How to apply for Certificate of Freedom to Marry

Online questionnaire

To apply for a Certificate of Freedom to Marry, you must complete an online questionnaire about yourself and your upcoming marriage.

Statutory Declaration

Based on this questionnaire, you’ll be presented with one or more Statutory Declarations to complete and a checklist of supporting documentation you'll need to submit with your application.

You need to:

1. Print and sign your questionnaire
2. Print out a copy of each Statutory Declaration
3. Print out your checklist
4. Make the online payment
5. Complete the Declarations and have them witnessed
6. Post them to us with your supporting documentation and signed questionnaire.

Remember...

Print off or save each form right after your online questionnaire, as you won't be able to retrieve them later.

When to apply

Submit your application at least four months before the date of your marriage. Your witnessed statutory declaration(s) cannot be dated more than six months before the date of your marriage.

Remember...

Your application is not complete until we get hard copies of your questionnaire, statutory declaration(s), and all supporting documentation.

Your checklist will tell you exactly what supporting documentation you'll need for your application, which may include:

• Your original long-form birth certificate
• A court order, if you are under 18 years
• Marriage and Death certificate of your previous spouse, if widowed
• Petition and final decree of your divorce, if divorced
• A photocopy of your current Irish passport
• Your original naturalisation certification, if naturalised

Translating your documents

You'll need to submit certified translations of any of these documents, if the originals are in a language other than English or Irish.

Getting replacement documents

We need original documents (except for the photocopy of your passport) to process your application.

Getting your documents back

We will return all your original documents to you after we inspect them.

Remember...

If you haven't included all the necessary documents, your application will be returned to you.

Your statutory declaration must be witnessed in the country in which you are ordinarily resident before you can submit it.

Who can be a witness?

Your witness must:

• Know you personally
• Know a third party personally who can identify you
• Be able to verify your identity through your official documents (e.g. a passport)

Applying in Ireland

Your witness can be:

• A notary public
• A Commissioner for Oaths
• A solicitor

Applying abroad

Your witness can be:

• A diplomatic or consular officer of Ireland
• A notary public
• A Commissioner for Oaths or someone authorised to administer oaths or declarations

Your witness needs to:

• Witness you completing and signing your Statutory Declaration(s)
• Complete and sign the relevant part of your Statutory Declaration(s)

Remember...

It’s against the law to make a Statutory Declaration that you know is false or misleading in any way.

Applying in Ireland

Certificate of Freedom to Marry (Certificate de Cotume/Nulla Osta)

• Per Irish applicant: €60
• Non-refundable postage and handling fee: €6
• Total per Irish applicant: €66.

Late fee

If you submit your application 28 days or less before the date of your intended marriage - you’ll have to pay an additional fee of €60 per Irish applicant.

Payment methods

Payment is made online as part of the application process.

Sending your application

Send your application to the address printed on your questionnaire. This will be either:

• Your nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate (if you live abroad)
• Our Cork office (if you live in Munster) Tel: 021 494 4763 (10am – 1pm)
• Our Dublin office (if you live elsewhere in Ireland) Tel: 01 408 2523 (10am – 12pm)

Please note that we do not have a public office in Dublin, all documentation should be sent by registered post.

Begin your online Certificate of Freedom to Marry application