To get married in Costa Rica as a foreign couple, you hire a Costa Rican notary public who performs the ceremony, files the paperwork with the Civil Registry, and produces a marriage that is legally recognized both in Costa Rica and back home. There is no residency requirement, no waiting period, and no blood test. Your 90-day tourist stamp is enough legal status to marry, and most couples complete the ceremony within days of arriving. The final certified marriage certificate takes several weeks longer.
Who Can Marry
Both parties must be at least 18. Costa Rica removed all exceptions to that minimum in 2017. Both must be legally single, whether never married, divorced, or widowed. Marriage between close blood relatives, and between siblings by blood or adoption, is prohibited. Neither party faces a waiting period after a prior divorce.
Same-sex couples marry on identical terms. Same-sex marriage became legal on May 26, 2020, and every requirement, document, and procedure below applies the same way regardless of the couple’s gender.
You do not need a special visa, property in the country, or any tie beyond your tourist entry.
Documents You Need to Bring
Gather everything well before you travel. Missing or improperly authenticated paperwork is the most common cause of delay.
- A valid passport for each party, current at the time of the ceremony and stamped on entry to Costa Rica.
- An original or certified copy of each party’s birth certificate.
- Proof of single status if either party was previously married: the original divorce decree or the former spouse’s death certificate.
- Full names, passport numbers, occupations, home addresses, citizenships, and marital status for your two witnesses.
- Full names, occupations, and addresses for both parents of each party. The notary needs this information to draft the marriage deed.
Apostille Authentication
Foreign birth certificates and divorce decrees must be apostilled before you bring them to Costa Rica. An apostille is a standardized certificate attached to your document that verifies the signature and seal of the official who issued it. Costa Rica has accepted apostilles since joining the Hague Apostille Convention in December 2011. If your home country is also a signatory, the apostille is all you need. If it isn’t, the document must instead go through consular authentication, meaning certification by your country’s officials and by the Costa Rican consulate.
In the United States, apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State’s office in the state where the document originated. Fees generally run $10 to $26 per document. Plan for at least a few weeks of processing, longer if you’re mailing documents in.
Spanish Translation
Any document not in Spanish must be translated by a certified translator in Costa Rica. Your notary can usually recommend one. Certified translation of legal documents from English to Spanish typically runs $20 to $80 per page. Arrange it in advance so it doesn’t hold up the wedding.
The Ceremony
A civil marriage in Costa Rica is performed by a notary public, who under Costa Rican law is also a licensed attorney. Clergy of non-Catholic faiths can lead a wedding ceremony, but the marriage must still be legalized by a notary, which makes it a civil marriage in the eyes of the law.
The ceremony is conducted in Spanish. If either party doesn’t speak Spanish, an interpreter can be present to translate. The couple and their two witnesses sign the marriage deed along with a sworn statement affirming that both parties are eligible to marry.
Witnesses
You need two witnesses, each at least 18. Friends, family, and fellow travelers qualify. Close relatives of either spouse do not. If you’re eloping or traveling without guests, your notary or a wedding coordinator can arrange local witnesses.
Have each witness’s full name (as it appears on the passport), occupation, home address, passport number, citizenship, and marital status written down before the ceremony day.
Getting Your Marriage Certificate
After the ceremony, the notary files the marriage declaration with Costa Rica’s Civil Registry (Registro Civil). The registration process, through issuance of the official marriage certificate (Certificación de Matrimonio), takes roughly three weeks.
Most couples will be home by the time the certificate is ready. Your notary can obtain it for you and arrange delivery. One more step is required before it travels: an apostille from Costa Rica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship in San José, which confirms the certificate’s validity for use in other Hague Convention countries. That authentication takes 5 to 10 business days. Expect the final apostilled certificate to arrive two to three months after the wedding.
Using the Marriage in the United States
U.S. recognition of a foreign marriage is governed by the law of the state where you live, not by federal law. The U.S. Department of State advises couples who marry abroad to contact the Attorney General’s office in their home state to determine what documentation they need to provide. In practice, U.S. states recognize marriages legally performed in a foreign country as long as the marriage would also be legal in that state.1Travel.State.Gov. Marriage
You do not register a foreign marriage with any U.S. federal agency. The apostilled Costa Rican marriage certificate is your proof of marriage for updating tax filing status, adding a spouse to insurance, or changing your name.
Name Changes
Costa Rican tradition does not involve changing surnames after marriage, so your Costa Rican certificate will show both spouses under their original names. You can still change your legal name in the United States through the standard process.
To update your Social Security card, the Social Security Administration requires evidence of the marriage event, the new name, and your identity. The SSA has specific procedures for name changes based on foreign marriage certificates. Accepted changes include one spouse taking the other’s last name, taking part of a compound surname, or both spouses hyphenating. If your Costa Rican certificate specifies a new legal name under applicable law, the SSA will issue the card in that name.2Social Security Administration (SSA). Evidence Required to Process a Name Change on the SSN Based on Marriage, Civil Union and Domestic Partnership
What It Costs
The legal side is inexpensive compared to a U.S. wedding. These figures cover legal and administrative costs only, not venues, photography, or travel.
- Notary fee: around $300 for a civil marriage, typically including officiating, drafting the marriage deed, and filing with the Civil Registry.
- Apostilles for U.S. documents: $10 to $26 per document, depending on the issuing state.
- Certified Spanish translations: $20 to $80 per page.
- Costa Rica apostille on the outgoing certificate: a nominal government fee, well under $10.
If either party was previously married, budget for additional translation and apostille costs for the divorce decree. A wedding planner or coordinator adds cost but is separate from the legal requirements. For a couple with straightforward paperwork, the legal process from notary fee through final apostilled certificate typically runs $400 to $600.