Las Vegas is the marriage capital of the world for a reason. Couples fly in from the UK, Australia, Portugal, Greece, all over, to get married here, and it is genuinely one of the easiest places on earth to do it. If you have never been and you are planning the whole thing from another country, this guide is for you. Here is exactly how it works, start to finish, plus the one extra step most guides forget to mention.
Can we get married in Vegas if we are not American? Yes.
The three simple requirements
You do not need to be a US resident or citizen to marry in Las Vegas. Clark County asks for three simple things: you are both at least 18, you are both currently unmarried, and you each have a valid government photo ID. Your passport is your ID, and it is what almost all of my international couples use. There is no residency requirement, no blood test, no waiting period, and nothing about the wedding itself is tied to a visa.
Your visa and your wedding are two separate things
You will enter the US the same way any visitor does, through the ESTA or visa route that applies to your country, and you come as a tourist. The wedding does not change your immigration status. If you have questions about entering the US, check your own government’s travel advice or the official US sources, since that part is separate from the marriage itself.
Your passport does the job at the license bureau
The marriage license process is the same for you as it is for anyone else, and I have written the full walkthrough here: How to Get Your Las Vegas Marriage License. The short version for international couples:
- Pre-apply online before you fly so you can use the faster Express line.
- Both of you appear in person at the Marriage License Bureau, 201 E. Clark Avenue, open 8:00 a.m. to midnight, every day of the year.
- Bring your passports. The names on your application must match your passports exactly.
- Pay the $102 fee (a small convenience fee is added for card payments).
- No waiting period, and the license is valid for a full year.
- Nevada asks for one witness at your ceremony. If you are travelling as just the two of you, ask your chapel ahead of time so a witness is arranged, or bring me into the loop and we will sort it out.
What to bring vs what you can skip
Half of planning from abroad is knowing what you can stop worrying about. Here is the whole list at a glance:
| What you actually need | What you can skip / stop worrying about |
|---|---|
| Both passports (valid, names spelled as on your application) | Proof of residency or citizenship |
| Your online pre-application confirmation | A special visa for the wedding itself |
| $102 for the license (card or cash) | Birth certificates |
| One witness at the ceremony (or arrange one with your chapel) | A blood test |
| A day-first vs month-first check on your date (see below) | A waiting period, there is none |
One quick date heads-up
In the UK, Australia and much of Europe you write the day first, so 9.2.28 means the 9th of February. In the US it reads as September 2. When you send me or the chapel a date, spell the month out (“9 February 2028”) so nothing gets crossed. I always double-check this with my international couples.
The step most guides skip: recognition back home (the apostille)
A valid Nevada marriage is legally recognized, and for most couples it is simply accepted back home. But many countries want you to register or prove the marriage there, and to do that they ask for an apostille on your marriage certificate. I want to be honest and clear about this so there are no surprises. It is the number-one thing international couples ask me about after the wedding, so let’s get it right up front.
What an apostille actually is
An apostille is an official stamp that authenticates your Nevada marriage certificate so another country will accept it. Think of it as one government vouching to another that your certificate is the real thing. For your Vegas wedding, it is issued by the Nevada Secretary of State (nvsos.gov/businesses/apostille).
How to get one
- Order a certified copy of your marriage certificate from the Clark County Clerk first. The pretty souvenir certificate the chapel hands you does not count for this, so request the certified one.
- Send that certified copy to the Nevada Secretary of State for the apostille. The state fee is around $20 per document.
- If you mail it in, standard processing can take several weeks, so start early if you have a deadline back home.
- Order more than one certified copy if your country asks for multiples. It is easier to do it now than from another continent later.
Do you even need one?
Maybe not, and that depends entirely on your home country. The apostille works for countries in the Hague Apostille Convention, which is well over 100 countries including the UK and Australia. If your country is not a member, you would use embassy or consular legalization instead. The simplest move: check your own country’s marriage-registration rules before you travel, so you know whether you need an apostille and how many certified copies to order. When in doubt, your home country’s register office or foreign affairs office is the right place to ask. It is one form and a small fee, not a hurdle, it just helps to know about it in advance.
Your planning timeline, from the other side of the world
Here is the whole thing on one page. Nothing on this list is stressful, and most of it is booking flights and a hotel. Use it as your checklist:
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 6 to 8 weeks out | Choose your date, book your photographer and your chapel or ceremony spot, and book your flights and hotel. Popular dates and holidays fill up, so this is the piece to lock early. |
| 1 to 2 weeks before you fly | Complete the online marriage-license pre-application (it puts you in the faster Express line), confirm your ceremony timeline with me, and double-check your passports are in date. |
| The day before | Land, sleep, and reset. Pop into the Marriage License Bureau (open until midnight) and pick up your license so wedding day is hands-free. |
| Wedding day | Late-afternoon or evening ceremony, then photos as the neon comes on. Relax and enjoy it, this is the part you flew across the world for. |
| After you fly home | If your country needs it, order your certified certificate from the Clark County Clerk and send it for the apostille. Then register the marriage at home if your country asks you to. |
Jet lag and timing: plan it in your favor
- Arrive at least a day early. Give yourself one night to sleep and reset before the wedding. You will feel human, and your photos will show it.
- Do the license run the day before. The bureau is open until midnight and the license is good for a year, so knock it out when you land or the day before. That keeps your wedding day calm and unhurried.
- Book the ceremony for late afternoon or evening. When you are jet-lagged, mornings are brutal, and Vegas mornings in summer are hot anyway. A later ceremony is kinder to your body and gives you the best light.
Siga’s tip: Please do not book a 7 a.m. ceremony for the morning after a red-eye from Heathrow. I have seen it, and jet lag always wins. Land, sleep, and marry that evening instead. You will be present for your own wedding, which is the whole point, and you will look rested in every single photo.
The best ceremony times in Vegas
My honest advice, especially for out-of-town couples: lean later in the day. It helps with the heat, it helps with jet lag, and it gives you the two looks Vegas does best, the chapel in daylight and the city lit up at night. In the summer months a 7:30 or 7:45 p.m. ceremony is a sweet spot, and the year-round rule of thumb is simple: aim for about an hour before sunset. You get the chapel in soft light, then we head out for photos as the neon comes on. Downtown Fremont after dark is the most iconic Vegas backdrop there is, and it is exactly the look couples save on their inspiration boards.
If a desert vibe is more your thing, we plan around sunrise or the golden hour before sunset to dodge the midday heat. Tell me the feeling you are going for and I will build the timeline around it, because there is no copy-paste here, every couple is different.
Siga’s tip: The magic window is the golden-hour-into-neon double. We start while there is still warm light on the chapel, then walk into Fremont or the Strip exactly as the signs switch on. Same outfits, same evening, two completely different worlds of photos. It is the most Vegas thing you can do, and you only get it if we time the ceremony right.
Planning it from the other side of the world
This is the part I love most. So many of my couples have never set foot in Vegas before their wedding, and my whole job is to make that feel easy. I help with the plan, the timing, and the locations so you can simply show up, relax, and have fun. I do this almost every day, so I know every spot and every shortcut. You share your vision, I handle the rest.
You are also free to bring your own photographer at the famous Little White Wedding Chapel, which is one of the few chapels where that is welcome. Here is more on the Vegas chapels that let you bring your own photographer, so your day looks like you and not a template.
Siga’s tip: Not every Vegas chapel lets you bring your own photographer, so this is worth checking before you book anything. The chapels I work with most welcome outside photographers warmly, which means you get me for your whole day instead of a rushed in-house package. If you are unsure whether the venue you found allows it, ask me first and I will tell you straight.
International couples FAQ
Can we get married in Las Vegas if we are not US citizens or residents?
Yes. There is no residency or citizenship requirement. You both need to be at least 18, currently unmarried, and each have a valid government photo ID. Your passport works.
Do we need a visa to get married in Las Vegas?
The wedding itself is not tied to a visa. You enter the US as a visitor through the ESTA or visa route for your country, and the marriage does not change your immigration status. For entry questions, check your own government’s travel guidance and the official US sources.
Is a Las Vegas marriage legal in the UK, Australia, or our home country?
A valid Nevada marriage is legally recognized, and it is generally accepted abroad. Many countries do want you to register or prove the marriage at home, which usually means getting an apostille on your certificate. Check your own country’s marriage-registration rules to be sure.
What is an apostille and do we need one?
An apostille is an official stamp that authenticates your Nevada marriage certificate for use in another country. It is issued by the Nevada Secretary of State for around $20 per document, and you need a certified copy of your certificate from the Clark County Clerk first. Whether you need one depends on your home country’s rules.
Can we use our passport as ID for the marriage license?
Yes. A passport is a valid government photo ID at the Marriage License Bureau. Just make sure the names on your application match your passport exactly.
How far in advance should we plan an elopement from abroad?
Six to eight weeks is comfortable for booking your date, photographer, chapel, flights and hotel, though I have helped couples pull it together faster. The marriage license itself needs no advance booking, just the online pre-application before you fly.
When should we arrive before the wedding?
At least a day early. It gives you time to sleep off the jet lag and pick up your marriage license the day before, so your wedding day stays relaxed.
What is the best time of day to get married in Vegas as an international couple?
Later in the day. A late-afternoon or evening ceremony is easier on jet lag and the heat, and it gives you the chapel in daylight plus the city lights at night. About an hour before sunset is the sweet spot year-round.
Let’s plan your Vegas wedding from afar
Planning a wedding sight-unseen across an ocean sounds scary, but it really is not, not here, and not with someone who does this all the time. If you are just getting started, read how to get your marriage license next, and if your date is coming up fast, here is my last-minute Vegas elopement page.
Have questions about timing, the apostille, or the best spots for the look you want? You can send them to me right here. I would love to help you plan an easy, unforgettable Vegas wedding.
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