There are two different processes for getting married in the Cayman Islands. Visitors can be married the same day they arrive, by Special Marriage Licence. Residents must be married by having their Banns of Marriage published by a Civil Registrar or Marriage Officer for seven clear days before the marriage can take place.
If one party to the marriage is a resident, and the other party a visitor, then the resident party can apply for the Banns to be published before the visiting party arrives. Banns of Marriage are valid for three months after being published.
Please note, the minimum age to get married in the Cayman Islands is 16, however, anyone under 18 must have the consent of a parent or guardian. Weddings must take place between the hours of 8am and 6pm and according to the liquor licensing laws, if you get married on a Sunday (on a liquor-licensed premises) then no live music can be played.
The Process of Getting Married
Once you have decided on the date of your wedding, contact either a Civil Registrar or a Marriage Officer. Most of the 90 marriage officers in the Cayman Islands are Ministers of Religion and can be contacted through their churches.
Civil Registrars on Grand Cayman work out of their offices where they can be contacted, and where the Banns of Marriage are published.
There are several event-planning businesses that can arrange marriage officer services. Most large hotels have their own wedding planners and can assist you in planning the event at their property.
Planning your Wedding
Most residents get married on Saturday, which means you should book early to secure the date with your Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer. You will have to have a preliminary interview with your Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer and complete a form called a Notice of Marriage. Two residents who have known each of you for at least two years, and are not family members, must sign this form. You will need to take your passports and your proof of immigration status (e.g. work permit, residency certificate, etc.) when you attend the interview.
If you have been previously married, you will also need your original divorce decree or spouse’s death certificate. If the decree or certificate is in a language other than English, you will need an English translation certified by a Notary Public.
If you are marrying a Caymanian, your Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer is required to ask you certain questions where the intention is to make sure yours is not a marriage of convenience. A marriage of convenience is where the two parties enter into the marriage for the sole purpose of obtaining immigration rights as a spouse of a Caymanian. This is illegal in the Cayman Islands, as in most countries. Your Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer will charge a fee for the documentation, preliminary interview, publishing the Banns, conducting the ceremony and filing your marriage with the appropriate government official. The average cost of this service is CI$300.
Once you are Married
After the wedding ceremony, which can be civil or religious, you, your spouse, two adult witnesses (aged 18 or older) and your Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer must sign three copies of the Marriage Register.
One certified copy, sometimes called the Bridal Certificate is yours to keep for your records. Your Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer is required by law to keep one copy in his/her Marriage Book. Again, according to the Marriage Law which governs marriages in the Cayman Islands, the third (duplicate) copy must be filed by your Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer with the Registrar of Marriages at the General Registry as soon as possible after the wedding. The General Registry is located on the first floor of the Citrus Grove Building, Goring Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman.
It is your responsibility to obtain the Registered Marriage Certificate (RMC) of your marriage from the General Registry, unless you have arranged with your Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer to obtain this and forward it to you. The RMC has the words ‘secure copy’ on the reverse. On the front it will have the details of your marriage, a watermark of the Coat of Arms of the Cayman Islands and the raised seal of the Registrar General. This document is your legal Marriage Certificate and should be secured with your other important documents.
Each RMC costs CI$15 and you may request as many copies as you need.
European Union citizens (except the United Kingdom and Ireland) may need to have their Registered Marriage Certificate apostilled (or authenticated). This does not apply to United States or Canadian citizens. Citizens of Asian countries, South and Central America should check with their Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer as to whether an apostille is required for your country.
