People from around the world are increasingly choosing New Zealand as their ultimate wedding location. With its many beautiful beaches, pristine forests and variety of panoramic landscapes, you can see why it is a popular destination.

There are three things you will need for getting married in New Zealand:

• A license


• A Celebrant


• Two people to sign as witnesses during your ceremony.

There are no limitations as to where you have your wedding - it can be on a beach, in a church or whilst bungy jumping off a bridge!

The following are the requirements for obtaining a Marriage License for those living outside New Zealand:

Get a Marriage Licence

To get a licence you will need to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage application form. If either of you have been married or in a civil union before, and the marriage or civil union has been dissolved, you will be asked to produce evidence of the dissolution (e.g. Divorce/Dissolution Order) when you give notice to the Registrar. If your previous spouse or partner has died you do not have to produce evidence of their death, but you will have to give the date of death on the Notice of Intended Marriage.

Make a Statutory Declaration

As part of completing the application form for a marriage licence, you need to make a statutory declaration. Either you or your partner will need to make a formal statutory declaration that there is no lawful impediment to the marriage (i.e. no legal reason that you both cannot be married), that the details given are true, that the bride and groom are not within the "prohibited degrees of relationship" and that consent has been given (where relevant).

• You can send the form to the New Zealand Registrar of Marriages closest to where you intend to marry once you have completed the form, signed the statutory declaration and had it witnessed by a New Zealand Commonwealth representative. If it is convenient, you can have the declaration witnessed by a Commonwealth Representative, at our London or Sydney office. Note: only the Notice of Intended Marriage where both parties ordinarily resident outside New Zealand (BDM 58) can be signed by a Commonwealth representative.


• Alternately, if you will be in New Zealand at least three working days before the ceremony (either the bride or groom, or both) you can sign the statutory declaration and have it witnessed by a Registrar of Marriages in New Zealand.


• See Cheque Payments for a New Zealand Marriage Licence or New Zealand Civil Union Licence to check the locations of the Registry Offices in New Zealand. The contact details for your nearest Registrar of Marriages can be obtained by contacting us or contact the District Court for their addresses.


• You should advise the Registrar of the date that you intend to collect the marriage licence (this must be at least three days after your completed form reaches the Registrar).


• For more details about applying from overseas, see 'When and How to Apply for a Marriage Licence; If you both live outside New Zealand'.

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