Conundrum for future generations

[yecartmannew]

My husband and i were married abroad. While the marriage is 100% legally recognized in the uk, it isnt registered with the GRO.

In order for that to happen we have to get our spanish marriage certificate officially translated and notorisef in order to lodge it with the GRO and obtain a british marriage certificate.  This would cost a considerable amount so we have never bothered.

However, anyone in the future searching for a marriage for us wouldn't find one and would presume we are unmarried. Not a problem in this day and age, but also not correct!

I wonder how many other people this applies to?

[Marmalady]

As getting married abroad is quite popular nowadays, I should think there are quite a lot of legally-married people without British marriage certificates.

But the same thing has happened throughout history.
My 2xgreat aunt married her husband in Chile in 1889. I only found that marriage by chance whilst I was googling her father -- Chilean marriage records give details of both parents of Bride and Groom

[Andrew Tarr]

I think there will be far more significant difficulties for future genealogists than this one.  For a start, many wives don't change their names.  And there may be all sorts of gender questions ... 

[yecartmannew]

Yes, I suppose you are right.

Following a conversation on Facebook, I did have an idea though!

I'm going to create a note in all of my modern relatives with all their known internet usernames etc as I suppose locating digital history will be as important in the future as official records. Judging by what some people put on Social media distant descendants in 200 years will know what we had for dinner on any given day!

[AntonyMMM]

I believe the option to deposit a foreign marriage certificate with GRO was stopped some years ago ( https://www.gov.uk/government/news/marriage-certificate-registry-service-discontinued-for-overseas-brits )

The record of the marriage is only held where it took place - and as long as it was done legally there, it is recognised as valid in the UK.

As a point of interest, many marriages that take place overseas are not actually valid (people don't want to comply with the various residence requirements or the high licence fees payable) so they are a ceremony only with no legal status. As a registrar it was very common to carry out UK marriages for couples just before (or after) their foreign "wedding".

[Andrew Tarr]

As a point of interest, many marriages that take place overseas are not actually valid (people don't want to comply with the various residence requirements or the high licence fees payable) so they are a ceremony only with no legal status. As a registrar it was very common to carry out UK marriages for couples just before (or after) their foreign "wedding".

Yes, one hears of couples marrying on a beach in Mali, for example.  But I suspect a few of them don't expect the arrangement to be very permanent .... 

[Erato]

"The record of the marriage is only held where it took place - and as long as it was done legally there, it is recognised as valid in the UK."

But not in Ecuador.

I probably have one of the most thoroughly documented marriages of any RootsChatter.  When we went to get our Ecuadorian id cards, oh got his card without a hitch but I was told I'd have to provide proof of marriage.  I said, "It's a reciprocal deal.  If you accept that he's married to me then you have to accept that I'm married to him."  No dice.  Nor would they accept a copy of our marriage certificate notarized in the US embassy.  I had to get a notarized copy from the county clerk where we were married.  The copy was then sent to the secretary of state who notarized the clerk's signature.  From there it went to the nearest Ecuadorian consulate in Atlanta to be notarized by the consul.  Thence to Quito where the consul's signature was notarized at the Foreign Ministry.  Then the whole packet had to be officially translated and the translator's work notarized.  It took months.  Somehow they never grasped that the whole ridiculous procedure only proved that I had gotten married in 1969 but was no proof that I was still married.

[MonicaL]

As a point of interest, many marriages that take place overseas are not actually valid (people don't want to comply with the various residence requirements or the high licence fees payable) so they are a ceremony only with no legal status.

I think this was the issue that came up at the time of the 'divorce' of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall...

Monica

[ReadyDale]

Yes, one hears of couples marrying on a beach in Mali, for example.  But I suspect a few of them don't expect the arrangement to be very permanent .... 

Whilst I realise there is a lot of sand in Mali, owing to the Sahara. But I'm not sure it would constitute a beach, nor be an appealing setting for a marriage. Maybe Bali might be a more picturesque location.