Wedding Abroad RulesNot legal advice. Marriage rules change and local offices interpret them differently. Confirm every requirement with the civil registry or embassy before you book or pay. Disclaimer
Legal for visitors?Yes
Wait / residencyDocuments 30 days before
Government feeEUR 27.87
Same-sexNot confirmed
7 of 10 facts read on an official page; 2 not confirmed. Badges show the source level of each fact.
Where couples get confused
Croatia's official fee is under EUR 30 - but the paperwork asks for a recognition certificate most countries don't issue.
The rules
- Legal ceremony for visitorsOfficial ✓
- yesForeigners marry under the same conditions as citizens at the local Registry Office (maticni ured).
- Residency or waiting timeOfficial ✓
- No residency; contact registry 3 months ahead; documents submitted 30 days before (MFA).
- Required documentsOfficial ✓
- Birth certificate (<3 months, apostille); single-status certificate; confirmation that there's no impediment AND that the marriage will be recognised in your home country; photo ID; passport; witness passport copies.
- Apostille / translationOfficial ✓
- Yes - apostille + translation into Croatian by a court interpreter
- Blood or medical testNot confirmed
- Not confirmed, check with the registry or embassy
- WitnessesOfficial ✓
- 2 (passport copies requested)
- Who officiatesOfficial ✓
- Registrar
- Same-sex couplesNot confirmed
- Not confirmed, check with the registry or embassyOur unconfirmed note: life partnership regime - not confirmed this pass
- Recognized in the US, Canada, UKSnippet / semi-official
- US: generally valid if valid where performed; confirm with your state Attorney General (State Dept). Canada: usually valid if legal where performed, no need to register (travel.gc.ca). UK: no general statement found on gov.uk - unverified.
- Government feeOfficial ✓
- EUR 9.29 notice + EUR 18.58 ceremony at registry; extra for off-site ceremony
⚠ Pitfalls and scams to watch
Asks for a 'certificate of custom and law' that the US and UK don't routinely issue; MFA page text appears copied from a Norway template ('valid in Norway').
Planning a destination wedding? Get free help from a travel agent with a wedding in Croatia: venues, group room blocks and guest travel.
Get free help →Our sponsor: an independent Inteletravel travel agent. Not a legal or registry service.
Sources
Quotes copied from official pages on 2026-10-21. Items marked as a snippet were seen in search results because the page blocked our checker.
- docshttps://mpudt.gov.hr/useful-information/civil-status/marriage/marriage-of-foreign-citizens-25375/25375
confirmation that there are no obstacles to the conclusion of marriage of the foreign citizen in the Republic of Croatia, and that the marriage will be recognized in the state of their citizenship
- feehttps://mpudt.gov.hr/useful-information/civil-status/marriage/cost-of-marriage-procedure/25373
the notice of the intention to marry, a fee of 9.29 EUR, and the wedding ceremony before a registrar, a fee of 18.58 EUR.
- timinghttps://mvep.gov.hr/consular-information-140779/getting-married-in-croatia/180530
at least three months before the desired date ... Documentation must be submitted to the local Register Office 30 days prior
All sources consulted
- https://mpudt.gov.hr/useful-information/civil-status/marriage/marriage-of-foreign-citizens-25375/25375
- https://mpudt.gov.hr/useful-information/civil-status/marriage/cost-of-marriage-procedure/25373
- https://mvep.gov.hr/consular-information-140779/getting-married-in-croatia/180530
- https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/living-abroad/marriage.html
- https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/documents/marriage-overseas
Last checked 2026-10-21. Spot something out of date? Email [email protected].
Get rule changes by email
A short email when a destination changes its marriage rules or fees.