Las Vegas Weddings · Legal & Logistics
Getting Married in Las Vegas as an International Couple
Bring your passports and each other. Nevada asks for nothing else — here's how to make it count back home.
The Short Answer
Yes — No Citizenship, Visa, or Residency Requirement
Couples fly to Las Vegas from the UK, Australia, Germany, Canada, and dozens of other countries every week to get married in the desert — and Nevada makes it genuinely easy. There’s no residency requirement, no minimum stay, no citizenship test, and no waiting period. You appear together at the Clark County Marriage License Bureau with your passports, pay $102, and your license is issued on the spot.
The part that takes a little planning isn’t the wedding — it’s making sure the marriage is recognized when you get home. For most countries that means one extra document: a certified copy of your marriage certificate carrying an apostille. Some countries also want a certified translation, and a few want you to register the marriage with your local civil registry.
None of it is difficult, and LVWC handles the Nevada side for you. Here’s the whole picture.
This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Always confirm the current requirements with your home country’s civil registry, embassy, or consulate.
Step One
What You Need at the License Bureau
The Clark County Marriage License Bureau is at 201 E. Clark Avenue in downtown Las Vegas, open every day 8:00 AM to midnight, including holidays.
A valid passport each
Both partners appear in person at the Clark County Marriage License Bureau with a valid, unexpired passport as photo ID. You do not need a birth certificate, and you do not need to bring your visa or ESTA paperwork.
The $102 fee
Payable by cash, credit, or debit card. This covers the license only — the ceremony and, if you need it, the apostille are separate.
Your previous-divorce date
If either of you was married before, you'll be asked for the month, year, and place the divorce was finalized. You do not need to bring the decree itself.
Nothing else
No residency, no citizenship, no minimum stay, no waiting period. The license is issued on the spot and is valid for one year and in all 50 US states.
Full details in our Las Vegas Marriage License Guide.
The Important Part
Is It Legal Back Home?
Almost every country follows the same principle: a marriage that was validly performed where it took place is recognized as valid everywhere. A Nevada wedding is a real, legally binding marriage, and your home country will treat it as one.
What differs country to country is the evidence they require. Some governments simply want to see a certified copy of the certificate. Many want that certified copy to carry an apostille — an internationally recognized stamp confirming the document is authentic. A number of countries also require a certified translation, and some ask you to formally register or record the overseas marriage with your local civil registry or through a consulate.
The single most useful thing you can do is check your own country’s civil registry or embassy website before you travel, so you know exactly which of those apply to you.
The Paperwork Path
Getting Your Certificate Apostilled
Your Officiant Files the Certificate
After the ceremony, your officiant files the signed marriage certificate with the Clark County Recorder within 10 days. Filing is what makes certified copies available.
You Order a Certified Copy
Once filed, you order a certified copy of the marriage certificate from the Clark County Recorder — this is the official document, not the decorative keepsake certificate. Order two or three; some countries keep the original.
Nevada Issues the Apostille
The certified copy is sent to the Nevada Secretary of State, which attaches an apostille — the single-page international authentication used by every country in the Hague Apostille Convention.
Non-Hague Countries Take a Different Route
If your country isn't part of the Hague Convention, the document is legalized through the US Department of State and then your country's embassy or consulate instead of a simple apostille.
You Get a Certified Translation If Required
Many non-English-speaking countries require a sworn or certified translation of the certificate and apostille before their civil registry will accept it. Arrange this in your home country if possible.
LVWC offers apostille authentication as an add-on service. Ask about it when you book, and we’ll order the certified copies and coordinate the Nevada Secretary of State apostille so it’s on its way before you fly home.
Where You're From
Country Notes
General guidance only — rules change, and your local registry is always the final word.
UK & Ireland
A Nevada marriage is fully valid — there's no way (or need) to register a foreign marriage. Keep a certified copy with an apostille; that's your proof for name changes, visas, and pensions.
Australia & New Zealand
Recognized automatically as long as it was valid where performed. You cannot register an overseas marriage, but a certified copy plus apostille is accepted for all official purposes.
Canada
Recognized across all provinces. No federal registration exists; some provinces let you record it. An apostille — or authentication, depending on timing of Canada's Hague accession — plus a certified copy is what you'll be asked for.
Germany, France, Italy, Spain
Recognized, but you'll almost always need to register the marriage with your local civil registry or consulate, and that means an apostille plus a certified translation. Start this soon after you get home.
Mexico & Latin America
Recognition is standard; most countries require the apostille plus an official translation, and some require you to register (inscribir) the marriage at the civil registry or through a consulate.
Everywhere else
The pattern is nearly universal: a certified copy of the certificate, plus an apostille or consular legalization, plus a translation if the country's language isn't English. Your home country's civil registry or embassy website is the authority.
Planning the Trip
Travel & Timing Tips
Get the license a day early
Fly in with a buffer day. Get your license, shake off the jet lag, and arrive at your ceremony rested rather than straight off a red-eye.
Match names exactly
Book flights, hotels, and the ceremony under the exact name on your passport. A mismatch between your booking and your ID is the most common day-of headache for international couples.
Bring your divorce details
If either of you was previously married, write down the finalization date and location before you travel — it's easy to forget under pressure at the bureau counter.
You still need a witness
Nevada requires one witness at the ceremony. If you're traveling without guests, LVWC provides one at no charge — see our full guide on wedding witnesses.
Decide on the apostille before you leave
It's far easier to have LVWC start the certified-copy and apostille process while you're still reachable and the details are fresh than to coordinate it from overseas months later.
We've Done This Thousands of Times
Tell Your Planner Which Country You're Coming From
LVWC has been marrying international couples in the Las Vegas desert since 1998. When you book, tell us where home is and whether you’ll need an apostille. We’ll build your timeline around the license, the ceremony, the witness, the filing, and the certified copies — and get the apostille moving before you leave the country.
Common Questions
International Couples FAQ
Can we get married in Las Vegas if we're not US citizens?
Do we need a visa to get married in Las Vegas?
Will our Las Vegas marriage be recognized in our home country?
What is an apostille and do we need one?
What ID do we need if we're visiting from another country?
How long does it take to get the certificate and apostille?
Do we need a witness at the ceremony?
Planning From Abroad?
Let's Build Your Trip
From a $299 Sign & Go to a Grand Canyon helicopter elopement — LVWC.com handles the license timing, the officiant, the witness, the filing, and the apostille. Contact us and we'll map it out.
