Marrying in Lebanon

[BenA105]

Hi folks,

My partner and I recently got engaged, and we are planning to marry in the new year.

Here's where it gets complicated! I'm British, but Canadian PR and live in Vancouver. She's got Armenian and Syrian citizenship, and currently lives in Lebanon. We want to marry in Lebanon, and then do all the paperwork for PR in Canada, as we want to settle here.

I have a few questions regarding this whole thing if anyone knows anything about it

- I assume I still need a marriage license from the UK? If so, do I need to physically go to the embassy in Ottawa to do that?
- Is there any kind of residency requirements in Lebanon before foreign nationals can marry there? I've spent about three and a half months of this calender year in Lebanon - but do I need to be there for a month directly before a ceremony or anything?

Thanks for any advice

 

[wowsers]

I can only answer the first of your questions. So far as I am aware the validity of a marriage is governed by the law of the place where the marriage is celebrated ie in your case Lebanon. I have never heard it suggested that a British citizen needs a marriage licence to get married outside the UK. The state does not have that kind of control over us. An UK marriage licence is so far as I am aware only required when you get married in the UK (and incidentally even then it is not always required; for example you do not need a licence if banns are called in church; in England anyway!).

 

[arab21]

no citizenship required to marry in lebanon

 

[BenA105]

Thanks folks So I don't have to wait ages in Lebanon before marrying, that's great!

Yeah I wasn't sure about the marriage license thing. I guess it doesn't make since that I'd need one to get married in another country and then not live in the UK anyway! Would be exercising a bit too much control over their citizens at that point I think!

 

[jomz]

I am unsure if it has been changed yet or not, but having many friends who are Lebanese they have expressed that is is quite difficult to get married in Lebanon as many documents must first be assembled and as far as I know through other people's experiences you cannot have a civil marriage in Lebanon, therefore both of you must be of the same faith to have a religious marriage. Therefore most people from Lebanon choose to marry outside the country as it is a much simpler task. Just research it through and know exactly what would be needed. I was married in Morocco and there alike as in many middle eastern countries getting all the documents together for a marriage took approximately 5 weeks (had to be there for this process).

 

[goatlove]

I am unsure if it has been changed yet or not, but having many friends who are Lebanese they have expressed that is is quite difficult to get married in Lebanon as many documents must first be assembled and as far as I know through other people's experiences you cannot have a civil marriage in Lebanon, therefore both of you must be of the same faith to have a religious marriage. Therefore most people from Lebanon choose to marry outside the country as it is a much simpler task. Just research it through and know exactly what would be needed. I was married in Morocco and there alike as in many middle eastern countries getting all the documents together for a marriage took approximately 5 weeks (had to be there for this process).

5 weeks sister?
just 2 weeks for us.

 

[BenA105]

She is Syrian but of Armenian descent - on paper she's Christian (as am I), although neither of us is particularly religious. In this case, I guess a religious marriage shouldn't be a problem then?

 

[BenA105]

Something else that's just come up.... apparently I need to be Baptised for a Christian wedding in Lebanon? I'm not religious... but I believe I was "christened" back in England when I was a baby..?

 

[jomz]

Hi Ben, you may need to get the baptismal certificate from your church in England.
I know for example for a Catholic wedding in Italy, you also need a bunch of church documents such as, baptismal cert, 1st communion cert, confirmation cert. etc. As I mentioned before I don't know requirements in Lebanon for a Christian wedding, just know that not only you have to be the same religion, but also the same denomination when it comes to muslim weddings.

 

[angryrectangle]

Hi Ben! It's Anya! Hahahahaha I found you!!!!

Lebanon has civil marriage now (new thing) so no need for religious marriage (which needs SO MUCH paperwork and time!)

Good luck! I too am here to inquire about sponsoring... Habib and I are movin' to Canada! Well, insha'allah.

 

[BenA105]

Hahaha hey Anya! Hope it's all going well for you guys too!

Glad you guys are going to get everything sorted too... one day we'll all celebrate together in the Cambie!

And civil marriage? That would be rather nice. I did see a news report on a couple who managed it - but the fact that it had made the news made it sound like it could be pretty tough!!

 

[candude8]

Marriage in Lebanon = death by bureaucracy

My wife and I are both Lebanese (I'm the sponsor, dual citizen), of the same faith, and the preparation and paperwork it took us to get married, and get the marriage registered by the state in order to get the official marriage certificate was just absurd.

I would suggest to check if you could have an official from the UK embassy in Beirut perform a civil ceremony, it would be much easier.
Heck I'd even advise going to cyprus if you both are not really religious.

Good luck with the process anyway.

 

[angryrectangle]

Yes! (in response to the above poster)

I remember watching a doc on TV awhile ago about mixed-religion couples who got married in Cyprus. Civil marriage is still super new, so I don't know know all that's required for it. HOWEVER, I do know that in Syria two foreigners getting married is waaaaaaaaaaay easier than one Syrian marrying a foreigner or two Syrians getting married.

Good luck!