How to register a marriage

Marriage Registration in Estonia

For procedures of registering marriage in Estonia please visit the Estonian Vital Statistics marriage registration webpage

If you are resident in UK

CERTIFICATES OF NO IMPEDIMENT (CNI) are issued to British Citizens by Superintendent Registrars of Marriage in England and Wales or Registrars of Marriages in Northern Ireland. The applicant must reside in the Registrar's district at least 21 clear days in the case of a marriage between a British subject and a foreign national, or 7 days in the case of marriage between two British subjects. The applicant must give a public notice of the marriage. The notice must be posted up for a further 14 clear days before the Registrar issues his CNI.

In Scotland, Certificates of No Impediment are issued by District Registrars. No qualifying period of residence is specified before notice is given. A minimum of 14 days must elapse before the registrar issues his CNI.

Certificate of No Impediment issued in the UK:

If you have to present documents issued in the UK (CNI, birth/death certificates etc) to foreign authorities, it is advisable to get them legalised at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK.

Please see our Legalisation page for more information.

If you are resident in Estonia

If you have Estonian Resident card you will not need to show Certificate of No impediment when contracting marriage in Estonia Vitual Statistics Office.

You may apply for a Certificate of No Impediment at the British Embassy Tallinn if you have resided in Estonia for at least 21 clear days. You should make an appointment with the British Vice-Consul to give notice of your intended marriage and swear an affidavit. You are also requested to present the following documents:
- your British passport
- evidence that you have resided in Estonia for at least 21 clear days
- copy of your fiancé(e)'s passport

- if this is not your first marriage, either the original decree absolute confirming the divorce, or the death certificate of a former spouse

The statutory consular fee for this service is £59 payable in cash and local currency at the Consulate (For fees please see our Consular fees page).

Provided no objection to your proposed marriage is notified to us within 21 clear days from the date you gave your notice of marriage, a certificate will be issued in both English and Estonian. The certificate is valid for three months. The statutory consular fee for issuing the CNI is £59 payable in cash and local currency at the Embassy (For fees please see our Consular fees page).

The Certificate of No Impediment is valid for 3 months since the date of issue.

You will also need to legalise the Certificate of No Impediment issued by the British Embassy Tallinn in the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Please contact their consular department on 00372 6377440 to find out more inforamtion and book the appointment time.

If you resident in a third country

Please contact your nearest British mission for further advice. In Commonwealth countries the local authorities issue your CNI - not the British High Commission.

Deposit of Foregn Marriage Certifiactes to UK

Where a British National has been married in a foreign country under the local law, arrangements can be made for a record of the marriage to be kept at the general Register Office in Southport, Edinburgh or Belfast as appropriate. If you wish to do this, you should present the following documents at the consulate:

- a certified photocopy of the local register of marriages (ABIELUTUNNISTUS) from the local Department of Vital Statistics (Perekonnaseiusuamet) or church (kirik).
- your British passport.

- the statutory fee, which is payable in cash and local currency at the Consulate (For fees please see our Consular fees page).

The “abielutunnistus” will not be returned but once the deposit of the marriage registration has been made in the UK records, certified copies of the entry will be obtainable from the appropriate Registrar General on payment of a fee.

There is no legal obligation to have a marriage recorded in the United Kingdom but you may take advantage of these facilities if you consider that it would serve some useful purpose. The formal or essential validity in English law of a marriage contracted in a foreign country is in no way affected by its having been, or not having been, recorded.

Effect of Marriage on Nationality Status

Marriage to a Foreign or Commonwealth National does not cause a British National to lose that status. However, the law of the State of which the spouse is a National may provide that the British National will, in addition, acquire the spouse’s nationality, or will be asked to renounce the British nationality. In these cases the advice of the appropriate overseas authority should be sought.

A person (male or female) who marries a British citizen may apply to be naturalised as a British citizen on preferential terms provided that he or she fulfils the requirements. One of the requirements is that he or she should have lived in the United Kingdom for a period of three years or more immediately preceding the date of the application for naturalisation.

If your question has not been answered on these pages or you would like further information, please contact us.

Enquiries:
Tel: +372 6674700
Fax: +372 6674725
E-mail: infotallinn@fco.gov.uk

The British Embassy in Estonia