Legal Requirements to Get Married on Bonaire

All marriages performed on Bonaire are legal and recognized worldwide.

Our civil registry office will officiate over your wedding ceremony at a location of your choice. Our quaint City Hall, your vacation villa, or one of Bonaire’s beautiful beaches, the choice is yours!

To get started with the planning the following information and documents are required:

  • Date of arrival on Bonaire
  • Intended length of stay on Bonaire
  • Name of accommodation on Bonaire
  • A scanned copy of your passports (both Bride & Groom)

2 Months before arrival, Bride & Groom must provide the following Original Documents:

BIRTH CERTIFICATE

  • With raised seal (issued by the state, or province of your birth).
  • NO INITIALS PERMITTED in any document provided.
  • FULL names of both mother and father must appear on the certificate (i.e. Gwendolyn Mary Daniels).
  • If adopted, proof of adoption is required.
  • If you have changed your name, proof of the name change is required

DECLARATION OF CIVIL STATUS (MARRIAGE RECORD SEARCH): 

(This document is issued by the office of the State, or Province where you reside and certifies that a government search has revealed a ‘Single’, ‘Divorced’ or ‘Widowed’ Status.)

  • NO previous marriage(s) (single status)
  • NO current marriage exists (divorced or widowed status)
    • If you are divorced the Divorce Decree must be included.
    • If you are widowed, the Widow Decree must be included.

ONLY FOR NON-DUTCH NATIONALS

Apostille is required for the Following Documents 
(An apostille document is a validation of a certificate. For Canada and U.S.A., an apostille is ONLY issued by the office of Vital Statistics located within the Capital offices of your State or province. Counties, municipalities or city offices can not issue an Apostille).
  • Birth Certificate
  • Marriage Record (Civil Status)
  • Divorce or Widow Decree

Please take note:

– All documents must have official government seals.
– All documents must be issued & dated no more than six months prior to our receiving them. (DO NOT SEND the original birth certificate issued at birth!).
– Passports valid for at least six months from departure date from Bonaire.
– Couples must arrive at least three working days prior to the wedding date to complete registration at City Hall.

ARE YOUR WITNESSES COMING WITH YOU?

If you are coming with your own witness, have in mind the following requirements: 
 
  • Scanned photocopy of a valid passport (original will be required upon arrival), e-mail scan is accepted, faxed copy not accepted.
  • Passports valid for at least six months from departure date from Bonaire.
  • If you are getting married at the City Hall of Bonaire, you will need 2 witnesses
  • If you are getting married at any other location of Bonaire, you will need 6 witnesses

Please feel free to contact us at anytime regarding these documents.

We can also help you in locating the actual government department (in your state/province) that is authorized to issue the documents required.