Many couples planning to tie the knot dream of a beach wedding to make that day truly special. Make this dream come true in a romantic setting on one of the fabulous beaches in Mauritius, a popular destination for beach weddings.
Here we describe the procedure to get married on the island. Some hotels will organise everything and even provide a priest and registrar officer on the beach so you don’t have to worry about the administrative procedure. However, it pays to know what is involved even if you don’t have to do the legwork.
Civil wedding
The following procedure applies to the civil wedding of two non-Mauritian citizens in Mauritius. More detailed information can be found on the official government civil wedding page.
Start by sending photocopies of the following documents for both of you no later than 1 month before the wedding date:
- Birth certificate;
- Valid passport;
- Name, address and occupation;
- Decree of divorce if applicable;
- A ‘certificat de capacité de mariage’ will also be required for French citizens.
All documents must be in English or French or translated into either language and sent to:
The Registrar of Civil Status
7th Floor, Emmanuel Anquetil Building,
Port Louis.
Tel: (230) 201 1727 or (230) 211 2420
Both of you must also obtain a certificate stating that you are not citizens of Mauritius or residents thereof. You can request this no later than 10 days before your marriage date from the Registrar of Civil Status.
Your marriage can take place as early as 1 day after the publication of the marriage banns and will be officiated by a Civil Status officer, either at the Registrar of Civil Status or at your hotel, on the beach.
In case you are doing all the paperwork yourself, you are strongly recommended to call the Registrar of Civil Status on the number provided for up-to-date information on the requirements. If you do not follow the right procedure and there is a document missing, your dream wedding will not go ahead.
Religious wedding
If you are catholic and wish to have a religious wedding, you will need a few more documents. Get in touch with the Port-Louis Diocese by calling them on (230) 208 3068 or (230) 208 6607.
Wedding between a Mauritian and a foreigner
If one of you is Mauritian, then the procedure to get married differs significantly.
The non-Mauritian citizen must reside at least 7 continuous days in Mauritius prior to the publication of the banns after which 10 days must pass before the marriage can take place at the Civil Status Office.
Other documents and medical certificates will be necessary; more information can be found on the official government page.
Honeymoon
If all this proves too much for you at the risk of spoiling your big day, get married in your country and then spend your honeymoon in Mauritius afterwards to enjoy the splendour and romance of the island. In lieu of wedding gifts, why not ask your guests to contribute to the cost of your honeymoon here in order to make your Mauritius holidays a truly luxurious experience for both of you?
A honeymoon in Mauritius involves no documents. If you stay in a luxury resort, you could even book the honeymoon suite and the honeymoon package.