Getting married in Belize is straightforward for visiting couples: both partners must be at least 18, bring passports and proof that any earlier marriage has ended, and obtain a marriage license from the Attorney General’s Ministry under the Marriage Act (Chapter 174). Couples who cannot wait out the standard three-day residency can pay more for a Special License and marry the day they arrive.
Who Can Legally Marry
Both parties must be 18 or older. A 2024 amendment to the Marriage Act raised the minimum age and removed the earlier parental-consent route, so any marriage involving someone under 18 is now void, with no exceptions.1OIG CEPAL. Belize Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2024
Neither partner can be currently married to someone else. If either was previously married, the earlier marriage must have been legally dissolved, and you will need to prove it.
Belize does not recognize same-sex marriage. The Marriage Act, including the Special License petition for tourists, is written in terms that apply only to opposite-sex couples.
There is no blood test or medical exam.
Documents to Bring
Every document must be an original or certified copy. Incomplete paperwork is one of the most common reasons applications stall.
- A valid passport for each party, which serves as both ID and proof of citizenship.2U.S. Embassy in Belize. Marrying in Belize
- A certified copy of the final divorce decree (Decree Absolute) for anyone previously divorced.3The Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize. Marriage Licenses
- For a widowed applicant, a certified death certificate of the former spouse plus a certified copy of the previous marriage certificate.3The Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize. Marriage Licenses
Foreign documents must be notarized by a notary public before submission, and each applicant’s ID must be stamped and certified by a licensed Justice of the Peace as a true copy of the original.3The Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize. Marriage Licenses Documents in a language other than English should be accompanied by a certified translation, though the Ministry does not publish specific translation rules.
Standard License or Special License
Applications go to the Attorney General’s Ministry in Belmopan and can also be scanned and submitted by email.3The Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize. Marriage Licenses A licensed Justice of the Peace has to sign and stamp the completed form first. Which license you file for depends on how much time you have.
Standard License
Wedding-planning sources consistently describe a three-day (72-hour) residency requirement: both parties must be physically in Belize for three full days before applying. The Marriage Act does not spell that out, but its Special License section explicitly waives “any minimum period during which such tourists would have resided in Belize,” which points to a residency period for the standard route.4Government of Belize. Belize Code Chapter 174 – Marriage Act Plan to arrive at least three days before you intend to apply.
Official processing time is two weeks from the date of submission.3The Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize. Marriage Licenses The U.S. Embassy notes that licenses can sometimes be issued within two days, so actual turnaround varies with workload and how clean the file is.2U.S. Embassy in Belize. Marrying in Belize
Fees: BZD $200 (about USD $100) when both applicants are non-Belizean, or BZD $50 when at least one is Belizean.5Attorney General’s Ministry. Petition for a Minister’s Licence to Marry Application Form Brochure The U.S. Embassy also lists a BZD $10 (about USD $5) administrative fee on top.2U.S. Embassy in Belize. Marrying in Belize Payment goes to the Belize Treasury, not the Ministry, and only after you receive provisional approval.3The Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize. Marriage Licenses
Special License for Tourists
Section 51A of the Marriage Act creates a Special License built for visiting couples. It eliminates the residency waiting period and the requirement to publish banns.4Government of Belize. Belize Code Chapter 174 – Marriage Act The fee is BZD $500 (about USD $250), paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.5Attorney General’s Ministry. Petition for a Minister’s Licence to Marry Application Form Brochure
The petition must give each party’s full name and occupation, the intended ceremony location, confirmation that both parties are tourists, and a declaration that both are 18 or older with no legal impediment to marriage. Anyone previously married must include evidence that the earlier marriage was lawfully dissolved.4Government of Belize. Belize Code Chapter 174 – Marriage Act
For most destination couples arriving on a short trip, the Special License is the practical choice. The extra cost buys real flexibility: you can marry the day you land, at any location in the country, on any day of the week.
The Ceremony
Once the license is in hand, the ceremony must be performed by an authorized marriage officer. Under the Marriage Act, that means a minister of a registered religious denomination, a magistrate, or a senior Justice of the Peace.4Government of Belize. Belize Code Chapter 174 – Marriage Act Most resort and beach weddings are officiated by a senior Justice of the Peace, who can legally perform ceremonies anywhere in Belize.
Two witnesses must be present.2U.S. Embassy in Belize. Marrying in Belize If you are traveling without family or friends, your resort or wedding coordinator can usually arrange them.
Belize law also sets the hours. Ceremonies performed by a minister of religion or a senior Justice of the Peace must take place between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Ceremonies at a magistrate’s office are narrower: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A marriage solemnized outside these hours is a criminal offense for the officiant, so the window is enforced.4Government of Belize. Belize Code Chapter 174 – Marriage Act
A marriage license expires after three calendar months if the ceremony has not taken place. Once it lapses, the couple must obtain a new license from scratch.4Government of Belize. Belize Code Chapter 174 – Marriage Act
Getting the Certificate
After the ceremony, the officiant files the signed license and marriage certificate with the General Registry, which operates under the Attorney General’s Ministry.6The Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize. General Registry Registration takes several weeks, and the official certified certificate is then mailed to the couple. Confirm the mailing address with your officiant or coordinator before you leave the country.
Apostille for Use Abroad
If you need the certificate recognized in another country, you will likely need an apostille. Belize is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention.7HCCH. Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents – Status Table Apostilles are issued by the Registrar General, and the fee is BZD $50.8Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Document Authentication For countries that are not parties to the Convention, Belize issues a certifying statement instead, through the same document authentication process.
Recognition and Taxes in the United States
The U.S. federal government has no single rule on whether a foreign marriage is valid. The State Department advises couples to contact the Attorney General’s office in their home state to confirm the documentation required.9Travel.State.Gov. Marriage A lawfully performed Belize marriage with proper paperwork is generally recognized across U.S. states, and an apostilled certificate smooths the process.
Taxes are the other back-home question. If one spouse is a U.S. citizen or resident and the other is a nonresident alien, the couple can elect to treat the nonresident spouse as a U.S. resident for tax purposes, which allows a joint return. The trade-off is real: both spouses must then report their worldwide income for that year and all future years unless the election is revoked.10Internal Revenue Service. Nonresident Spouse Talk to a tax professional before your first filing after the wedding.