If your marriage ceremony took place outside of England or Wales then it will usually be recognised by English and Welsh law and therefore valid in England and Wales as long as both parties had the capacity to marry under English and Welsh law and the ceremony is legal in the country you chose to get married in.

In order to have the capacity to marry under English and Welsh law you must be of the correct age, be able to consent and not already be married.

It is always worth getting specialist legal advice from solicitors such as Austin Kemp if your marriage took place abroad, as its validity can effect many things including your ability to inherit and even the nationality of your children.

Normally, it will be the civil ceremony in the country you were married in, and not the religious ceremony, that has the legal effect to make your marriage valid.

Austin Kemp specialise in advising high net worth individuals, or spouses of high net worth individuals, with worldwide investments and assets, as to whether or not their marriage is recognised by English and Welsh law. We can also advise on whether polygamous marriages could be valid in England and Wales.

For more information on this subject please visit our Legal Library.

Contact us to see how we can help you with your divorce

For more information on your options call our team on 0845 862 5001 or email mail@austinkemp.co.uk.

We have client meeting office facilities available, in order to have face-to-face client meetings / conferences as and when required in London WC2N 4JF and Manchester M2 4PD. Please contact us for more details.