The Marriage Registrar should be notified of the following:

1. The church where the marriage will be held;
2. The date of marriage;
3. The name and surname of the priest who will celebrate the marriage ceremony;
4. The surname/s of the spouses after marriage and the family name being adopted.

The couple should also provide:

1. Birth certificates (if the applicants’ birth is not registered with the Malta Public Registry) apostilled or legalised as necessary (unless these are coming from the European Union);
2. Identification documents and copies thereof;
3. A photocopy of the identification documents of the witnesses;
4. Other documents as required.

The Public Registry requires original documents for registration purposes. Documents presented to the Public Registry, are retained indefinitely in its archives. Public documents that are not in the English language must be translated into Maltese or English. In cases where one or several fields are in a language other than the English or Maltese language, a translation of these fields is necessary for processing the document. Further information can be obtained from the following LINK.

Ten (10) days before their marriage, the couple need to collect two (2) copies of the Act of Marriage and the Certificate of Banns. These should be presented to the Parish Priest of where the wedding ceremony will be held.

After the celebration of the nuptial mass, the couple, together with the witnesses and the wedding officiant who administers consent, must sign the Marriage Act. This certificate must be returned to the Public Registry Office by the Parish Priest for registration.

Maltese nationals planning on getting married to a foreigner or a person who has lived abroad for a period of time will be requested to present additional documentation in support of their application.

Those couples who are getting married in Gozo should apply for their marriage banns at the Marriage Registry in Victoria, Gozo.