Marriage registration in Georgia

Fast marriage registration in Georgia: key requirements for non-residents

Georgian legislation is among the most flexible and accessible in the world when it comes to international marriage registration. Couples of both the same and different nationalities can legally marry in Georgia. You do not need to obtain a residence permit, apply for a visa (citizens of more than 90 countries can enter Georgia visa-free) or reside in the country for any specific period before submitting your application.

Before planning your trip, make sure you meet Georgia’s basic legal requirements for marriage:

• Both partners must be at least 18 years old.
• Marriage must be entered into voluntarily, with the free and mutual consent of both parties.
• Neither partner may have another legally registered marriage that has not been dissolved at the time of registration.
• Marriage between close relatives is prohibited (including parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, and full or half-siblings).
• Both partners must have legal capacity, meaning they must be able to understand and control their actions.
• Under the Family Code of Georgia, marriage is legally recognised exclusively as a union between a man and a woman (same-sex marriages cannot be registered in the country).

To give you a clearer idea of how much simpler the procedure in Georgia is compared to other countries, here is a comparison of the key requirements:

Requirement / condition	In Georgia	In other countries
Complex documentation requirements	Only international passports are required	EU countries, the US and the UAE require additional documents, such as police clearance certificates, birth certificates and civil registry extracts with an apostille
Entry visa requirements	Visa-free entry for citizens of more than 90 countries	Most European countries, the US and Canada require visitors to obtain a visitor, wedding or tourist visa in advance
Residence permit or minimum stay requirements	None	Yes. For example, Cyprus, Montenegro and the UAE may require a residence permit or a stay of 7 to 30 days before an application can be submitted
Certificate of No Impediment (proof of marital status)	Not required	Mandatory in EU countries, Israel and the UK. It must be obtained in your home country and legalised
Medical certificates and tests	Not required	Mandatory for marriage registration in several Middle Eastern and Asian countries, including the UAE
Waiting time for marriage registration	Less than 24 hours from application submission	In Europe and the US, official application processing can take anywhere from several weeks to 2–3 months
Remote marriage registration	Not available	Also generally unavailable, as personal attendance is required in virtually every country

This legal flexibility makes Georgia an ideal destination for foreign nationals looking to get married quickly. Shu Wedding’s experts review the couple’s entire document package in advance, eliminating potential bureaucratic issues and administrative complications before you even arrive in the country.

Documents required for foreign nationals to register a marriage

Official marriage registration in Georgia requires only a minimal set of documents. The basic package includes:

• International passports of both partners, valid for the entire duration of their trip.
• Divorce certificates or a deceased spouse’s death certificate (if either partner was previously married).

We take care of preparing your passports in full: arranging official translations into Georgian and notarisation. However, documents relating to a previous marriage (divorce or widowhood) must be obtained and prepared by you in the country where they were issued. Under international law, these documents must be apostilled or undergo consular legalisation in the country of issue. It is legally impossible to complete this procedure on your behalf in Georgia.

We will provide detailed guidance on all documentation requirements, review scanned copies of your documents before your trip and make sure they fully comply with the House of Justice’s requirements.

How to submit a marriage application in Georgia

Getting married remotely – without either partner travelling to Georgia – is not possible. Georgian law strictly requires both the bride and groom to be physically present at the ceremony to sign the civil registration record. However, the application itself can be submitted in one of two ways.

Submitting an application through a power of attorney (express option without your personal attendance)

If you want to spend just 1–2 days in Georgia and avoid wasting time on visits to government offices, your application can be submitted by our representative under a notarised power of attorney.

• How it works: You issue a power of attorney authorising our specialist in your home country.
• What we do: We translate your documents into Georgian, have them notarised locally and submit your application to the House of Justice several days before your arrival.
• The result: Your application undergoes legal review by the Georgian Ministry of Justice in advance. By the time you arrive, the date, exact time and booking are officially confirmed. You can go straight to your scheduled wedding ceremony.

Submitting the application in person with our assistance

If you plan to arrive in Georgia in advance or prefer to submit your documents personally, we will accompany you throughout the entire process.

• How it works: Our coordinator meets you, handles all communication with House of Justice staff and takes care of completing the application forms.
• What we do: We prepare the entire notarised document package in advance, including passport translations, arrange priority service to avoid queues and guide you through every step until you receive the official confirmation.

Details and important aspects of the procedure: how your application is reviewed

The marriage application process in Georgia involves several important administrative details that foreign couples are often unaware of:

1. Entering personal details and name transliteration. When the application is submitted, a House of Justice officer enters the bride’s and groom’s personal details into the unified registry of the Public Service Development Agency (PSDA) in Georgian. Even a one-letter discrepancy between the notarised passport translation, divorce certificate and registry entry can result in the registration being cancelled or errors appearing on the future marriage certificate. We personally check the accuracy of every character.
2. SMS confirmation and approval by the Ministry of Justice. Submitting an application is more than simply filling out a form – it initiates a legal verification process. The documents are sent for validation against the relevant database. Once the review is complete, you receive an official SMS notification from the Ministry of Justice confirming that your application has been approved and the marriage is authorised.
3. Choosing your surnames after marriage. When submitting the application, you must clearly specify which surnames each partner will use after getting married: keeping their current surnames, taking their spouse’s surname or adopting a double-barrelled surname. Important: once the application has been submitted to the system, this decision cannot be changed.
4. Registering witnesses. The passport details of two witnesses must be included in the application. If you do not have your own witnesses or are travelling as a couple, Shu Wedding provides witnesses free of charge and registers their translated documents in the system in advance.
5. Time between application submission and the ceremony. Application approval can be obtained within just a few hours, allowing you to get married on the same day or book your preferred registration date in advance.

With Shu Wedding, submitting a marriage application becomes a straightforward and stress-free process rather than a complicated visit to government offices. You leave the paperwork to us, and we guarantee 100% approval by the Ministry of Justice, with no delays or errors.

Where to register your marriage: House of Justice and wedding palaces

Georgia does not have the conventional system of district civil registry offices found in many other countries. All government and administrative services, including civil status registration, are centralised within the Public Service Development Agency (PSDA), operating under the Ministry of Justice.

Civil registration services in Georgia are provided by two types of institutions:

1. House of Justice – a modern, technology-driven facility where civil marriages are registered through a streamlined administrative process.
2. Wedding palaces – specialised branches featuring elegant ceremonial halls designed specifically for formal wedding ceremonies.

We organise and provide full support throughout the marriage registration process for foreign couples in Tbilisi, Batumi, Sighnaghi and Kutaisi.

Civil registry offices for foreign couples in Tbilisi:

• Central Tbilisi House of Justice – an ideal choice for a quick and straightforward civil marriage registration.
• Wedding Palace on Uznadze Street – a charming historic mansion featuring an elegant ceremonial hall and a classic interior staircase.
• Wedding Palace in Mtatsminda Park – a venue perched on a hilltop, offering panoramic views of the entire city.
• Wedding Palace No. 1, Konka – a cosy branch with a bright, modern hall, perfect for intimate wedding ceremonies.

Our specialists will help you choose a convenient venue, book your preferred time in advance, prepare all document translations and meet you at the location on your wedding day.

Step-by-step marriage registration process for foreign couples

With Shu Wedding, the official marriage registration process in Georgia is organised into a few simple and transparent steps. You won’t need to navigate the complexities of Georgian legislation – we take care of all the paperwork for you.

Step 1: Consultation and document review (online)

You send us clear, high-quality scans of both international passports. If either partner has been married before, our legal specialists provide detailed guidance on obtaining and preparing a divorce certificate or a former spouse’s death certificate. We also check any existing apostilles and make sure the documents meet all the requirements for acceptance by the House of Justice.

Step 2: Notarised translation and application submission

We arrange official translations of your passports into Georgian and have them certified by a local notary. We then submit your application to the Georgian Ministry of Justice, either remotely under a power of attorney or in person together with you on the day of your arrival. Our specialists monitor the application status until official approval is received.

Step 3: Marriage registration and ceremony in Georgia

On the scheduled date and at the agreed time, our coordinator meets you at your chosen venue. You can choose between two ceremony formats: a simple registration at the registrar’s desk in the House of Justice or a formal ceremony with music and wedding vows at a Wedding Palace. Our coordinator oversees the entire signing process, and you receive your original Georgian marriage certificate immediately afterwards.

Step 4: Translation, apostille or consular legalisation

Once your marriage certificate is issued, we promptly arrange its translation into the official language of your country of residence or citizenship, have the translation notarised and submit the document for an apostille or consular legalisation, as required.

Step 5: Receiving your completed documents

You receive your fully prepared documents in person before leaving Georgia, or we arrange express delivery (DHL/FedEx) directly to your home address.

Witness requirements for marriage registration in Georgia

Under Georgian law, the presence of two witnesses at the official marriage registration is mandatory. Without them, the civil registration record cannot be legally signed. Any adult can act as a witness, whether a friend, relative or even someone you have just met.

If you plan to bring your own witnesses, simply send us scans of their international passports in advance. The Shu Wedding team will arrange notarised translations into Georgian and enter their details into the Ministry of Justice system when submitting your application.

If you are travelling as a couple without witnesses, we will provide our own staff members free of charge, prepare all the necessary documentation in advance and arrange for them to be present at your wedding ceremony.

Legal validity and legalisation of a Georgian marriage certificate

Marriage registration in Georgia provides you with an official document that is legally valid within the country. However, without additional legal formalities, a Georgian marriage certificate may not be recognised by the authorities in your country of residence or citizenship. For the document to be officially accepted by government authorities abroad, it must undergo the relevant international legalisation procedure.

Recognition of marriages in the UAE, the Philippines, the US, Europe and Asia

A marriage officially registered in Georgia is recognised in almost every country worldwide. The main requirement is to ensure that the marriage certificate is properly legalised for the specific jurisdiction:

• Countries party to the Hague Convention (including European countries, the US, the UK and several countries in Asia and Latin America): require an apostille stamp and a notarised translation into the official language of the destination country.
• CIS countries: most have mutual legal assistance agreements in place, so an apostilled marriage certificate and a notarised translation are generally sufficient.
• Middle Eastern and Asian countries (including the UAE, Qatar and Egypt): require the full consular legalisation procedure.

Apostille vs. consular legalisation: what is the difference?

The main difference between these procedures lies in their complexity and the countries in which they apply:

• Apostille – a simplified form of international certification issued by the Georgian Ministry of Justice and affixed directly to the original marriage certificate or its notarised translation. It is valid in all countries party to the 1961 Hague Convention. The procedure takes one working day and does not require visiting any embassies.
• Consular legalisation – a multi-stage procedure for countries that are not party to the Hague Convention. The marriage certificate is first certified by the Georgian Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed by final certification at the consulate or embassy of the destination country. The process takes approximately 8–10 days.

The Shu Wedding team determines your country’s specific requirements in advance. We handle document submission to the relevant government authorities and provide you with a fully prepared marriage certificate bearing the apostille or consular legalisation.

Frequently asked questions about marriage registration in Georgia

Can we get married in Georgia in just one day?

Yes. With advance preparation and document translation, all of which Shu Wedding takes care of, foreign couples can register their marriage in less than 24 hours. You do not need to remain in Georgia while your marriage certificate is being apostilled or legalised. You can fly home or continue your travels immediately after the ceremony, and we will send the completed document with international legalisation to you by courier (DHL/FedEx).

What if one of the partners has been married before?

You must provide the original divorce certificate (or court decree) or the death certificate of your former spouse, bearing an apostille or consular legalisation issued in the country where the document was originally issued. Simply send us scanned copies, and we will check that everything is in order, arrange translations into Georgian and submit the documents to the Ministry of Justice.

Turnkey fast marriage registration in Georgia with Shu Wedding

The Shu Wedding team takes care of every legal aspect of your marriage registration in Georgia: document verification, notarised translations, application submission, payment of government fees, provision of witnesses and international legalisation of your marriage certificate. You simply arrive on the scheduled date, sign the documents and enjoy this special occasion without bureaucracy or queues.

Contact us today. We will review your documents, help you choose a convenient venue and put together a personalised plan for your fast marriage registration in Georgia.