What You Need To Know About Costa Rica Marriage Customs
Although the American dollar is falling against some other world currencies, it still commands respect in many warm, friendly South American countries like Cost Rica. Many American couples consider going on a special trip for their special day where the scenery is not only beautiful, but getting there and back is affordable. But before you and your partner start looking foreword to a wedding in Costa Rica, you better know some Costa Rica marriage customs.
Very Familiar
Costa Rica is a very conservative country where the Church has a big influence. That means Costa Rica marriage customs completely exclude homosexual marriages. Also, according to Costa Rica marriage customs, no proxy marriages are allowed. Both of you have to show up in person to get married.
You also must be over eighteen to get married in Costa Rica. Marriage customs do state that those under eighteen need parental consent in order to get married. This is more the local custom and very hard to prove if you are not a native. Theoretically, it can be done, but you need to fly your parents down to the wedding, too and have them be able to prove they are your parents.
Not The First Time?
Costa Rican marriage customs still view one marriage per life as the norm, even though divorce is allowed in Costa Rica. A remarriage is only allowed if you are old enough to clearly be a widow or widower. If you are still in child-bearing years, then the Costa Rica marriage customs get a lot trickier.
According to Costa Rica marriage customs, a woman must wait 300 days from wither the death of her husband or the date of the divorce decree before she is allowed to be wed. Some, but not all, areas of Cost Rica demand the woman take a pregnancy test and it must be negative before she is allowed to wed. There are no such tests or waiting periods for men.
Papers
Both you and your partner will need a stack of paperwork in order to be legally wed in Costa Rica. If you are an American, you need a valid US passport, a copy of your birth certificate, a certificate of single status and police clearing. You need all of this to apply for the marriage license, which has to be done at least a month before the wedding.
After this brief look at Cost Rican marriage customs, do yourself and your families a big favor - ELOPE.
