Embassy of the United States Harare, Zimbabwe

For general information about marriage abroad, please visit the U.S. Department of State website.

The Government of the United States has no special requirements for the marriage of its nationals in other countries or to nationals of other countries.  For a foreign marriage to be recognized in the United States, the marriage must be legal in the country and jurisdiction where effected, and prior marriages terminated.

American citizens wishing to get married in Zimbabwe may register with a magistrate court by providing identification i.e. passport and documentation evincing the dissolution of any previous marriages.

There are both civil and religious marriages in Zimbabwe.  For religious marriages, a church may require a waiting period of three to four weeks in order to make the traditional banns announcements.

The Embassy provides no documentation with respect to marriage of its nationals in Zimbabwe.