Getting married in Spain
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-03)

How to apply for a marital status certificate (MSC) or a certificate of no impediment (CNI) if you’re getting married in Spain.

From 3 February 2025 we will no longer accept paper applications for marital status certificates for marriage (MSC) or certificates of no impediment (CNI). Please apply online using the links provided below.

Check the laws in Spain to make sure you can get married. For example, you or your partner must live in Spain or be a Spanish national to get married in Spain.

The documents you’ll need depend on where you’re getting married in Spain. Contact the civil registry office (https://www.mjusticia.gob.es/BUSCADIR/ServletControlador?apartado=buscadorGeneral&tipo=RC&lang=en_gb) where you’re planning to get married to find out about local marriage laws and which documents you’ll need from the British embassy. You can then apply online for either:

a marital status certificate (MSC) (#msc)

a certificate of no impediment (CNI) – or local CNI if you have a UK CNI (#cni)

an MSC and CNI (#msc-cni)

To get these documents you need to fill in one or more of the following forms:
- MSC affirmation
- CNI affirmation
- notice of marriage
Click on the relevant ‘Apply’ link below to find out which of these forms you need and how to get them. Once you have filled in the forms you need, take them to a notary in Spain (https://www.notaries-directory.eu/en) to get them notarised (certified). Each form must be notarised separately.

Apply for a marital status certificate

If you’re getting married in Barcelona city and applying to the Central Civil Registry, you’ll need an MSC.

You might need an MSC to register a cohabitation arrangement (pareja/unión de hecho) or for another reason, like late registration of a birth. Find out more about this in our Living in Spain (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-spain#marriage-civil-partnership-and-cohabitation) guide.

Apply for an MSC (https://www.prove-eligibility-foreign-government.service.gov.uk/cni-or-msc-by-post/check-eligibility-and-documents?marriage.country=Spain&documents.service=msc)

Apply for a certificate of no impediment

If you live in the UK, you’ll need to apply for a CNI from a UK register office. You’ll then need to apply online to exchange your UK CNI for a local CNI, as the authorities in Spain will only accept a CNI issued there.

Apply to exchange a UK CNI for a local CNI (https://www.prove-eligibility-foreign-government.service.gov.uk/exchange-uk-cni/check-eligibility-and-documents?marriage.country=Spain)

If you live abroad, or you’ve travelled to Spain without a UK CNI, you’ll need to apply for a CNI by post from an embassy in Spain.

Apply for a CNI by post from an embassy (https://www.prove-eligibility-foreign-government.service.gov.uk/cni-or-msc-by-post/check-eligibility-and-documents?marriage.country=Spain&documents.service=cni)

Apply for a marital status certificate and a certificate of no impediment

If you’ve been told you need an MSC and a CNI you can apply for both in a single application. When applying for both an MSC and CNI you do not need to get a UK CNI from a UK register office.

Apply for an MSC and CNI (https://www.prove-eligibility-foreign-government.service.gov.uk/cni-or-msc-by-post/check-eligibility-and-documents?marriage.country=Spain&documents.service=cniAndMsc)