Getting Married In Greece: Legal Guide For Foreigners

Getting married in Greece as a foreign couple is entirely possible: you do not need to live here, and both civil and religious ceremonies are legally valid. The process does involve paperwork, so this guide sets out the usual steps, based on official Greek and embassy sources. It is general information, not legal advice. Requirements can change and vary between municipalities, so always confirm with the town hall where you will marry and with your own embassy.

Civil or religious ceremony

In Greece a civil wedding at the town hall (or at a location the municipality approves) and a religious wedding are both legal marriages, and you do not need both. Religious ceremonies have their own requirements set by the church or religious community, so contact them early.

Documents usually required

Each partner submits a separate set of documents. The usual list for foreign nationals includes:

A valid passport, plus a visa or passport entry stamp for non-EU citizens.
A birth certificate with an Apostille (Hague Convention) and an official Greek translation.
A certificate of no impediment (single-status certificate) or a marriage licence from your home country, translated into Greek.
If either of you was married before, a final divorce decree or a death certificate, also translated.
In some municipalities, a wedding notice published in a local newspaper, with your names written in Greek.

Step by step

Contact the municipality where you plan to marry and ask for its current document list and fees.
Collect and legalise your documents at home: Apostille stamps, then official Greek translations.
Apply for the marriage licence. It is usually issued about a week after a complete application and is valid for six months.
Hold the ceremony with two adult witnesses.
Register the marriage at the local registry office (Lixiarcheio) within 40 days. Until it is registered, the marriage is not legally valid. A marriage certificate is then issued.

Timeline and practical tips

Allow several weeks for gathering, legalising and translating documents before you travel.
Book suppliers early. For summer weddings, contact venues, photographers and videographers 4 to 6 months ahead or earlier.
Consider a symbolic ceremony. Some couples marry legally at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in Greece, which removes the paperwork abroad.
Check recognition at home. Marriages validly performed in Greece are generally recognised abroad, but confirm with your own authorities.

Official sources

Photography and film for your wedding in Greece

Once the paperwork is under way, the fun part begins. Videografos.gr has photographed and filmed weddings since 2007, more than 1,500 in total, across all of Greece. Whether you are planning a destination wedding with family and friends or an elopement for two, we cover wedding photography and wedding film with one team.

Frequently asked questions

Do we need to live in Greece to get married there?

No. You do not need to be resident in Greece to marry there, but non-EU citizens need a valid visa or a passport entry stamp, and the paperwork can take several weeks to prepare.

What documents do foreigners need to marry in Greece?

Typically a valid passport, a birth certificate with an Apostille and an official Greek translation, a certificate of no impediment (or a marriage licence from your home country), and proof of divorce or a death certificate if either of you was married before. Each partner submits a separate set of documents. Check the exact list with the municipality where you will marry.

How long does the marriage licence take?

The municipality usually issues the licence about one week after you submit a complete application, and it is valid for six months.

Do we need witnesses?

Yes. A civil ceremony in Greece needs two adult witnesses.

Do we have to register the marriage?

Yes. Every marriage in Greece, civil or religious, must be registered at the local registry office (Lixiarcheio) within 40 days. A marriage is not legally valid until it is registered.