What are the requirements to get married in Malta?
It depends on age and documents — but marrying in Malta is fairly straightforward. The Marriage Act (Cap. 255) of 1975 sets the minimum age to marry at 18, though a person aged 16 to 18 may marry with parental or guardian consent. You must file a request to publish the banns (Form RZ1) at the Marriage Registry, and it must arrive no more than 3 months and no less than 6 weeks before the wedding day. A marriage may be civil or religious, and both carry the same legal effect. The myth: that you must live in Malta for months, or that "only a church wedding counts" — neither is true. Foreigners can marry in Malta, and since 2017 marriage is gender-neutral: same-sex couples marry in exactly the same way. Registration is handled by the Public Registry at Identità.
📋 The rules
- The minimum age to marry is 18; those aged 16 to 18 need parental or guardian consent.
- The request for banns (Form RZ1) must reach the Marriage Registry no less than 6 weeks and no more than 3 months before the wedding.
- A marriage may be civil (before the Registrar) or religious, and both are recorded in the same Public Registry at Identità.
- Both parties must be free to marry — not already married or in a civil union — and give their consent willingly.
- Since 1 September 2017 marriage is gender-neutral: same-sex couples may marry like any other couple.
🔓 Exceptions
- A foreigner who has never married may need a free-status declaration from their home country before the banns are issued.
- Anyone previously married must produce a divorce or annulment certificate, or a spouse's death certificate, to prove they are free.
- A marriage entered into through violence, fear or fraud about a serious quality can be declared void by the Family Court even after it takes place.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
A marriage contracted without meeting the requirements may be void or voidable: the Family Court can declare it of no effect where there was no free consent, fraud or an impediment. Anyone who marries while already married commits the offence of bigamy under Article 196 of the Criminal Code, carrying imprisonment of 13 months to 4 years. Failing to file the banns in time simply causes delay: the wedding cannot take place before the 6 weeks elapse. A void marriage also has knock-on effects on inheritance, the widow's or widower's pension and spousal rights — the "married" partner may find they hold no legal right at all. Even in a valid marriage, if you do not choose a separation-of-property regime, the community of acquests applies automatically, and whatever you earn during the marriage becomes shared.
📎 Official sources
- Legislation Malta · Marriage Act (Cap. 255) →
- Identità · Marriage Registry and publication of banns →
- Legislation Malta · Civil Code (Cap. 16) — effects of marriage →
❓ Frequently asked
Can a foreigner get married in Malta?
Yes. The law requires neither Maltese citizenship nor long residence to marry in Malta. You simply present the required documents — including a passport and, if you have never married, a free-status declaration — and file the banns request at the Marriage Registry between 6 weeks and 3 months before the wedding.
Can a 16-year-old get married in Malta?
Yes, but only with consent. The general minimum age is 18, yet someone aged 16 to 18 may marry if their parents or guardian give consent. Under 16 marriage is not permitted in any form, and this applies equally to civil and religious weddings.
Do civil and religious marriages have the same value?
Yes, both carry full and equal legal effect and are recorded in the same Public Registry at Identità. The myth that "only a church wedding counts" is false: a civil marriage before the Registrar creates the same bond, rights and obligations as a religious one.
How far ahead must the banns be filed?
The request to publish the banns on Form RZ1 must reach the Marriage Registry no more than 3 months and no less than 6 weeks before the wedding day. This window gives time to check for any legal impediment, and it cannot be skipped even if you would like the wedding sooner.
Can same-sex couples marry in Malta?
Yes. Since 1 September 2017, marriage in Malta has been fully gender-neutral following the Marriage Act and other Laws (Amendment) Act of 2017. Same-sex couples marry through the same procedure, the same banns and the same rights as any other couple, and civil unions can be converted into marriage.
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