What do I need to arrange if I want to marry in Lebanon?

If you are a Dutch national planning to marry in Lebanon, you will need to provide certain documents. And you may need to meet extra requirements.

Can I get married in Lebanon?

Ask the organisation that you want to perform the marriage whether the rules in Lebanon allow you to marry there as a Dutch national.

Religious marriages only

In Lebanon you can only enter into a religious marriage, not a civil marriage. You must get married before a religious body, such as a church or an Islamic court. This body may set additional requirements.

The rules for a religious marriage a different to the rules for a civil marriage in the Netherlands. In Lebanon, husbands and wives have different rights and obligations. A religious marriage is only valid after it has been registered in the Lebanese civil registry.

Other conditions

Same-sex couples cannot get married in Lebanon.

A Muslim woman cannot marry a non-Muslim man, unless the man converts to Islam.

You cannot get married at the Dutch embassy.

Requirements for getting married for Dutch nationals

If you are a Dutch national and you want to marry, you must meet the following requirements:

You and your partner must be 18 or older. If you are under 18 and you marry abroad, the Dutch authorities will not recognise your marriage until you and your partner are both 18.
You and your partner must not already be married to or have a registered partnership with someone else.
If you are under guardianship, you will need the permission of your guardian or of the limited jurisdiction judge (‘kantonrechter’).
The following family members are not allowed to marry each other or enter into a registered partnership with each other: parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, and brothers and sisters.

What documents do I need to marry in Lebanon?

The documents you need depend on the church or Islamic court where you want to get married. Documents from the Netherlands have to be legalised first before you can use them in Lebanon.

To get married in Lebanon you will need to following documents:

A declaration of marital status shows that you are unmarried. To get this document, you will need to submit a number of other documents.

Do you live outside Lebanon? Then you need to apply for a declaration of marital status at your municipality.
Do you live in Lebanon? Read more information about applying for a declaration of marital status

You can get an official copy of your birth certificate from the municipality where you were born.

Is my marriage valid in the Netherlands?

Marriages performed in Lebanon are recognised in the Netherlands. But you must have your marriage certificate legalised.

Polygamous marriages are not recognised in the Netherlands.

Do I have to register my marriage in the Netherlands?

You may need to register your marriage in the Netherlands. This depends on where you live.

If you live in the Netherlands, you must register your marriage with your municipality. You will need to have 2 documents legalised by the Dutch embassy in Beirut:

the religious marriage certificate. If you were married before the Islamic court more than 6 months ago, you must have the court confirm that your marriage has not ended;
proof that the marriage was registered in the civil registry.

More information about having documents from Lebanon legalised

If you live outside the Netherlands, you can have your marriage certificate converted into a Dutch certificate by the municipality of The Hague. This is not mandatory, but it can be useful if you ever need an extract in the future.

More information about registering a foreign marriage certificate in the Netherlands