The Legal Process for Getting Married in Malta: A Clear Step-by-Step Guide

Getting legally married in Malta is not complicated — but it does involve specific steps, forms, and deadlines that aren't always explained clearly. Miss one and you risk delaying the whole thing. This guide breaks down exactly what's involved for both a civil marriage and a Catholic church wedding, with realistic timelines so you know when to do what.

The One Thing Both Paths Share

Whether you're getting married in a garden with a celebrant or in a parish church with your priest, every marriage in Malta goes through the same place: the Public Registry (part of Identità Malta).

The Public Registry publishes your marriage banns — a public notice that you intend to marry. This is a legal requirement for all marriages under the Marriage Act, and it's what makes the marriage officially recognised by the state. You can't skip it, and there are strict timelines around it.

The key rules on banns:

• The banns must be published for at least 8 consecutive days before the ceremony
• You must submit your application to the Public Registry at least 6 weeks before your wedding date
• The ceremony must take place between 6 days and 3 months after the banns are published — if you go outside this window, the marriage is legally void and you'd have to start the process again

That last point catches more people out than you'd think. Book your date, then work backwards.

Path 1: Civil Marriage

Step 1 — Book an appointment at the Public Registry (3 months before)

Contact the Marriage Registry Section at Identità Malta at least 3 months before your wedding date. You can book an appointment via the Identità booking system or by emailing pubreg.marriage.identita@gov.mt.

At this first appointment, you'll notify the registrar of:

• The venue where the ceremony will take place
• Your wedding date
• The surnames you'll each use after marriage

If you're getting married in Gozo or Comino, you apply at the Marriage Registry in Victoria (Rabat), Gozo — not in Valletta.

Step 2 — Submit your forms and documents (6 weeks before, at the latest)

You'll need to complete two forms:

• RZ1 — the formal request for publication of marriage banns
• RZ2 — a sworn declaration by each partner (signed individually) confirming there is no legal impediment to the marriage. This must be signed in front of a Commissioner for Oaths

Documents required (for Maltese nationals):

• Valid ID card + photocopy
• Photocopies of both witnesses' ID cards
• Birth certificate (only if your birth is not registered at the Malta Public Registry)

If one or both of you are foreign nationals, additional documents apply — see our civil ceremonies guide for a full breakdown.

Step 3 — Banns are published

Once your application is submitted and accepted, the banns are posted on the notice board at the Marriage Registrar's office and in the town or parish where each of you is resident. They remain posted for at least 8 consecutive days.

You don't need to do anything during this period — just make sure you haven't accidentally booked your ceremony fewer than 6 days after the banns go up.

Step 4 — Confirm with the Registry (5 days before)

At least 5 days before your wedding, contact the Marriage Registry Section to confirm the ceremony is going ahead. This is a quick step but it's easy to forget in the chaos of the final week.

Step 5 — The ceremony

On the day, the marriage is officiated by a Marriage Registrar or a licensed celebrant and signed in front of at least two witnesses (both must be 18+; they can be family members). Your marriage certificate is issued on the day.

Civil Marriage Costs

• Application/registration fee: approximately €150
• Marriage certificate: approximately €50

Venue hire, celebrant fees, and any other costs are separate.

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Path 2: Catholic Church Wedding

A Catholic church wedding in Malta is legally equivalent to a civil marriage — you don't need a separate civil ceremony. The church handles its own registration process alongside the Public Registry.

But there are additional steps, and the timeline is longer.

Step 1 — Complete the Cana Movement course (ideally 1–2 years before)

If you're Maltese nationals marrying in the Catholic Church, you're required to complete the Cana Movement marriage preparation course before you can book your church wedding.

The course runs 10 sessions and is held three times a year — starting in January, April, and October. You need to book at least 5 weeks before the course begins. At the end, you receive a certificate that you'll need for your wedding paperwork.

Practically speaking, if your wedding is in peak season (May–October), you should aim to complete the course at least a year in advance, since slots fill up and missing a round pushes you back four months.

You can register through your local parish church. More information at canamovement.org.

Step 2 — Book your parish church (around 6 months before)

Contact the parish office of the church where you want to get married. The priest will meet with you to understand your intentions for marriage. You'll also agree on the date, time, and any specific arrangements for the ceremony.

Popular churches book up fast, especially for Saturday slots in spring and early autumn. Six months is a minimum — a year ahead is safer for sought-after venues.

Step 3 — Contact the Public Registry (3 months before)

Just like a civil marriage, you still need to go through the Public Registry for the publication of banns. Book an appointment at least 3 months before your date and submit your RZ1 and RZ2 forms along with the same ID documents listed above.

The banns are published in the same way — on the notice board at the Registry and in the parish of each partner.

Step 4 — Collect your documents from the Registry (10 days before)

About 10 days before your ceremony, collect the following from the Public Registry:

• Two copies of the Act of Marriage
• Certificate of Banns

These must be handed to your parish priest before the ceremony. Don't leave this to the last minute — factor in Registry opening hours and any queues.

Step 5 — The ceremony

The church ceremony itself is the legal act. Your parish priest officiates; two witnesses must be present. The marriage is automatically registered with the Public Registry — there's no separate civil step needed afterwards.

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Side-by-Side Timeline

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Things That Catch People Out

Leaving the Registry too late. The 6-week minimum for submitting banns is non-negotiable. People assume three months is a rough guideline — it isn't. If you miss it, your date moves.

The 3-month window expiring. If you've published your banns but then your venue falls through and you need to reschedule past the 3-month mark, you'll need to reapply and republish. This has happened.

Cana course timing. Couples sometimes book the church first and then discover the next Cana course doesn't leave enough time. The course must be completed before you can proceed with church paperwork.

Foreign documents needing apostilles. If any of your documents are issued abroad, they may need an apostille or consular legalisation before the Registry will accept them. This can take weeks to arrange. Start early.

Witnesses' ID. You need photocopies of your witnesses' ID cards at the Registry stage — before the wedding day. It's a small thing but easy to forget.

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Where to Get Help

• Identità Malta (Public Registry) — identita.gov.mt/marriage-registry | Tel: +356 2590 4000
• Cana Movement — canamovement.org
• Wedding planners — if the paperwork feels like a lot, a local wedding planner who knows the Registry process can take it off your plate entirely

Browse our directory of celebrants and venues to get the rest of your planning moving.