Legal Wedding

Tahiti gets the green light for foreign marriages

Long recognized as one of the most romantic honeymoon destinations in the world, overseas visitors will also now be able to get married in French Polynesia after the French government gave the green light for foreign marriages to be conducted in Tahiti and her islands.

The minimum 30-day residence criteria has been done away with under the new legislation meaning visitors will be able to get married in a romantic Tahitian ceremony as long as they also go through a civil ceremony which must be conducted at a local city hall.  Previously visitors could only undergo a symbolic French Polynesian marriage or a renewal of wedding vows legally exchanged elsewhere.

Tourism operators are now putting in place plans and packages to capitalize on the legislative change and Tahiti Tourisme Regional Director, Robert Thompson, believes it will provide a real boost to local tourism as well as offering visitors a wonderful new location in which to get married.  “French Polynesia abounds with fantastic honeymoon options and the traditional wedding ceremony, with its music, singing, dancing and stunning location has always proved extremely popular.  Now couples can enjoy all these things and be married legally – a fantastic ‘one stop shop’ for a dream wedding.”