What are the legal requirements to get married in New Zealand?
Legal age for marriage is 20 years for both men and women. If between 16 and 19
years old then parental consent is required.
Bride and Groom may not be related by blood, marriage or adoption.
How long do I have to be resident in New Zealand before I can get married?
There are no residency requirements to get married in New Zealand, although if
you are in New Zealand at least 3 working days before your marriage, you can
apply for a marriage licence in person rather than apply from overseas.
Getting a marriage licence
You need to fill in a Statutory Declaration form which states that there is no
lawful impediment to your marriage. This can be obtained from a New Zealand
representative overseas, or from a registry office in New Zealand.
You also need to advise the Registrar of the date of your wedding, in order for
the wedding licence to be issued (valid for 3 months).
What legal papers do I need to take with me?
There is no proof of identity needed to marry in New Zealand.
If you have been divorced then the final divorce papers must be shown.
If you are widowed then the death certificate of your previous spouse must be
shown.