About the Author
Kwok is a practising solicitor based in London, admitted in England & Wales and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. He is registered with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Kwok has worked as legal counsel and in-house solicitor across leading firms and corporations. He personally oversees every apostille and legalisation case at Ginkgo Advisory, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and end-to-end quality control.
Kwok Lam
Legal Consultant of Ginkgo Advisory
British Nationals Getting Married in Romania
If you are a British national planning to get married in Romania, you must follow the Romanian marriage process.
The UK Government guidance, “Confirm you’re free to get married in Romania if you live abroad”, explains how British nationals can apply for a Certificate of No Impediment, also known as a CNI.
A CNI is a legal document. It confirms that no legal barrier to your marriage has been shown to exist.
You may also need other documents for marriage in Romania. Some documents may need an apostille or a certified translation into Romanian.
You should always check the requirements with the person conducting your ceremony or the relevant Romanian local authority before you apply.
Marriage Registration in Romania
If you get married in Romania, your marriage will be registered in Romania.
It will not be added to UK marriage records.
You cannot register the marriage later at a UK register office, British Embassy or British Consulate.
You should keep your Romanian marriage certificate as evidence of your marriage.
If you want to use the certificate outside Romania, you may need a translation or apostille, depending on the destination country.
Certificate of No Impediment for Romania
British nationals usually need to complete a notice of marriage and an affirmation before applying for a CNI.
For Romania, the process involves a Romanian notary.
You must:
download the affirmation and notice forms;
fill in your details by hand;
avoid signing the documents too early;
book an appointment with a notary in Romania;
sign the documents in front of the notary;
ask the notary to sign and stamp the documents;
apply online for the CNI;
pay the application fee;
post the required documents to the British Embassy Bucharest.
The CNI fee is £100. This includes £50 for receiving notice and £50 for issuing the CNI.
After the embassy receives the documents, your notice will be displayed for 7 days.
If no one raises a legal objection, the CNI will be issued.
Once issued, the CNI will usually be accepted by Romanian local authorities for 3 months.
The Romanian Notary Step
You must sign the notice and affirmation in front of a notary in Romania.
Do not sign the forms before the appointment.
The details on the notarised documents must match the documents you upload online. For example, your name should match your UK passport exactly.
If the details do not match, the British Embassy may ask you to complete a new version and have it notarised again.
This can delay your application.
Some Romanian notaries may not accept the official UK forms. They may ask you to complete a local Romanian version instead.
If this happens, you should upload the local version when you apply online. When you post your documents to the British Embassy Bucharest, you must include both:
the local version signed and stamped by the Romanian notary;
and the completed UK form from the CNI application pack for Romania.
Documents Needed for the Online Application
To apply online for a Romania CNI, you usually need:
your notarised CNI affirmation;
your notarised notice;
your UK passport;
your proof of address;
your partner’s passport or national identity card;
your partner’s proof of address;
proof that any previous marriage or civil partnership has ended;
a credit or debit card for payment;
the chosen address where your documents will be sent.
If any document is not in English or Romanian, you may need a certified translation.
Prepare everything before you start. The online application may time out if you are inactive for 20 minutes.
You should only apply online after you have signed the notice and affirmation in front of a Romanian notary.
If You Live in Romania
If you live in Romania, you need to provide proof of your Romanian address.
The name on your proof of address must match the name on your passport.
You may use documents such as:
a residence permit, residence certificate or residence card;
a bank or mortgage statement;
a letter from your bank;
a utility bill;
a council tax bill or local equivalent;
a tenancy agreement;
a housing association rent card or equivalent;
a government tax demand;
or a self-assessment statement.
Your proof of address must usually be dated within the last 3 months, unless it is a residence permit.
If You Are Only Staying in Romania
If you do not live in Romania, you must be there for 3 whole days before your notary appointment.
The count starts the day after you arrive.
For example, if you arrive on Thursday, the earliest day you can attend the notary appointment is Monday.
When you apply online, you need evidence showing:
when you arrived in Romania;
and where you stayed in Romania.
To prove when you arrived, you may use:
a hotel or accommodation booking showing you checked in at least 3 days before the notary appointment;
a passport stamp;
a ticket;
or a boarding pass.
To prove where you stayed, you may use:
a hotel or accommodation booking showing the address;
or a written statement from the property owner or tenant if you stayed with friends or family.
The written statement should include the dates you stayed, the address, your full name and their full name.
If You Were Previously Married or in a Civil Partnership
If you have been married or in a civil partnership before, you must prove that the previous relationship has ended.
The UK Government guidance lists documents such as:
a Decree Absolute or Final Order;
a death certificate for your husband, wife or civil partner;
an annulment certificate.
For England and Wales divorce cases, you will usually need a Decree Absolute or Final Order.
A Decree Absolute is the older final divorce order. It usually applies to divorces completed before 6 April 2022.
A Final Order is the current final divorce order. It usually applies to divorce cases issued on or after 6 April 2022.
Both documents prove that the previous marriage has legally ended.
If You Do Not Have the UK Divorce Document
Many British nationals no longer have the original Decree Absolute or Final Order.
Some only have:
an old scan;
a downloaded PDF;
a court email attachment;
a blurred photo;
an electronic divorce order;
or an unclear copy from an old file.
The UK Government guidance says you can order a UK Decree Absolute or Final Order from a divorce, dissolution or annulment record.
This matters because Romania CNI applications may require proof that a previous marriage or civil partnership has ended.
Ginkgo Advisory can help with this UK document stage.
Digital Divorce Documents Need Extra Evidence
The Romania guidance includes an important point.
If you only have a digital document showing that the marriage or civil partnership has ended, you can upload it when you apply online. However, you will need to post further evidence to the British Embassy Bucharest.
For example, you may need an email, letter or other court document confirming that the court issued the divorce document.
This is important for modern UK divorce records.
Many Final Orders now exist as court PDFs or electronic documents. A loose printout may not show the full source trail.
A stronger route may include:
reviewing the UK court document;
checking whether it is a court PDF, HMCTS copy or paper order;
obtaining supporting court evidence where available;
preparing solicitor certification;
arranging a UK FCDO apostille where needed.
This gives the document a clearer chain before you use it for Romania marriage paperwork.
Do You Need an Apostille for Romania?
You should check this with the Romanian local authority or the person conducting your ceremony.
The guidance states that some documents may need to be legalised with an apostille or translated by a qualified translator.
For a UK divorce document, the common route may be:
UK divorce document → solicitor certification → UK FCDO apostille → Romanian translation if required → use in Romania
This route can help where the document is a court PDF, electronic Final Order, unclear scan or certified copy.
Ginkgo Advisory handles the UK side. You should confirm any Romanian translation or local acceptance rules with the Romanian authority.
If the Divorce Took Place Outside the UK
If your divorce or dissolution took place outside the UK, you may need extra evidence.
You may be asked to show that you or your ex-partner were a national of that country or resident there when the divorce took place.
If you have a paper document, you may need to post the original document to the embassy. You may also be able to use a copy certified in the country where it was issued.
If you only have a digital document, you may need further evidence from the issuing court or authority.
Check this before you apply. Missing evidence can delay the CNI process.
UK Death Certificate Warning
If your former husband, wife or civil partner has died, you may need to post the original UK death certificate.
The guidance states that it is against copyright law to make a copy of a UK death certificate. A certified copy will not be accepted.
If the death certificate does not show your relationship to the deceased, you may also need to post your marriage or civil partnership certificate.
The original documents will be returned with your CNI.
If You Want to Marry Your Civil Partner
You cannot get a CNI while you are still in a civil partnership.
If you want to marry your civil partner, you must either:
convert the civil partnership into a marriage;
or end the civil partnership before getting married.
If you registered a same-sex civil partnership in the UK, you may be able to convert it into a marriage.
If the civil partnership was registered elsewhere, check the law of that country.
How Ginkgo Advisory Helps
Ginkgo Advisory is a London-based legal service provider.
We assist with the UK document side of marriage preparation for Romania. This is especially useful if a British national has been divorced in England or Wales.
We can help with:
UK Decree Absolute retrieval;
UK Final Order retrieval;
UK divorce document review;
supporting court evidence review where available;
solicitor certification;
UK FCDO apostille;
2 working days UK apostille service, where suitable;
document preparation for Romania marriage use.
We do not replace the British Embassy Bucharest, a Romanian notary or the Romanian local authority.
You should always check the Romanian marriage requirements directly.
Our role is focused. We help ensure that the UK divorce document is obtained, reviewed, certified and apostilled correctly before you use it overseas.
British National Getting Married in Romania: UK Divorce Document Support
If you are a British national getting married in Romania and you were previously divorced in England or Wales, your Decree Absolute or Final Order may form part of your CNI paperwork.
Ginkgo Advisory can help you obtain the UK divorce document, prepare solicitor certification and arrange a UK FCDO apostille in suitable cases.
Contact Ginkgo Advisory for UK Decree Absolute / Final Order certification and apostille support for marriage in Romania.
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