I?d be really grateful if someone could please help!!  I?m very confused!!  I am a British person, living in Spain.  I?m a resident here in Spain and “empadronada”.  I am getting married to my Spanish fiance in December.  I?m really confused about the documents I need.  I?ve been told I need my birth certificate, my baptism certificate (we are both catholic and having a catholic church wedding) and a document to prove I?m single and free to marry.  I also understand that there is a 6 month validity date for these documents - does this apply to all 3??  My dad has my original birth and baptism certificates at home in the UK.  Are these OK or do I need to go and get official copies made which are dated 6 months or less before the wedding?  I?m most confused about the 3rd document, to prove I?m single.  Where do I get this?  If it?s from England is someone able to get it for me as obviously I?m not there!!  I know I have months to sort all this out but I?d like to at least locate all I need so I can get them at the earliest possible date to get them translated, etc.  We need to be organised as we live in Baleares but are actually getting married in Granada, where my fiance was born (just to complicate things a bit more!), so obviously everything needs to go through our church here first before being sent off to Granada.  I imagine this probably takes a while.  Any help or advice would be HUGELY appreciated as I think I?m actually more worried about this than actually planning the wedding!!  Thanks all!!

You can get married in Spain,  but it?s complicated. Following is a list of documents that are normally requested:

Application form
Birth Certificate
Proof that both parties are free to marry
Divorce/Annulment Certificate of any previous marriages.
Certificate of Residence. If not a permanent resident in Spain, you can sign an affidavit before a Consular Officer indicating your place of residence for the last 6 years, as well as your temporary residence in Spain.
Posting of Banns (a public declaration of intent to marry)
Certificate of Consular Inscription

there a link to “Marriage formalities in Spain ” http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-spain/marriage-in-spain

your having a church wedding ?  uk ?  One of the things you will need to organise is a of copy of your baptism cetificate , with the oficial seal from your local bishop . It will then have to be translated . The head priest at the church where we were married . You also have to do a course with the priest, answering lots of question on your compatibility, not forgetting the little chat with the priest before you marry.
I think you can go into any church and check availability, a lot of churches are booked up to a year in advance. It is a red tape nightmare, so if you can get someone to organise everything for it will save a lot of stress .  mate got hooked up 2 years ago with irish girl , god was it a lot of stress for them , but still two getter and she the new boss .....

hope i helped then split you up , and no free here looking for nice spanish girl lol

jurdy

jurdy

Thanks for the reply.  I?m still a little confused though!  Are my original birth and baptism certificates OK or do I need to get official copies 6 months or so before the wedding? - I know some docs become invalid if they?re dated more than 6 months before the wedding date but I wasn?t sure if this was the case for birth and baptism certificates.  Also, where can I get the certificate to prove I?m single and free to marry?  In the UK they don?t ask for this when a couple wants to marry so I have no idea where to get it from!  Is there anyone from the UK who?s been in this situation who can help me?  Thanks everyone!

copy of your baptism cetificate, with the oficial seal from your local bishop. It will then have to be translated.

Laura, why dont you go to your local Registro Civil, where they will explain you whole procedure and what documents by what date are needed. Usually, their validity is 3 months. But, again, the best, is to go yourself and ask them precise information and timing, because every region and every Registro Civil may have their own rules. And dont worry so much, I was scared by all documents and procedures,but it all went very smooth regarding documetation for my marriage