Contact the parish which corresponds to where you live in order to receive information regarding courses or catechesis preparation for the Sacrament of Matrimony. These are necessary for the marriage to go ahead.
The required paperwork for Catholics who are single, holding a valid I.D. or passport is the following:
- Baptismal Certificate, issued by the parish where the Baptism took place (and should it be from a different diocese, it must be legalized by the corresponding Bishopric) and must be up-to-date (within the last six month)
- Literal copy of Birth Certificate (issued by the Public Records Office)
- Proof of Identity and Single Marital Status ( issued by Public Records Office)
- Certificate showing that a pre-matrimonial course or catechesis preparation has been done (in our parish, the courses are in February, May, August and November)
- Photocopy of I.D. or passport
- Fill the Matrimony Form (in the parish) (leave telephone number)
These documents are the basis for the marriage application dossier, which must be made in the bride's parish, in that of the groom or that in which they will later reside. In the case of one of the couple coming from another city (being part of another diocese) a marriage application dossier will be prepared for each couple, both dossiers will later be combined within the parish where the wedding will take place.
Special Circumstances (between prospective Catholic partners)
- Those under 18 years of age. Those who are under 18 (minors) will require a dispensation issued by a Judge of the First Instance, or having obtained and duly certified their emancipation. They will then be issued with a licence by the Church for their wedding.
- Divorcees of a previous Civil Marriage. A literal copy of the said Civil Marriage Certificate wherein the divorce is specified will be required. Later a sworn declaration will be required of being free from any commitments derived from the previous union. A licence will then be granted by the Church for the wedding.
- Previous Church wedding which has been annulled. It will be necessary to present the Baptismal document in which the said marriage and the confirmed annulment is specified. It will also be required to present the literal certificate of the said marriage at the Public Records Office, in which the annulment or divorce is specified.
- Matrimony to a person who is non-Catholic. A person who belongs to another Christian faith (Anglican, Lutheran, Orthodox, etc.) will require a Birth Certificate from their church and a certificate of single marital status from the Public Records Office. In the wedding application dossier they will make special declarations to respect the religious obligations of their spouse-to-be and their children. A licence from the Bishopric will be issued for this marriage.
- Persons who have not been baptized. Several situations apply : a) those who have not been baptism, b) those who belong to another non-Christian religion, c) those who belong to another christian religion but that do not accept belief in the Trinity and other fundamental points of Christianity. In these cases a document is required certifying their single marital status and respecting the religious obligations of the partner-to-be and children. The Bishopric will grant dispensation of the impediment and authorize the marriage.
- Marriage of Foreigners:
Foreign non-residents in Spain. The relevant dossier should be produced in the Catholic parish of their country, approved by their Bishopric and from there the documentation should be delivered to the Bishopric of Malaga who will authorize the marriage.
Foreigner residents in Spain. They will be required to carry out everything a Spanish couple are required to do with the additional requirement that the documentation be translated and adequately certified.
Marriage of a Spaniard to a foreign Catholic. a) If residing in Spain, the dossier will be prepared in the parish to which he or she belongs. The documentation is the same as that indicated in no 2 above, but with the necessary certified translation as required
b) If one partner resides in their own country the dossier should be prepared and presented to their Bishopric and then deliviered to the Bishopric of Malaga so that it can be placed with the dossier of the other partner prepared in this Diocese, so that the marriage can then be authorised here.
- Date of wedding. This should not be set without prior consultation.
