To get married in Morocco as a British citizen, you marry your Moroccan partner before two adouls, once the family judge has given authorisation: Morocco has no civil marriage. The British side starts with a certificate of no impediment from your register office or, if you live abroad, a marital status affirmation from the British Embassy; afterwards, there is nothing to register in the UK. In between come the Moroccan file, a police investigation and, for a non-Muslim man marrying a Muslim woman, conversion to Islam, over a few weeks to several months depending on the court.
This guide follows each step in order, with the documents, timescales and costs on both sides, drawn from Moroccan law, the UK government and what other countries tell their nationals; American, Canadian and Irish readers have a section of their own. It is up to date as of 25 September 2026.
Who can get married in Morocco?
Morocco does not perform civil marriages. A marriage is concluded before two adouls, notaries of Islamic law, under the 2004 Family Code, the Moudawana, which applies as soon as one of the couple is Moroccan (Article 2). Moroccan law adds a condition of religion: a Muslim woman may not marry a non-Muslim man, and a Muslim man may marry a non-Muslim woman only if she is Christian or Jewish (Article 39). The UK government's guidance for British citizens puts it this way: your partner must be Moroccan; if you are a man, you must be Muslim or convert to Islam; if you are a woman, you must be Christian, Jewish or Muslim.
| Your situation | In Morocco | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| A British man marries a Moroccan woman | Before the adouls, with the judge's authorisation | He must be Muslim or convert to Islam |
| A British woman marries a Moroccan man | Before the adouls, with the judge's authorisation | She must be Muslim, Christian or Jewish; no conversion is required |
| You are British and Moroccan | Before the adouls, as a Moroccan | Morocco treats you as a Moroccan national; ask the court whether it also wants a British document |
| Two British citizens | Not possible under the UK guidance, which requires a Moroccan partner | Marry in the UK; a celebration in Morocco is then symbolic |
| Two people of the same sex | Impossible | Marry in the UK or in another country |
There are no British consular marriages in Morocco. For same-sex couples, the UK government's travel advice, updated on 19 August 2026, is explicit: "Same-sex sexual relations are illegal in Morocco". Plan to be there together: the police, the judge and the adouls all want to see both of you.
How to get married in Morocco, step by step
The formalities alternate between the UK and Morocco. The order matters, because each step produces the document the next one requires.
| Step | Where | Timescale reported |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Certificate of no impediment, or marital status affirmation | Your UK register office; or the British Embassy in Rabat or the honorary consulate in Marrakech | 28 days after notice for a certificate, if no one objects |
| Conversion to Islam, if the law requires it | Adouls in Morocco, or a Moroccan consulate | One appointment |
| 2. File for the family judge | Family section of the court of first instance | Lodged in a day, once the documents are gathered |
| 3. Investigation and authorisation | Public prosecutor, judicial police, then the judge | From a few weeks to several months, depending on the court |
| 4. Marriage contract | Two adouls, then approval by the judge | As soon as the authorisation is granted |
| 5. Recognition in the UK | Nothing to register; keep a certified copy with an English translation | No UK formality |
| Family visa, if your spouse moves to the UK | Online application from outside the UK | Decision usually within 12 weeks |
The British document comes quickly; the Moroccan investigation sets the pace. Do not request documents too early: the affirmation gives you three months to marry, and civil status documents are valid for only three months, sometimes six. As the Belgian and Spanish embassies advise their own nationals, do not fix the date of the celebration before you have your certificate in hand.
Step 1: the certificate of no impediment or affirmation
Before the adouls draw up the contract, Morocco wants proof that nothing in your own country's law stands in the way of the marriage. The UK provides it in one of two forms, depending on where you live: a certificate of no impediment, or CNI, or a marital status affirmation.
| Certificate of no impediment | Marital status affirmation | |
|---|---|---|
| For whom | British citizens living in the UK | British citizens living outside the UK |
| Where | Your register office, after notice of intention to marry abroad | Online application, then an appointment at the British Embassy in Rabat or the honorary consulate in Marrakech; issued in English and French |
| Cost | Set by each council: £46.50 in Stockport, which requires seven days' residence in the district | £50, plus £25 for a certified copy of your passport: £75 in all |
| Timing | Issued after 28 days, if there is no objection | Marry within 3 months of receiving it |
| In Morocco | Everything is translated into Arabic for the court; the affirmation and the passport copy are legalised by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs | |
One caution comes from the UK guidance itself: "Some Moroccan courts still ask for a CNI". Before you choose, ask the adoul which document the court expects.
Step 2: the documents you need in Morocco
In Morocco, a foreigner's marriage requires the authorisation of the family judge in charge of marriage (Article 65 of the Family Code). The file is lodged with the registry of the family section of the court of first instance: the Code refers to the court of the place where the contract will be concluded, and in practice it is often the court where the Moroccan partner lives. Since 2020, the Ministry of Justice's eAdoul portal has allowed the application to be filed online in most courts; ask the registry whether it accepts it for a mixed marriage.
| Document | British partner | Moroccan partner |
|---|---|---|
| Application | An application addressed to the family judge in charge of marriage | |
| Birth | Recent full birth certificate | Extract of birth certificate |
| Identity | Passport, with the page showing the latest entry stamp into Morocco; proof of nationality | Certified copy of the national identity card |
| Capacity | Certificate of no impediment or marital status affirmation | Administrative certificate of marital status |
| Residence | Certificate of residence | Certificate of residence |
| Criminal record | Criminal record certificate from your own country, and the criminal record for foreigners issued in Morocco | Depending on the court |
| Means | Certificate of employment and income | Depending on the court |
| Health | Medical certificate, issued in Morocco | Medical certificate |
| Religion | Act of conversion to Islam for a man; declaration of religion for a woman | — |
| Photographs | Four recent passport photographs | Four recent passport photographs |
| Previous marriage | Divorce judgment or death certificate, if applicable | Divorce or death certificate, if applicable |
This list combines the Ministry of Justice's guide to family court procedures and the City of Casablanca's page, which gives a fee of 150 dirhams. It varies from one court to another: the judge may waive a document that cannot be obtained, just as the court may ask for others. Call the registry before you set off.
Each British document is presented with its Arabic translation by a sworn translator, and the City of Casablanca wants the certificate of capacity certified by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Obtain your criminal record certificate before you leave; the court will tell you which British certificate it accepts.
Step 3: the investigation and the judge's authorisation
Photo Reda Benkhadra, CC BY-SA 4.0
The judge sends the file to the public prosecutor, who has the judicial police check the foreign partner's identity, the authenticity of the documents, the absence of any impediment, and the partner's character and means. A circular issued by the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor's Office on 13 April 2020 asks for the partner's nationality, religion, profession and income to be recorded. Both partners are often interviewed, first by the police and then by the judge: go together, and bring the originals.
The procedure succeeds in the great majority of cases. In 2024, according to the report of the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor's Office, the courts received 10,035 applications for authorisation of a mixed marriage; 7,680 police investigations were carried out, 8,977 authorisations were granted, and prosecutors asked for the application to be rejected in 350 cases. The timescale depends on the city: foreign spouses report anything from eight working days in Marrakech to several months elsewhere. In 2024, Hespress reported an authorisation valid for only two weeks at the court it observed: let the adouls know as soon as yours is granted.
Converting to Islam: when the law requires it
Moroccan law requires conversion in one case only: a non-Muslim man marrying a Muslim Moroccan woman (Article 39 of the Family Code). A British woman marrying a Moroccan man does not have to convert; if she is Christian or Jewish, the City of Casablanca's page asks her for a declaration of her religion.
Conversion is recorded in an adoul act. In Morocco, two adouls draw it up and the judge responsible for notarial matters approves it. Outside Morocco, the Moroccan consulate for the area where you live draws it up free of charge, on presentation of an identity card or passport, proof of residence within its district, a birth certificate and two photographs, after you recite the shahada, the profession of faith. A certificate issued by a mosque is not an adoul act: for the Moroccan judge, the consulate's act is the safe document.
Step 4: the marriage contract before the adouls
Photo Hamza Oubrahim, Licence Pexels
Once the judge has given authorisation, two adouls take the consent of both spouses in person and draw up the contract. The Family Code sets five conditions: the capacity of the spouses, a dowry that cannot be dispensed with, the presence of the matrimonial guardian, or wali, where the law requires one, consent expressed before the two adouls, and the absence of any impediment (Article 13). The dowry, or sadaq, is agreed freely between the spouses; the law sets no amount and recommends moderation.
The contract records the number of the judge's authorisation, the nationality of the spouses, the dowry and any conditions they have agreed, and it is then approved by the judge (Article 67). The original goes to the wife and a copy to the husband (Article 69). When one of the spouses was not born in Morocco, an extract is sent to the public prosecutor at the court of first instance in Rabat (Article 68). Ask straight away for a certified copy and have it translated into English: it is the document you will show in the UK. The adouls' fees are agreed with them; ask for the amount at the first meeting.
Step 5: recognition in the UK and the family visa
A marriage concluded before the adouls is recognised in the UK if it was "lawful in the country where it took place" and is allowed under UK law. There is nothing to register: "Only UK marriages and civil partnerships are registered in the UK", and no British certificate is issued. The UK government advises having the Moroccan certificate translated into English.
The family visa: bringing your spouse to the UK
If your spouse is to live with you in the UK, they apply for a family visa as your partner. Your combined income must be at least £29,000 a year, and your partner must show English at level A1 or above, through a Secure English Language Test (SELT), then at level A2 to extend the visa after two and a half years. Applying from outside the UK costs £2,064, plus the immigration health surcharge of £2,587.50 per adult for a visa of two years and six months. A decision is usually made within 12 weeks. After five years, your partner can apply for indefinite leave to remain; a reform announced in 2025 may change this route, so check GOV.UK before you apply.
Matrimonial property under Moroccan law
Moroccan law has no community of property: each spouse keeps a separate estate, and the spouses may agree, in a document separate from the marriage contract, on how assets acquired during the marriage will be managed; the adouls must inform them of this option (Article 49 of the Family Code).
How your assets are treated in the UK, if you buy a home there, separate or divorce, is a question for UK law, which this guide does not cover: take advice from a family lawyer in the UK before the signing.
Getting married in the UK or in Morocco?
The other route is to marry in the UK. Your Moroccan partner then needs a marriage visitor visa, or a family visa as a fiancé or fiancée, which requires you to marry within six months; notice cannot be given on a Standard Visitor visa. You give notice together at your register office at least 29 days before the ceremony, and the Home Office may extend that waiting period to up to 70 days.
On the Moroccan side, the marriage must then be registered at the Moroccan consulate within three months (Articles 14 and 15 of the Family Code), and it is recognised in Morocco only with two male Muslim witnesses; if the UK certificate does not mention them, the consulate's adouls draw up an additional act, the ishhad moulhaq. The consulate also asks for the conversion certificate of a non-Muslim husband, and does not itself marry a British–Moroccan couple: its adouls marry a Moroccan and a foreigner only if neither holds the nationality of the host country.
| Register office wedding in the UK | Wedding before the adouls in Morocco | |
|---|---|---|
| UK side | A UK marriage, registered in the UK | CNI or affirmation beforehand; recognised in the UK without registration |
| Moroccan side | Registration at the Moroccan consulate within 3 months | A Moroccan contract, valid once approved by the judge |
| Witnesses | Two Muslim witnesses, or an ishhad moulhaq at the consulate | The two adouls |
| Non-Muslim husband of a Moroccan woman | Conversion required for registration in Morocco | Conversion required for the judge's authorisation |
| Best suited to | Couples already living in the UK | Couples whose Moroccan partner lives in Morocco |
If you are American, Canadian or Irish
The Moroccan procedure is the same whatever your passport; only your own country's document and your spouse's visa change.
| Country | Before the wedding | After the wedding |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Affidavit of Nationality and Eligibility to Marry and a certified passport copy, $50 each, at a notarial appointment in Casablanca | Recognised in the US without registration; Form I-130 for your spouse |
| Canada | Affidavit of Nationality and Capacity to Marry, issued by the embassy in Rabat on the same day, CAD 50 | Generally recognised, without registration; spousal sponsorship, CAD 1,260 plus CAD 85 for biometrics |
| Ireland | Certificate of Freedom to Marry, €60 plus €6, to request at least four months ahead | Long stay (join family) visa, free for the spouse of an Irish citizen |
United States
The US Embassy performs no marriages and states that "A Moroccan marriage is recognized in the U.S." The documents are then certified at the annex of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rabat, which takes "a few days to a few months". The file also calls for a medical certificate obtained in Morocco, four photographs, proof of employment, a state or FBI criminal record obtained before you come to Morocco and, for a man, a certified copy of a conversion document drawn up by adouls; the adoul charges a file fee of 150 dirhams. For your spouse, Form I-130 ($675 on paper, $625 online) is followed by consular processing, with a CR-1 visa if you have been married for less than two years, then Form I-751. Immigrant visa processing for Moroccan nationals was paused from 21 January 2026; a federal court set the pause aside on 21 August 2026 and consulates were told in September to resume, so we give no US timescale for now: check with the embassy.
Canada
The embassy in Rabat points out that it does not issue a certificate of non-impediment as such: what you receive is an affidavit issued by the embassy. For the Moroccan file, it lists a birth certificate, an RCMP criminal record check with an apostille, an authenticated divorce judgment where relevant, a medical certificate and an employment certificate; the man must convert. The sponsorship fee of CAD 1,260 has applied since 30 April 2026; processing times vary, so check with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Ireland
The certificate is applied for with statutory declarations, and a late fee of €60 applies in the last 28 days before the wedding. Obtain your Garda criminal record before you leave Ireland. The Irish government puts the Moroccan procedure at "one to three months" for a non-Muslim man, conversion included. For the join family visa, the Irish sponsor must have earned €75,000 in total over three years, and processing is slow: as at 22 September 2026, applications in Dublin were taking more than two years.
What other countries require
Each embassy describes the same Moroccan path to its own nationals, and their pages fill in what the British guidance leaves unsaid.
| Country | Document issued | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| France | Certificate of capacity to marry (CCAM), at least 3 months | The marriage must then be transcribed in Nantes to take effect with the French authorities |
| Spain | Certificado de capacidad matrimonial, after an interview with each partner | Consulates do not perform mixed marriages; without the certificate, no transcription |
| Germany | Certificate of capacity, €36 | Court of the Moroccan partner's place of residence; German and Moroccan criminal records, salary statement |
| Belgium | Certificate of non-impediment, 222 dirhams, valid 6 months | Compulsory interview and a handwritten letter on how you met; no wedding date before the certificate |
| Netherlands | Declaration of marital capacity | Medical certificate issued in Morocco, certificate of good conduct issued in Rabat |
| Switzerland | Certificate of marital capacity | 4 to 6 months in general; in Morocco, each spouse keeps their own surname |
| Italy | Nulla osta, valid 6 months | A marriage by proxy is not transcribed |
The criminal record and proof of income come up in almost every list: prepare them for the Moroccan judge, whatever your own government asks.
Timescales and costs
The Moroccan formalities cost little; translations, travel and an optional lawyer weigh more, and for a spouse moving to the UK the visa is by far the largest item. The celebration is budgeted separately in our Moroccan wedding guide.
| Item | Cost reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of no impediment | Set by each council; £46.50 in Stockport | Stockport Council, as an example |
| Marital status affirmation and certified passport copy | £75 | UK government |
| Family judge's authorisation | 150 dirhams | City of Casablanca |
| Act of conversion at a Moroccan consulate | Free | Moroccan consulates |
| Sworn translations for the file | Up to 2,000 dirhams | Hespress, 2024 |
| Lawyer in Morocco, optional | 15,000 to 25,000 dirhams | Hespress, 2024 |
| Family visa, applied for from outside the UK | £2,064, plus a health surcharge of £2,587.50 per adult | UK government |
As for time, count 28 days for a CNI once notice is given, from a few weeks to several months for the Moroccan investigation, and a decision on the family visa usually within 12 weeks.
New law on mixed marriage: where is the reform?
The revision of the Family Code, launched by a royal letter in September 2023, produced a set of proposals in December 2024. Two concern mixed couples, and the Higher Council of Ulema has examined them: it approved allowing Moroccans abroad to marry without two Muslim witnesses where that is impossible; and, since inheritance between spouses of different religions remains excluded, it proposes that each may make a bequest or a gift to the other. No source reports any change to Article 39.
Nothing has been voted yet. At the end of August 2026, Hespress reported that the bill had been sent to the Royal Cabinet, without being able to say whether it was ready for Parliament, and presented it as a matter left to the next government. As of 25 September 2026, the 2004 rules therefore apply, and this guide is based on them.
After the contract, the celebration
Photo Adil Chaouki, CC0
Once the contract is signed, the celebration follows its own calendar: hammam, henna, the groom's gifts, and the couple's entrance on the amariya. Our Moroccan wedding guide follows each stage. Many mixed couples hold two celebrations, one at home and one in Morocco, and the bride changes outfits over the evening; the order of those outfits is explained in our article on the Moroccan bride's outfits, and the garment itself in our guide to the Moroccan caftan.
Our bridal caftans and takchitas are sewn in our workshop in Fez, and can be worn from the signing of the contract to the evening celebration.
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need to get married in Morocco?
You need a certificate of no impediment from your register office or, if you live abroad, a marital status affirmation from the embassy. The Moroccan court also asks for your birth certificate, passport, criminal record, proof of income, a medical certificate issued in Morocco and four photographs, translated into Arabic, plus an act of conversion for a man marrying a Muslim woman.
How long does it take to get married in Morocco?
A CNI is issued 28 days after notice if no one objects. The Moroccan investigation and authorisation then take from a few weeks to several months, from eight working days reported in Marrakech to several months elsewhere.
Can foreigners get married in Morocco?
Yes, when one partner is Moroccan: the marriage takes place before two adouls, after a police investigation and the family judge's authorisation. A non-Muslim man must convert to marry a Muslim woman, and a foreign woman must be Muslim, Christian or Jewish to marry a Muslim man.
Can two foreigners get married in Morocco?
Not by the route the UK government describes, which requires a Moroccan partner, and the British Embassy performs no marriages. Two British citizens therefore marry in the UK and may hold a symbolic celebration in Morocco; other nationals should ask their embassy.
Do I have to convert to Islam to marry a Moroccan woman?
Yes, if you are a non-Muslim man and your fiancée is Muslim: Article 39 of the Family Code requires it. The conversion is recorded in an adoul act, drawn up free of charge by the Moroccan consulate for your area or by two adouls in Morocco.
Does a British woman have to convert to marry a Moroccan man?
No. A Muslim man may marry a Christian or Jewish woman, and the court then asks for a declaration of her religion. Only a woman of another religion, or with no declared religion, would face the impediment in Article 39.
Is a Moroccan marriage recognised in the UK?
Yes, if it was lawful in Morocco and is allowed under UK law. It is not registered in the UK and no British certificate is issued: keep a certified copy with an English translation.
Do UK citizens need a certificate of no impediment to marry in Morocco?
If you live in the UK, yes: your register office issues it 28 days after notice, if there is no objection. If you live abroad, you apply for a marital status affirmation instead, although some Moroccan courts still ask for a CNI.
Can we get married at the Moroccan consulate in the UK?
Not if one of you is British: the consulate's adouls marry a Moroccan and a foreigner only if neither holds the nationality of the host country. Marry at a register office, then register the marriage at the Moroccan consulate within three months.
Sources, consulted on 25 September 2026. In English: UK government, confirm you're free to get married in Morocco; UK government, marriages and civil partnerships abroad; UK government, family visas; UK government, getting married in the UK; US Embassy in Morocco, marriage in Morocco; USCIS, bringing a spouse to live in the US; Embassy of Canada in Rabat; Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland, marriage abroad; Irish Immigration, join family visa; Hespress, mixed couples' experiences, September 2024; Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad, December 2024. In French: City of Casablanca, authorisation of a mixed marriage; Moroccan consulates, adoul marriage contract; registration of a civil marriage; act of conversion; Family Code, Ministry of Justice Adala portal; Bladi, 2024 figures from the Public Prosecutor's Office; Hespress, reform of the Family Code, January 2026; Service-Public.fr, certificate of capacity to marry; marriage of a French citizen abroad; French consulates in Morocco, marriage; Embassy of Belgium, certificate of non-impediment; Embassy of Switzerland, marriage planned in Morocco. In Arabic: Family Code, consolidated text of 2021; guide to family court procedures, Ministry of Justice, 2016; Hespress, Public Prosecutor's circular, April 2020; Hespress, state of the reform, August 2026; SNRTnews, reform proposals, December 2024. In Spanish: Consulate of Spain in Casablanca. In German: Embassy of Germany in Rabat. In Dutch: Nederland Wereldwijd. In Italian: Consulate of Italy in Casablanca.
Disclaimer: this guide is for information only and describes the procedures published by the authorities as at 25 September 2026. It does not replace the advice of the embassy, the court registry or a lawyer, who will decide your case.