekends and public holidays).

2. Documents required:
You and your partner will each need:

Valid original 10-year UK passport which expires more than 6 months after the date of your return to the UK.
Original birth certificate showing your parents' names.
Original baptism/Christening certificate (for church weddings only).
Original affidavit made less than 6 months before the date on which you return to the UK. This must state the following information:
- Your full name, exactly as it is stated on your passport or deed poll proof of name change if you have changed your name
- Your full address
- A statement that you are a citizen of the United Kingdom
- A statement that you reside at the address you have given
- Your current occupation
- A statement that you are currently single and free to marry
- Your parents' full names; addresses and occupations
- Your place of birth as stated on your birth certificate
- Your date of birth as stated on your birth certificate
- Your passport number
- Lastly you must include the following statement: "I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835."
Your details as given in the affidavit must exactly match those on your birth certificate.
If you have been divorced, your original decree absolute. This must bear the stamp of the court that issued it.
If you have been widowed the original death certificate of your partner along with your original marriage certificate.
If you have changed your name then your original deed poll proof of name change will be required. Please note that if you have been divorced and have reverted to using your maiden name then this counts as a change of name, and proof of that change will be required.
If you are adopted then please bring your original adoption certificate with you.

Please bring the above documents with you when you travel.

3. Before you travel:
Please note that two witnesses to the marriage will be required under Cypriot law. Please inform us twelve weeks before the date of travel if you need us to arrange this for you.

Municipality of Paphos
Civil Marriage Office
P.O. Box 60052 - 8100 Pafos, Cyprus
Telephone +357 26 822 353
Facsimile +357 26 822 364
Email: civil.marriages@pafos.org.cy
Web: www.pafos.org.cy

Geroskipou Municipality
P.O. Box 63015 - 8210 Geroskipou
Paphos, Cyprus
Telephone +357 26 962 324
Facsimile +357 26 961 247
Email: mierokip@cylink.com.cy

Cyprus High Commission
Consulate General
Civil Marriage in Cyprus
93 Park Street, London W1K 7ET
Telephone 0207 629 5350
Facsimile 0207 629 8164
Email: cyprusconsulate@btconnect.com