Impediment Free

In order for you to get married, you need to have a marriage license. No license means no wedding. The license is the clearance certificate from the government stating that you have checked out OK and are qualified to proceed. Marriage is, after all, a binding contract with many long term effects on your lives beyond just having a ring on your finger.

So what do you need to know before you go and get your license? What are the requirements? Better yet, what are the reasons behind them?

Age is the first requirement. You must be of legal age to get married. To establish this you are asked to present a valid ID - your driver’s license or passport.

The legal age varies in each country; for some it varies per state. Generally, the legal age is 18. You need to be of legal age because no contract you sign is binding unless you are no longer a minor. The marriage contract is one of the most significant agreements you will ever make in your lifetime.

There are some exceptions to this rule. In some countries you can get married even if you are still a minor but no less than 16 years of age if your parent gives their consent to the union. In some countries even if you are already of legal age you are not automatically granted a marriage license. Some countries, like the Philippines, requires that both parties must be 25 years old and above to get the license on their own. Marriages between individuals 18-21 require both parental knowledge and consent while those between ages 22 to 25 need parental knowledge alone.

If you marry below the specified minimum age and without the necessary consent your marriage automatically invalid, even if you later have children. It may seem a pesky annoyance to some and very restrictive but the government knows that marriage is no easy thing. The mind of the individual must be mature enough to handle the various situations that come with being part of a wedded pair especially since, for some countries, it truly is for life.

Next you will be asked to confirm that you are not related by blood, within two degrees. Marrying within that level is considered incestuous. This means you cannot marry any member of your immediate family beginning from your grandparent to your grandchildren. This rule applies as well to marrying your aunts, uncles, nieces or nephews or cousins. This law is based on genetics. The last thing we want is inbreeding since this brings out the less desirable traits and medical problems inherent in our line.

You will also be asked to provide proof that you are not currently married. You will need to bring your annulment or divorce papers if you have already been married before. If you are a widow or widower, bring the death certificate of your spouse. This is so that you do not become a bigamist. Marrying someone who is already married means that your marriage is actually null and void from the start.

Start your married life on the right foot. Make sure that you are truly both ready to get married and free of impediments. Otherwise someone may just stand up in the middle of your ceremony and stop it from ever happening spoiling your big moment.