Bermuda Marriage Laws
Marriages in Bermuda need to follow local laws of the island. If you are a foreigner wanting to get married in Bermuda, you must have a
Marriage License.
A marriage in Bermuda can be performed by either a registered Marriage Officer of a church, or the Registrar, or the Assistant Registrar General for civil weddings.
So, even if you want to make it a simple affair, you will still need one of the above officials to complete your marriage in Bermuda. The Minister of Labor, Home Affairs & Public Safety of the Bermuda Government can also license a visiting minister or any competent religious person to conduct a marriage ceremony.
In Bermuda, Justices of the Peace do not have authority to perform weddings unless one is also a local minister or a priest of a recognized church and licensed to perform weddings.
Civil registry marriage can take place in the Registrar General's office with prior appointment. Timings are Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Directly contact the Registry General's Office if you want to perform your registry marriage at the office. Here is the contact information:
Bermuda Registrar General
Government Administration Building,
30 Parliament Street, Hamilton HM 12, Bermuda.
Phone: (441) 297-7707 / 7709
For a non-resident of Bermuda to get married, two witnesses over 18-years age are required for registry marriages. If you don't have witnesses, the registrar or the clergyman may be able to help.
Church Marriages in Bermuda
While couples of faiths such as Methodist, Anglican, Presbyterian, AME etc can choose outdoor location for marriage (limited to the approved and designated wedding locations in the island), Catholics must get married in a church.
But Catholics who do not reside in Bermuda or foreigner Catholics who do not marry a Bermudian can not usually get married in a local church.
However it is possible for non-resident Catholics to be married in an Catholic church in certain cases such as either the person has his or her Catholic family living and practicing their religion in Bermuda, or if the person once lived in the island and was a member of a Catholic church.
For detailed information on the subject, contact the Roman Catholic Chancery Office at (441) 232-4414.
While Catholic wedding ceremonies can be held only in a church, Clergy of several Protestant denominations also perform weddings for foreigners, and some would be willing to officiate outdoor weddings as well.
However in Bermuda, divorced persons cannot be married in any of the Roman Catholic churches. It can however happen at other churches, such as Anglican, Methodist etc., but only by making special request to the minister concerned.
Any questions on this subject should be addressed by airmail directly to the Bishop of Hamilton in Bermuda, P. O Box HM 1191, Hamilton HM EX, Bermuda. Locally, Catholics are required to give 12 months notice.
Marriage under religious faiths
For overseas persons, it is possible to have a religious wedding ceremony in Bermuda of different faiths. But policies and requirements do differ from faith to faith. For example, a Jewish community in Bermuda does not have a resident Rabbi.
To have a Jewish ceremony, the Rabbi needs to be brought into Bermuda from a foreign country to conduct the ceremony. For a Muslim ceremony though, there is a resident Imam - Ameer Shakir. Phone (441)293-9108 or (441) 292-5986 for details.
Other Marriage Policies
For marriages in hotels, the specific hotel authority should be contacted directly to know the processes and the required formalities and compliances.
Under the provisions of the Marriage Act 1944, marriage is allowed at sea (within Bermuda's Territory) with a valid Marriage License and in a Bermuda government registered cruise ship. The Captain of the cruise will be the licensed Marriage Officer.
Bermuda marriages are recognized in the USA and elsewhere. But appropriate checks are made from Bermuda with federal, state or provincial authorities to determine if proposed marriages are bigamous.
Minors in Bermuda are considered between 16 to those not yet 21 years old. All minors must have notarized written consent of both parents or the surviving parent or legal guardian. A marriage will not be performed if either or both parties are under 18 years at the time of the ceremony.
For British resident in England or Scotland or Northern Ireland who plan to marry a British resident in Bermuda, some local churches will require considerable notice from both parties for weddings.
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 By Raj Bhattacharya
Raj, a seasoned travel writer and Bermuda destination expert, has extensive global travel experience. This website reflects his profound insights, garnered over nearly two decades of dedicated findings and research on the island. Raj has assisted countless Bermuda-bound visitors by providing direct, personalized responses to their queries and imparting his wealth of knowledge through this platform. This site serves as an indispensable guide for those seeking informed and reliable insights into Bermuda's treasures.
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