In short: yes, foreigners can get legally married in Greece, and two foreigners can marry each other there. Guides such as Big Fat Greek Day and the Santorini planners at EasyWedding state that there is no residency requirement, but the exact paper list is set by the town hall where you marry. Expect to bring proof that you are free to marry, a birth certificate, an apostille on foreign documents and Greek translations, then to register the marriage at the local registry soon after the ceremony. Start 3 to 4 months ahead.
As of November 2026, this is what the official and planner sources we could open say. We found no official Greek page written for visiting couples, some town halls ask for extra papers, and rules change, so your embassy and the town hall have the final word. Where we could not open an official page, we say so.
Can foreigners get married in Greece? Yes, and you do not need to live there
A civil marriage in Greece is open to foreign couples whatever their nationality, as Expat.com also notes. Plan on both partners being 18 or over: the Greek government page below gives full legal capacity at 18 and describes a separate consent process for minors. The Greek government’s public services page for a marriage licence, on mitos.gov.gr, is written for foreigners who live in Greece and apply in their municipality of residence. It is the best official outline of the licence process we found, but it does not say what applies to visitors. The Santorini planners at EasyWedding state plainly that you do not need to be a Greek resident to marry in Greece.
So you can legally get married in Greece with a civil ceremony run by the town hall. A church wedding is possible only in some cases (see below). A symbolic ceremony is allowed anywhere but has no legal effect.
the town hall (dimarchio) where you plan to marry decides your exact document list, fees and timing. Email them before you order any apostille, so you do not pay for papers they will not accept.
Kyrisma & Benjamin · Positano · see the full wedding →Greece wedding legal requirements: documents by nationality
The documents are mostly the same for everyone: passport, long birth certificate, proof you are free to marry, and proof of any earlier marriage ending. What differs is who issues the “free to marry” paper.
| Nationality | Proof you are free to marry | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| US | A sworn statement made before a US consular officer in Greece, by appointment, per planner guides | US Embassy in Athens (we could not open its page) |
| UK | Certificate of No Impediment (CNI), then apostilled and translated | GOV.UK CNI service |
| Canada | Canada issues no CNI; a “statement in lieu” is available, though some countries may not accept it | travel.gc.ca |
| Australia | CNI from DFAT, if the Greek town hall asks for one | DFAT / Smartraveller (we could not open its page) |
| Ireland | Certificate of Freedom to Marry, €66 per person, apply at least 4 months ahead | ireland.ie |
How to get married in Greece as an American
US citizens usually prove they are free to marry with an affidavit, in English and Greek, signed under oath before a US consular officer in Athens or Thessaloniki. That is how Big Fat Greek Day describes it, and it says to book the consular appointment in advance. We could not open the US Embassy’s own page, so ask the embassy for the current form, fee and appointment rules before you travel, and do not sign anything beforehand. If either of you was married before, you also need proof that the marriage ended, with an apostille and an official Greek translation. Big Fat Greek Day estimates $300 to $450 for all legal paperwork for a US couple who were never married, rising to $400 to $600 if one of you was married before.
How to get married in Greece from the UK as a UK citizen
UK citizens ask for a CNI. The GOV.UK service lists Greece among the countries it covers. The UK has no central civil status register, and GOV.UK says embassies cannot issue civil status certificates, though they can write a letter saying so. UK documents are legalised with an apostille: GOV.UK lists £45 per document by the standard route, taking up to 25 working days plus postage, or £35 for an e-Apostille on eligible documents, taking up to 2 working days. Then comes the Greek translation. Translayte, a translation firm, says the CNI and birth certificate need an apostille and the CNI a Greek translation by an authorised translator.
How to get married in Greece as a Canadian
Canada does not issue certificates of non-impediment. Canada’s travel site says you can get a statement in lieu, but some foreign governments may not accept it, some accept it only if it was issued in Canada, and you cannot marry at a Canadian embassy or consulate. The Canadian Embassy in Athens is listed on travel.gc.ca (+30 210 727 3400). Ask the Greek town hall first whether it will take the statement.
Australians and Irish couples
Australians apply to DFAT for a CNI. The Smartraveller page on CNIs did not load for us, so check eligibility, fee and timing with DFAT directly. Irish citizens apply to the Department of Foreign Affairs for a certificate of freedom to marry. Ireland.ie gives the fee as €60 plus €6 postage per applicant, a further €60 if you apply less than 28 days before the wedding, and says to apply at least four months before.
How to get married in Greece: steps in order
- Choose the town hall. Pick the municipality where the ceremony will be held and email its civil registry office for the document list, the fee and how long the licence takes.
- Get your free-to-marry paper. CNI, affidavit or statement as in the table. Many town halls want it issued within the last 3 to 6 months, per Big Fat Greek Day.
- Order long birth certificates showing parents’ names, plus a divorce decree or death certificate if either of you was married before.
- Apostille and translate. Documents from countries in the Hague Convention need an apostille, then a Greek translation by a Greek translator, according to the Greek government page. EasyWedding says the same for visiting couples: an apostille (or certification by the Greek consulate) and official Greek translations.
- Apply for the marriage licence at the town hall. For foreigners who live in Greece, the government page gives a fee of €18, about one week of processing, a one-week period in which third parties may object, and 6 months’ validity. It does not cover visitors, so ask your town hall what applies to you.
- Hold the ceremony. EasyWedding lists two witnesses with valid passports for a civil ceremony.
- Register the marriage at the local registry (lixiarcheio). Big Fat Greek Day gives a deadline of 40 days after the ceremony. We could not open an official page that states it, so confirm the deadline with the town hall. Then ask for the Greek marriage certificate.
Ask the town hall two more things. First, whether it wants a marriage notice in a local newspaper: the government page for residents mentions one, and planner guides say only some municipalities ask for it. Second, whether there is any waiting period before the licence. Third-party guides disagree on both, and we found no official page that sets them for visitors.
What does a legal wedding in Greece cost, and how long does it take?
Official fees are small: for foreign residents the licence is €18, per the Greek government page, and your town hall will tell you its own fee. The larger costs are apostilles, translations and courier. Big Fat Greek Day estimates a municipality ceremony fee of €100 to €250, apostilles of €5 to €30 each, translations of €20 to €50 a page and total preparation of 8 to 12 weeks. These are one guide’s estimates, not official figures. Its Santorini guide puts the full legal route, including translations, officiant and coordinator help, at €1,000 to €1,500 and says to start at least 3 to 4 months before. Our planning timeline guide, Destination Wedding Planning Timeline for Europe, shows where this sits in the wider plan.
Silvio & Erika · Sorrento · see the full wedding →Civil, religious or symbolic wedding in Greece
Civil. Performed by the mayor or a delegated municipal officer, per EasyWedding. Legally binding and the usual choice for foreigners.
Religious. A Greek Orthodox wedding is legally recognised once registered, but according to Big Fat Greek Day at least one partner must be baptised Orthodox. Translayte adds that Greek law does not allow a religious marriage between a Christian and a non-Christian, so a civil wedding is the alternative. Our guide Church vs Civil Wedding Ceremonies in Greece covers permits and light.
Symbolic wedding in Greece
A symbolic wedding has no legal status and needs no paperwork in Greece. You complete the legal marriage at home and then hold the ceremony in Greece, at a venue that allows it, with any officiant. Big Fat Greek Day’s Santorini guide puts the officiant at €300 to €500. This is the route many couples take, because it avoids apostilles, translations and registration in Greece. See Symbolic vs Legal Wedding Ceremony Abroad for how to decide. Our elopement guide, How to Elope in Greece, takes this further.
How to get married in Santorini, Greece
The steps above apply. In Santorini, per EasyWedding, civil weddings are performed by the mayor or a delegated municipal officer, and you should plan to stay at least one working day afterwards to sign the marriage certificate at the town hall. Its estimate for legal and administrative fees on an intimate wedding is €300 to €600. For current fees and contact details, ask Santorini’s town hall or your planner. The island’s own municipality website, thira.gov.gr, had no page on civil weddings when we looked in November 2026; its phone directory is the way to reach the registry.
Same-sex couples, recognition at home and entry rules
The Greek government’s licence page lists Law 5089/2024 on marriage between persons of the same sex among its legal basis. Big Fat Greek Day adds that same-sex civil marriage uses the same documents and process, but religious ceremonies for same-sex couples are not available.
Recognition at home: GOV.UK says a marriage abroad is recognised in the UK if you followed the local legal process and it would be allowed under UK law. Canada says a marriage legally performed abroad is usually valid and you generally do not need to register it in Canada. Ireland recognises it only if it is entered on the civil register of the country where the ceremony took place and all legal formalities were followed. US and Australian couples should ask their own authorities.
Can foreigners get married in Greece without a visa?
For visits, UK citizens can travel to Greece without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180, per GOV.UK, and Canada’s travel site says the same for Canadians, with a passport valid 3 months beyond leaving the Schengen area. None of the sources we read lists a visa as a document for the marriage itself, but we cannot advise on immigration. Check your government’s entry page. If one of you is Greek, or you plan to live there, the rules are different: Expat.com says a non-Greek marrying a Greek citizen needs a valid residence permit.
Greece wedding legal requirements for guests
Guests need nothing beyond the normal entry rules for their passport. Only the couple and two witnesses take part in the legal ceremony, and witnesses need valid passports, per EasyWedding.
Manuela & Konstantin · Zakynthos · see the full wedding →Timeline: what to do and when
| When | What | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 6 months+ before | Pick town hall, ask for its document list | Check passports |
| 3 to 4 months | Order birth certificates; start CNI, affidavit or certificate | Ireland: apply 4 months ahead |
| 8 to 10 weeks | Apostilles; book embassy appointment (US) | UK standard route up to 25 working days |
| 3 to 5 weeks | Greek translations | Via a Greek translator |
| 2 weeks+ | Submit licence application | Ask the town hall how long it takes |
| After the ceremony | Register the marriage | Guides say within 40 days; confirm |
Timing in this table follows the Big Fat Greek Day timeline and the official pages above. It is our summary, not an official schedule.
FAQ: marrying in Greece as a foreigner
Can two foreigners get married in Greece?
Yes. Nationality does not block a civil wedding, but each partner must show they are free to marry through their own country’s papers.
Can you get married in Greece without being a resident?
Yes. EasyWedding and Big Fat Greek Day both state that residency is not needed. Confirm with the town hall that will marry you.
Can US citizens get married in Greece?
Yes. They usually need a sworn statement made before a US consular officer in Greece, apostilled documents and Greek translations. Ask the US Embassy in Athens for its current requirements.
Can we get legally married in Greece from the UK?
Yes, with a CNI, apostilled and translated documents and a licence from the town hall.
Do we have to marry legally in Greece to have a ceremony there?
No. A symbolic ceremony needs no paperwork in Greece, and many couples marry legally at home.
Is a Greek wedding valid at home?
Generally yes if you follow Greek law and register it, as the UK, Canadian and Irish pages above explain. Check with your own authority.
Planning yours?
We are a team of six photographers and filmmakers who document weddings in Greece and across Europe, and we document rather than stage. Photography and film packages from €1,390, no extra travel fees, and you can book any package and change it later once the paperwork is clear. Our Greece wedding photographer page shows our work. Check a date on the contact page (reply within 24 hours) or see the prices. For the wider picture, read Where Can Foreigners Legally Marry in Europe?