Australian High Commission
Mauritius
Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Comoros, Reunion Island (consular)

Australians Wishing to get Married in Seychelles

Australians Wishing to get Married in Seychelles

When planning your wedding in Seychelles, there are certain legal requirements which need to be adhered to:

1. A church wedding without a civil ceremony is not recognised as being legal and the parties must therefore contract a civil wedding prior to the religious ceremony.

2. Persons wishing to organise their own wedding must apply to the Seychelles Civil Status Office in Victoria on Mahe for a civil ceremony and the relevant church body for the religious ceremony.

3. It is advisable that the wedding is planned at least two months in advance to allow for the processing of documentation.

4. Couples must advise the Civil Status Office of their wedding date at least eleven calendar days in advance. However, this eleven-day period may be exempted by applying for a Sepecial Licence, normally issued within two days from the date of application at a cost of SR100.

5. The couple must present in Seychelles at least 2 days prior to the civil ceremony.

6. Civil ceremonies may be conducted around the hotel property with permission from both the hotel and the Civil Registrar. Weddings outside the hotel property can only be performed in private and authorised places. The authorisation needs to be obtained from the Civil Registrar.

7. Weddings can also be performed in the Civil Status Office on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 0900hrs and 1100hrs, in the presence of two witnesses provided by the parties themselves.

8. Couples wishing to marry outside the Civil Status Office will be required to pay a fee of SR350. This fee applies to ceremonies held on any weekday on Mahe or one of the Inner Islands. It should be noted that the Inner Islands include: Anonyme, Bird, Cerf, Cousine, Denis, Fregate, La Digue, Moyenne, North, Praslin, Round, Ste Anne, and Silhouette islands. The couple will be required to cover the transportation cost of the Registrar officer to travel to these islands. However, the Civil Status Office also has offices on both Praslin and La Digue. For ceremonies held on Fregate Island the fee is SR500 plus the transportation costs for the Registrar Officer.

9. Couples wishing to marry on one of the Outer Islands, including Alphonse or Desroches islands, will be required to pay a fee of SR500 plus the transportation costs to these islands for the Registrar Officer.

10. The rate of SR700 is charged for ceremonies held after 1700hrs on a weekday or at any time on a Saturday and Sunday. This fee includes the SR350 cost for marrying outside the Civil Status Office.

11. Legally conducted marriages in Seychelles are recognised under European laws.

12. There are no nationality requirements that need to be fulfilled.

13. A special stamp (apostille) is required to validate the marriage certificate obtained after the civil ceremony for all nationalities except for British nationals. This stamp is available at the Registrar’s office located at the Supreme Court for a fee of SR65.

14. The couple must produce the following documents:

  • Birth certificate or certified copy thereof
  • If either party is divorced, the decree of divorce must be produced
  • If either parties is a widow or widower, the death certificate of the former spouse must be produced
  • Legal proof in the case of a name having been changed
  • Copies of the first 2 pages of the valid passports for both parties
  • Document to show that there is no impediment or lawful hindrance to the intended marriage (If this cannot be obtained, an affadavit has to be signed in Seychelles after a solemn declaration has been made to that effect).

15. All the above documents must be originals or copies duly certified before departure from one’s home country and must translated into either English or French, if the translation has not already been made.

N.B.- Fees are subject to change. Please contact the Seychelles Civil Status Office for up-to-date information.

Seychelles Civil Status Office
PO Box 430 Victoria Mahe Seychelles
Tel: +248 38 31 82/83
Fax: +248 22 56 60
Email: [email protected]  
Website: www.seychelles.net/civilstatus  
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 0800 – 1600hrs

* Closed on weekends and public holidays