Foreign Marriage registration

[planematt]

My wife and I were married in Mexico in 2002. It was organised by Virgin Weddings. Our marriage certificate is in Spanish.

I assumed that Virgin Wedding would register the marriage in the UK which I don't believe happened.

When I google how to get my marriage recognised in the UK, I see advice about getting our certificate translated while in Mexico. Obviously that ship has sailed. My next thought was just get married again in the UK. I looked at what documents are required and most seem fine but I'm concerned over forms of ID for my wife. Apparently, you need proof of name change . As soon as we were married, my wife adopted my surname and now all her forms of ID liked passport and driving license are in our married name but she never changed her name by deed poll so there is no documentation of this. Can my wife use her current passport/driving license with her married name on or does she need to have these in her old maiden name?

So basically, 3 questions.

1. Without going to Mexico, can I get my Spanish wedding certificate recognised in the UK
2. If not, can my wife and I get married in the UK if her current identification documents are in her married name despite not having any documentation of her surname change?
3. For the purposes of obtaining a will, are we married or not right now?

[ostell]

Re: Foreign Marriage registration

If you were legally married under Mexican rules then you are legally married under UK law. By all means get the Spanish certificate translated into English to have to hand if people ask.

Think about it, how would the world run if a marriage in one country is not recognised in another?

What brought on this concern ?

[planematt]

Re: Foreign Marriage registration

If you were legally married under Mexican rules then you are legally married under UK law. By all means get the Spanish certificate translated into English to have to hand if people ask.

Think about it, how would the world run if a marriage in one country is not recognised in another?

What brought on this concern ?

I'm trying to sort out wills for my wife and I. Since it is just the two of us, I want a simple mirror will so I looked at online will writing services. The first thing they ask is if you're married. If there is no record of the marriage in the UK, I wasn't sure whether this would cause problems with the validity of the will if one of us were to die.

The mortgage is only in my name and I want to ensure she won't lose the house if I were to die.

[PAWS]

Re: Foreign Marriage registration

Did your wife use her marriage certificate to change her name on her passport and other legal documents such as driving licence? I was married in Gibraltar and had to produce my marriage licence to change my name on bank accounts, passport etc. If these authorities accepted the Mexican certificate then there should not be a problem.