MARRIAGE IN AZERBAIJAN

Azerbaijan has established the following procedures to officially register and carry out marriages between a foreigner and an Azerbaijani citizen.  The following information, gathered by the U.S. Embassy in Baku, should give you general information regarding the marriage process in Azerbaijan.

Under Azerbaijani law, either the bride or the groom must be an Azerbaijani citizen in order for the marriage to be registered in Azerbaijan.  The Main Registrar Office (ZAGS) is the only authority that registers marriages, when foreign national involved.

1. Please Plan Ahead.  If you intend to marry in Azerbaijan, you should bring with you all pertinent civil documents from the U.S., particularly those documents (divorce or death certificates) establishing the end of any previous marriage, with translations into Azerbaijani. These must be original documents or court certified copies. 

2. Ensure That You Have A Valid Visa.  It is not possible to register for marriage without a valid Azerbaijani visa.  Visas may be obtained at the Azerbaijani Embassy in Washington D.C., or, at the airport upon your arrival to Azerbaijan.  For more information on visas for Azerbaijan, please visit the website of Azerbaijan Embassy in Washington at http://www.azembassy.us/.

3. Get a Certificate of No Record of Marriage. The Government of Azerbaijan requires all American citizens wishing to marry in Azerbaijan to provide a “Certificate of No Record of Marriage” issued by the Vital Records Department in the state of U.S. citizen’s residence. This certificate should state that no record of marriage was found for the named individual. The sworn affidavit formerly issued by the U.S. Embassy is no longer accepted by the government of Azerbaijan. If the applying American citizen was previously married, he or she needs to provide a marriage dissolution certificate, and if she/he is widowed, then the previous marriage and death certificate should be provided as well. Please bear in mind that all of the above mentioned documents must be authenticated (Apostille) by the state government of the issuing state in the U.S., translated into Azerbaijani language and only then submitted to ZAGS office. For more information on Apostille, please click here.     

4. Go To The ZAGS Office.  We advise you to contact the Main Registrar Office (ZAGS) at the following address for the most up to date requirements to register your marriage.

Main Registrar Office (ZAGS)

36 A, Gara Garayev Prospect

Nizami District

Telephone: 421 3586

 

Once you have prepared all the required documents, the Main Registrar Office (ZAGS) will accept your marriage application (available at ZAGS office) and provide you with a marriage registration date.

5. Apply For A U.S. Immigrant Visa.  Recent legislation has led to changes in the procedures American citizens resident abroad will follow if they wish to sponsor an immediate relative (spouse, parent or minor child) for an immigrant visa.  Please contact the Consular Section for the most current information.

If you are a visitor in this country or a legal permanent resident of the United States, you must file forms with your local USCIS office in the U.S.  Please see http://www.uscis.gov/ for more information.

For more information on marrying abroad, please see: (http://travel.state.gov/family/family_issues/marriage/marriage_589.html).