Getting Married in Vegas

[Adma]

Hi everyone. My fiancé and I are wanting to get married in Vegas. I am from the U.K and my fiancé is from Venezuela. Would anybody be able to give me information regarding if the marriage would be recognized in France for us to be able to stay once my fiancé has finished her studies. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks Adam

[frogblogger]

Your query is touched on in the posts towards the end of this thread - I am British, am marrying a Thai this summer, and looking to come back to France this coming December.

Technically no difference that I can see to the situation as set out by Bev in the above-mentioned thread, so it might be somewhat easier than you imagine. However in the real world French civil servants can be a law unto themselves, the left hand rarely knows what the right hand is doing, and I reckon to qualify as a French fonctionnaire you need a degree in making mountains out of molehills.

Because of all this those speaking French, who are used to the system, and who have a home here, are at a slight advantage. Depending on how good (or otherwise) your French is, you may have a battle on your hands. But in theory, it seems more than do-able.

[Bevdeforges]

I don't know about the situation for two foreigners married in Vegas. I suspect it would depend upon whether or not the marriage is recognized in your home countries.

Several years ago there was a big article in Marie-Claire magazine in France about Vegas weddings - and it specifically said that (for French citizens) they were NOT recognized as legal. Now, there have been lots of changes to the laws since then.

I suspect part of the problem is the lack of a residency requirement for getting married in Las Vegas. In France, your "contrat de mariage" is assumed to be the default property arrangement for the place in which you were married - assuming that one of the two of you is resident there. If you were to marry in Vegas and then establish residency as a married couple someplace else for a period of time, the French would probably accept the marriage as "valid." But I'm not sure what that period of time might be.

Where are each of you currently resident?
Cheers,
Bev

[frogblogger]

Ah yes I'd forgotten, is that the place where people dress up as Elvis and get married to the tune of Heartbreak Hotel, or One Night With You ? A Fool Such As I ? ... (very appropriate ) Wondered how valid those marriages were.

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by frogblogger

Ah yes I'd forgotten, is that the place where people dress up as Elvis and get married to the tune of Heartbreak Hotel, or One Night With You ? A Fool Such As I ? ... (very appropriate ) Wondered how valid those marriages were.

The Marie Claire feature was actually quite a picture spread - with some of the tackiest of the wedding chapels there. It came out during the time I was running around collecting all the various bits of paper you need to marry as a foreigner here in France - and even the American Consulate had a copy of the article on the wall with the part about the French not recognizing Vegas weddings highlighted with big arrows.

In the US, such weddings are completely valid - at least for US residents. And the state of Nevada was long famous for its (somewhat less) quicky divorces. Used to be you had to be resident in the state for 30 days to get a divorce, but there were resorts that offered complete packages - 30 days of spa and activities, and at the end of it all, you were divorced! What a deal!
Cheers,
Bev

Las Vegas weddings are accepted in France provided the documents are registered with the consul in LA.

At least, that was the poisition for us in 2000. The process took 8 months, but this would have been longer had I not cut out the 3 month delay waiting for the diplomatic bags to be opened by phoning / faxing the LA consul direct.

There was general confusion regarding the process and requirements, and the best advice was given by my local Mairie.

Peter

[Adma]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I think given all the advice I will go to Mairie and see what we can sort out.
Thanks again