What do I need to arrange if I want to marry in the United Kingdom?

Can I get married in the United Kingdom?

Visa to get married

In the following cases, you will need to a visa to get married in the United Kingdom as a Dutch national:

• you do not have permanent residence status in the United Kingdom
• you do not have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
• you applied to the EU Settlement Scheme after 30 June 2021

The type of visa you need depends on your situation:

• You are not planning to live or stay in the United Kingdom for more than 6 months: marriage visitor visa
• You plan to live in the United Kingdom permanently and your partner already lives there: family visa
• You are joining a family member from an EU or EEA country or Switzerland who lives in the United Kingdom: family permit

Find out more about getting married in the United Kingdom on the UK government website.

Other conditions

Same-sex couples can get married in the United Kingdom.

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 the United Kingdom?

Please visit the UK government website to see what documents you need to get married.

Is my marriage valid in the Netherlands?

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

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 your marriage certificate to do this. First have your marriage certificate translated and legalised.

More information about having documents from the United Kingdom 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

Additional information

Find out more about getting married in the United Kingdom on gov.uk.