Hello and welcome! Getting married can be a joyous occasion, but all the paperwork of marrying abroad can take some of the fun out of it. We would like to invite people who have been married in Chile to share their advice. What do you wish you had known? What is the procedure to get married in Chile? How much does it cost? Do you need a special visa, permit, or documentation? How far in advance do you need to plan? How expensive is it? Is the process the same for locals as it is for expats? What about a mixed partnership (between a foreigner and a native)? Do you need to send documentation back to your country? What customs should you expect? Is there a certain style of dress you need to wear? What about for guests? What kind of gift-giving is expected? Also share your questions if you are preparing to marry abroad or your experiences if you have attended a wedding in Chile. Congratulations to all of our engaged couples or recently married and thanks for sharing your stories.
When I got married in Chile, I was already a permanent resident. To set the date, we had to go to the Civil Registry office with our Chilean ID cards. As a foreigner from a non-Spanish speaking country, the Civil Registry official had to speak to me for a bit to ensure that my Spanish was good enough to understand the ceremony. We were asked to provide the name of two witnesses that would attend the wedding and I had to bring a copy of their ID cards to the Civil Registry before the ceremony. We had the wedding at the registry office about 7 weeks later; it took about 20 minutes. According to the Civil Registry website, getting married at the office within business hours is free, although I think we had to pay something when we got married 5 years ago. The Marriage Booklet they give you has a cost of CLP1,830. If you want to hold the marriage elsewhere, it costs CLP21,680 during business hours or CLP32,520 outside of business hours. Chileans tend to have both a small civil ceremony followed by a larger church wedding. It is possible to just do a church wedding and then register it. The Civil Registry must be previously informed about the wedding and you must register it with the Civil Registry within 8 days. Foreigners who don’t have residency in Chile can get married by showing their passport or national ID card. You may be required to hire an interpreter if you are from a non-Spanish speaking country. I have heard that this varies by municipality. I know someone who had a decent command of Spanish, but was required to have an interpreter anyways. In contrast, in my case they told me it was not necessary. Here are some FAQs about marrying in Chile (in Spanish): https://www.registrocivil.cl/Herramient ... matr_cel10
If you are planning on getting married in Chile, you will need to obtain a marriage license from the Chilean government. The cost of the license is approximately $200, and you will need to submit various documents, including your passport, birth certificate, and proof of residency. You will also need to have two witnesses present at the ceremony. It is advisable to plan your wedding at least six months in advance, as you will need to allow time for the paperwork to be processed.