Getting Married In SRI LANKA

We would like to congratulate you on your decision to get married in Sri Lanka. To be able to marry in Sri Lanka, please ensure that you have the documents listed below.

The legal requirements for Registration of Marriages of Foreign Nationals in Sri Lanka are very straightforward. You are required to produce the following documents to the Divisional/District Registrar of the area where your marriage would take place.

1. Original Passports of the couple wishing to get married
2. Original Birth certificates of the couple wishing to get married
3. Unmarried certificate / Free to Marry Certificate: – [An affidavit /statutory declaration signed by a solicitor to confirm who you are and your present status (unmarried/ free marry). Separate affidavits for the period of time lived in different countries which are certified/legalized by respective Foreign Office & Sri Lankan Mission accredited for that country]
        – Singles – Unmarried certificate
        – Divorcees- Divorce Certificate and Free to Marry Certificate
        – If widowed, the Death Certificate of your late spouse, your previous marriage certificate and Free to Marry Certificate

The above documents should be certified by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country and legalized by the Sri Lanka Embassy and Permanent Mission in Vienna. For other nationals living in Austria or another of the accredited countries, the document should be certified by their respective Diplomatic Mission in Austria. The fee to legalize duly certified unmarried certificate by the Sri Lanka Embassy and Permanent Mission in Vienna is Euro 25.00 for Sri Lankan Citizen, and Euro 25.00 for Foreign Citizen.

5. If you have changed your name, a Deed Poll (including divorcees who have reverted to their maiden name)
6. Valid visa to travel to Sri Lanka (For more information on visas to Sri Lanka please visit www.eta.gov.lk or/and visa section of our website)
     a. Duly completed ETA Tourist Visa application form
     b. Passport with two unused visa pages (validity should be at least six months from the date you arrive in Sri Lanka)
     c. Copy of Passport (Data page/Photo page)
     d. Two recent photographs -passport size- taken within last 6 months.
     e. If you are a non- Austrian, you need to show a valid Schengen visa.
     f. Relevant visa fee (See the visa fee structure)

You can handover the above in person or send it by post (registered mail). If you are sending the application by post, please join a copy of the proof of payment (payment or transfer slip) which you have made in favour of the Sri Lanka Embassy and Permanent Mission in Vienna at Bank Austria. Account details are (IBAN AT 1200 0102 1346 0100/ BIC: BKAUATWW)

If you want us to return your passport by post, please include a self-addressed registered mail stamped envelope, or postal fee should be deposited to the above given bank account and submit the proof of payment together with the other documents.

IMPORTANT: You must get your marriage certificate certified by the Consular Affairs Section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo (2nd Floor, Ceylinco Building, Janadhipathi Mawatha, Colombo 01) and then get it counter certified by this Mission within one year. If the certificate issued in Sinhalese/ Tamil language you may obtain official English translation from the Registrar’s General Department and certified that as well by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by this Mission. Only then will your marriage certificate be valid to submit to authorities outside of Sri Lanka.