Monaco has one of the most rigid legal requirements in Europe, marriage being one of its examples. An unconditional rule regulating your getting married is mentioned in Article 139 of the Monaco Civil Code: a marriage may only occur if at least one of the spouses is Monegasque or has a minimum of 1 month local residency. A continuous presence for more than a month can also satisfy Article 139.
Does marrying a Monaco resident or national offer any real advantages? Why doesn’t an official marriage with a Monegasque guarantee a Monaco passport or even a residency? How realistic is it for a foreigner to marry in Monaco without having resident status or a continuous stay of at least a month? Let’s go into more detail.
Statistics
Since 2016, almost two-thirds of marriages involving a Monegasque have been concluded between the Monegasque and a French citizen.
According to Monaco City Hall, 176 marriages were celebrated in the Principality in 2024. Of these, six were between two Monegasque nationals, while 60 united a Monegasque with a foreign national (even more in 2025). The remaining 110 marriages were between two foreign nationals. In total, therefore, 66 of the 176 marriages involved at least one Monegasque citizen.
Main Marriage Scenarios
The simplest scenario is when both spouses are Monaco residents. In this case, you only need to prove your residency, nationality being irrelevant. This marriage is considered standard and is governed by the local law.
If a Monaco resident marries a non-resident, proof of Monaco residence needs to be provided – an extensive list of supporting documents (including official translations and legalization).
Marriage does not automatically grant you residency.
If both are Monaco citizens, this “internal” marriage is fully regulated by national law and does not require any additional proof of residency. This kind of union plays an essential role in preserving the national identity.
If one spouse is Monegasque and the other is a different national, marriage is possible without any residency restrictions. Obtaining a Monaco citizenship, however, is quite a different matter. According to the Principality’s law, since July 2022, a foreign spouse can only apply for it after 20 years of legal marriage.
Same sex marriages, including civil ones, are not permitted to be performed in Monaco. Since 2020, however, civil solidarity pacts are legally recognized by Law No. 1.481 for both opposite and same-sex couples.
This kind of solidarity pact secures a number of rights, including property ownership, inheritance, social rights and more. It does not give you family status, however it does not provide any rights related to parenthood or adoption and is not equivalent to a civilly registered marriage.
Guidelines
Once you are engaged, you can envisage moving on to the next step. Before you look into it, make sure you are eligible for getting married in Monaco. Every case is considered individually based on your supporting documents.
Supporting documents: birth certificates for both spouses, divorce/death certificates for the previous spouse (if any previous marriages), notarized consents (if a minor), prenuptial agreement (if any), proof that there is no impediment to the marriage. Foreign nationals also need to provide consular certificates, legalization/apostille and certified translations for any documents issued abroad.
The package is then submitted to the Etat Civil at Monaco City Hall. After verification, the marriage publication date is announced. According to Article 52 of the Civil Code the “marriage announcement must be published for a period of ten days. The wedding ceremony may not be celebrated prior to its expiration.”
The actual wedding date will be communicated to you as well. Please keep in mind that slots fill in quickly during the summer months. Give yourself at least two months for processing your marriage request.
You can get married at the Monaco City Hall on any week-day, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and on Saturday mornings from 10:00 to 11:30, all with the exception of public holidays.
Civil Registry Office, Monaco Town Hall
Place de la Mairie, 98000 Monaco
Tel: (+377) 93 15 28 51 or 93 15 29 64
Email: etatcivil@mairie.mc
