You are planning a trip and will be visiting some romantic places in New York. While on your trip, you may feel like proposing to that special person in your life but would you be able to get married? Yes!

Whether you are a Citizen or Non-U.S. Citizen, you are still allowed to get married as there are no residence or citizenship status requirements.

Now that this is out of the way, how do you go about it? As required by the New York State Department of Health, you will need to apply for a marriage license which is issued immediately but you must wait at least 24 hours after receiving the license to get married. Therefore, you will need be be in New York for at least three days (one day each for applying, waiting, getting married plus your honeymoon) so be sure to plan accordingly when reserving hotels and reserving flights here. The cost of the marriage license is US$40.00 and is valid for sixty (60) days.

To apply and pay the fee, you will need to visit any town or city clerk in New York and provide documents to verify your age (Birth Certificate, Baptismal record, Naturalization record or Census record) of fourteen (14) and older and identity (Driver’s license, Passport, Employment picture ID or Immigration record).

Once you get your license, you can then start to search for places to get married in New York if you have not already done so.

If you or your partner (of the same or opposite sex) were previously married, you will need to show information (Divorce Decree if legally divorced or Death Certificate if legally widowed) that it was dissolved. Same-sex marriage can be legally be performed in New York, and the state also  recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions.

For updated information, please the New York State Department of Health site.

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