Destination Weddings Now legal in Tahiti! · If a prenuptial agreement has been created by the future spouses, this agreement must be notarized, ... (“Certificat de Celebration

Destination WeddingsNow legal in Tahiti!

Introduction

Destination Weddings are now legal in Tahiti!

Previously in French Polynesia, there was a 30-day residency requirement for North Americans wishing to be wed in the islands of Tahiti. As of May, 2009, this requirement has been lifted, North Americans can now wed the day they arrive in French Polynesia! Tahiti Tourisme North America has created this presentation to offer an overview of the process for our partners to complete all of the requirements for a legal wedding in French Polynesia.

Why Tahiti

Location, Location, Location! Wedding Chapels Overwater Bungalows Polynesian Spas Tahitian Pearls Private Islands Snorkeling & Diving History & Culture

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Agenda

Who is eligible to get married in Tahiti? How much does it cost? How long does it take? What needs to be ordered? What needs to be completed? What needs to be translated? What do I do once I have everything completed? How can I get more information?

Eligibility

! Both spouses must be at least 18 years of age! Neither spouse can be currently married! Spouses must be of the opposite sex! The couple cannot be related by direct lineage! The couple cannot be of French origin or have French citizenship! The bride and groom must each have a witness


Checklist

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How Much Will it Cost?

1. The cost will depend on the translator and lawyer fees, however it has been estimated between $500 - $1000 USD for all costs incurred in the US prior to arriving in French Polynesia.

2. There is no cost for the French Consulate to legalize the documents


Checklist

How Long Does it Take?

• The entire process will take approximately 3 - 5 months

• All paperwork must be received in Tahiti at least 45 days prior to the requested date of the wedding

• We recommend beginning with ordering certified copies of the future spouses birth certificates - which may take the longest depending on which states the couple were born in

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Checklist

What Needs to be Ordered

If born in the Unites States:- Request a Certified Copy of the birth

certificate from the Office of Vital Records of the State you were born in

If born in Canada:- Request a certified copy of the birth

certificate from the Provincial or Territorial Government website

Both future spouses will need to obtain a certified copy of their Birth Certificates

What Needs to be Ordered

Internationally recognized authentication is achieved by obtaining an Apostille

Americans: Submit the Certified Copy of the Birth Certificate to the Secretary of State’s Office of the same state that issued the Birth Certificate

Canadians: The Apostille can be obtained from the Provincial or Territorial Government website

Sample “Apostille” from California

The Birth Certificates must be authenticated with an Apostille

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Checklist

What Needs to be Completed

1. Marriage of Foreign Citizens in French Polynesia Application completed by both future spouses

2. Letter to Mayor of Commune in desired location of wedding

3. Certificate of Non-Marital Status

All forms noted above are downloadable from: www.Tahiti-Tourisme.com/Weddings/Forms


If a prenuptial agreement has been created by the future spouses, this agreement must be notarized, translated by an approved

translator and legalized by the French Consulate.

We recommend checking with the future spouses lawyers as to whether or not their prenuptial agreement should be introduced

into the actual ceremony - as it may not be necessary.

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1. Copies of their passports 2. Proof of US or Canadian

residency is required by both future spouses (a utility bill with current addresses from both spouses will be accepted)

Both future spouses will need to provide:


Checklist

What Needs to be Translated

The following forms must be translated into French by an approved translator and then delivered to the French Consulate by the translator lawyer*

1. The Birth Certificates

2. The “Apostilles”

3. The “Certificate of Non-Marital Status”

4. Prenuptial Agreement

*Please note: Approved translators and lawyers can be found on the French Consulate’s websites.

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Checklist

Summary of Required Documents

Document Translated Legalized Done!

Birth Certificates! !

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Apostilles! !

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Marriage Application Already in French

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Letter to Mayor’s O"ce Already in French

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Certificate of Non-Marital Status ! !

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Copies of Passports "

Copies of Utility Bill "

Prenuptial Agreement! !

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Send to French Polynesia

The documents need to be sent in time to ARRIVE at the mayor’s office of the chosen commune to marry in at least 45

days PRIOR to the planned wedding date.

A list of mayors, the communes they represent, and their addresses are downloadable from our website.

After your paperwork has been approved, you will receive a confirmation from the Mayor’s office of the chosen commune advising

that the intended marriage date and time have been approved.

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Checklist

Ceremony

By French law, a ceremony must take place at the city hall of the chosen commune. This ceremony is very short - and, most couples

have arranged for their own ceremony through their wedding planner, travel agent, tour operator or directly with the

accommodating hotel.

If the future spouses do not have witnesses, the mayor of the commune can provide them.

Following the ceremony at city hall, actually wedding ceremonies can be held anywhere. In the resorts overwater chapel, on the beach, on a

hilltop - wherever the bride and groom choose.

Marriage Certificate

The Mayor of the Commune which has performed the ceremony will provide a Marriage Certificate

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For more information, please visit our website:

www.Tahiti-Tourisme.com/Weddings

Q&A

mauruuru!

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*Approved by the Mayor of the Commune in which they are getting married

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"#$%&!'#(()*$+!)*!,-#!.+&%*(+!/0!,%-)1)!

Overseas visitors intending to get married in French Polynesia are required to select the date of the ceremony as well as the commune where they would like their marriage to be celebrated. The below documents must be sent at least 45 days prior to the ceremony to the City Hall of the commune where the wedding will take place. More information can be found on our website: www.Tahiti-Tourisme.com

Determine eligibility to get married in French Polynesia:

! Both spouses must be at least 18 years old

! Both spouses cannot be already married

! Spouses must be of the opposite sex

! Cannot be related by direct lineage

! Cannot be of French origin or have French residential status in France or its territories

! The bride and the groom must each choose a witness (who must be 18 years of age or older – please note, if the chosen witnesses are not present, the mayor will appoint a witness).

Required Documents:

! The « Marriage of Foreign Citizens in French Polynesia » must be completed.

! A letter signed and dated by both future spouses, addressed to the mayor of the commune chosen for the marriage ceremony, noting which language the ceremony will take place in.

! Proof of identity of both of the future spouses (copies of their passports).

! A certified copy of both spouses’ birth certificate authenticated with an “Apostille” (note: the birth certificates must have been issued less than 6 months prior to the date of the marriage). Both of the birth certificates and the “Apostille” must be translated into French by an approved translator and legalized by the French Consulate. Translators can be found on the consulate’s website.

! A “Certificate of Non-Marital Status” (“Certificat de Celibat”) signed by lawyer, translated into French and legalized by the French Consulate. Lawyers can be found on the consulate’s website.

! Proof of residency for both of the future spouses (a utility bill or any bill noting names and physical address will suffice). A photocopy of bills for both spouses is acceptable.

! Optional, if a prenuptial agreement has been created, it must be translated into French and authenticated by the French Consulate.

Send All Materials to French Polynesia:

! Expedite all materials to the Mayor’s office of the commune in which the spouses are getting married in at least 45 days prior to the ceremony. After submission of the application file the Mayor’s office will post a Non Opposition to Marriage document (“publication des bans”).

! The mayor’s office will then contact the spouses to advise of the approved date and time of the wedding!

The Ceremony

! On the day of the ceremony, the future spouses guests and the witnesses go the City Hall).

! The Mayor (or an appointed representative from the Mayor’s office) will perform the ceremony, in the presence of at least two witnesses and the language chosen by the spouses.

! After the ceremony, the mayor will give the spouses a Marriage Certificate (“Certificat de Celebration de Mariage”). This certificate will be dated and signed by the mayor’s office of the commune in which the marriage takes place and will allow the spouses to prove that the marriage was legal when going back to their country of origin.

Modèle de formulaire à compléter Projet

Formulaire « Mariage des étrangers en Polynésie Française »

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Merci de remplir chaque rubrique de ce formulaire en lettre majuscule Please fill all items in this form in capital letters.

Commune de mariage choisie /

Chosen site (town) of wedding

Dates envisagées du mariage /

Preferred dates of wedding

EPOUX / HUSBAND EPOUSE / SPOUSE

IDENTITE DES FUTURS EPOUX / IDENTITY OF FUTURE HUSBAND AND SPOUSE

Nom / Last name

Prénoms / First Name

Date de naissance / Birth date

Lieu de naissance / Birth Place

Nationalité / Nationality

N° de passeport / Passport n°

Adresse / Address

Profession / Occupation

Langue maternelle / Mother tongue

Niveau de français / Level of french

IDENTITE DU PERE / FATHER’S IDENTITY

Nom / Last name

Prénom / First name




Adresse / Address


IDENTITE DE LA MERE / MOTHER’S IDENTITY

Nom de jeune fille/ Maiden name




Modèle de formulaire à compléter Projet


Adresse / Address


IDENTITE DES TEMOINS1 / WITNESSES’ IDENTITY

Identité du premier témoin / First witness’ identity

Nom / Last name






Adresse / Address


Identité du second témoin (le cas échéant) / Second witness’ identity (if applicable)

Nom / Last name






Adresse / Address


1 Chaque époux doit avoir un témoin majeur au minimum et deux au maximum,(soit quatre témoins en tout au

maximum) Each spouse needs to have at least one witness and two maximum (four witnesses overall

maximum).

CERTIFICAT DE CELIBAT

Before me, « name of the lawyer », « title », duly commissioned and qualified, personally comes : “first, middle, last name” who, being duly sworn, deposes and certifies that my client said the following : “I, first, middle, last name at birth” was born on “date” in “city of birth, state, country” My father’s full name is : “first, middle, last name” My mother’s full maiden name is : “first, middle, maiden name” Passport number : “number” issued on “date, month, year” at “city and country where passport was issued” I have never been married or I have been married and divorced of (name of the ex-spouse) by the Superior Court of “city, state, country where spouse was divorced”. Subscribed and sworn to before me on (date) “Name of the lawyer”

Form of letter to mayor

[Name of future spouses] [Address]

[Telephone]

[E-mail]

Madam / Sir Mayor [name of town] Town hall

[Address]

French Polynesia

At [Place], on [date]

Re: Marriage of foreigners in French Polynesia - application request under article 58 of

the law of May 27th, 2009 for the economic development of the overseas

Madam / Sir Mayor,

We have the honor to solicit hereby the application of article 58 of law n° 2009-594 of May

27th, 2009 for the economic development of the overseas to celebrate our wedding

scheduled for [dates of planned marriage1] at your town hall.

For this purpose, please find attached all the documents required for the constitution of our

file for said marriage, to which we hereby confirm our free consent.

We would appreciate if you could acknowledge receipt of our file and confirm your

agreement on the chosen date.

In the meantime, we remain at your full disposal for any additional information you may

require.

Please accept, Madam/Sir Mayor, our distinguished salutations.

____________________________ _________________________ [Signature of future husband] [Signature of future wife]

Enc.

1 Please provide at least two alternative dates in case of unavailability of one of the chosen dates