One of the reasons why Las Vegas is best known is for its themed weddings, today it is very popular for couples who want to have a fun time at the time of marriage, in addition to all the facilities and minimal paperwork .
The legal requirements demanded are that the contracting parties be over 18 years of age and pay the price of the marriage license.
For all this, it is normal to see that many people from all over the world come to Las Vegas just to carry out this procedure, but is that marriage legally valid in Spain?
There are times when you can think that these weddings are a joke and that they are not merely a simulation to have a good time, but they are REAL MARRIAGES. We will explain the peculiarities of carrying out this procedure abroad if you are from Spain.
At the moment in which you have made the request and have obtained the marriage license, the wedding becomes totally real and legal in all its senses. The only problem you may have is when you return to Spain, when you are convinced that you are married, but for Spain that marriage does not appear since it does not have automatic legal effects and it is essential to validate it in the country.
Once you arrive in Spanish territory, it is necessary to legalize the marriage by going to the consulate and requesting validation by attaching the documentation received from Las Vegas.
Carrying out this process in Spain is complex and tedious, since an apostille is needed, that is, a worldwide validity certificate issued by the United States (in this case). After obtaining this document, you must go to the Central Civil Registry in Madrid. Once there, you must present the documentation that you have been given, in Las Vegas with the corresponding translations, but not just any translation must be legal and must be official, therefore a sworn translator must be hired.
In addition to all this, you must submit other documents such as the birth certificate of both parties, the registration and copies of identity documents so that finally, in this way, the marriage can be registered in the Civil Registry, with absolute legal validity in Spanish territory.
Another drawback that must be paid attention to is that in many cases, once the marriage is registered, it will not be governed by the Spanish economic regime, but will be determined by the law of Las Vegas. This detail can be very important since according to art. 9.2., if the spouses do not have the same nationality, they have not made an agreement on the applicable law before the celebration of the marriage, and after it they do not have a common habitual residence. If these requirements are met, the applicable law is that of the place where the marriage was celebrated, that is, that of Las Vegas (or rather, that of Nevada County).
Now that you know all the complexities of getting married in Las Vegas, if you find yourself in this situation and want to take the task of managing documents to legalize your marriage, do not hesitate to contact Audacia Lawyers to facilitate the process. We will be happy to help you through a legal consultation.
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