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Getting Married in Serbia as a UK Citizen: Documents & Process

What British citizens need to marry in Serbia — the Certificate of No Impediment, FCDO apostille, certified translation, witnesses and interpreter, and how the marriage is recognised back in the UK.

Updated 28 July 2026 · 10 min read

Serbia is a straightforward place for British couples to marry: there's no residency requirement, entry is simple, and the celebration costs a fraction of a UK wedding. The work is almost entirely paperwork done in the UK before you fly.

Requirements depend on your circumstances and on the municipality where you marry, and they change. This guide is orientation, not legal advice — confirm the current list with the registry office (matičar) where you'll marry and with the British Embassy in Belgrade before spending money on apostilles and translations.

The short version

  1. Give notice / apply for a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) at your local register office in the UK.
  2. Order a GRO-issued birth certificate if you don't have a proper certified copy.
  3. Get both apostilled by the FCDO Legalisation Office.
  4. Fly to Serbia with the originals.
  5. Get certified translations into Serbian from a court-certified translator.
  6. Submit in person at the registry office, book your date, arrange two witnesses and a court-certified interpreter.
  7. Collect your marriage certificate — ask for the multilingual international form.

Realistically: allow 2–3 months, driven mostly by the CNI notice period and the FCDO turnaround.

Documents, in the order you should get them

1. Passport

Your valid British passport is your primary ID. Bring a photocopy too. Nothing to legalise here.

2. Certificate of No Impediment

This is the document that proves you're free to marry, and it's the one that takes the longest.

Important, because it's where British couples lose weeks: the British Embassy in Belgrade will not normally issue this for you. The FCDO withdrew the issuing of CNIs and marriage affirmations at most overseas posts, so you obtain one in the UK:

  • England and Wales — apply at your local register office. This involves giving public notice of your intention to marry abroad, which sits on display for a statutory period before the certificate is issued. That waiting period is unavoidable calendar time, so start here first.
  • Scotland — apply through National Records of Scotland / your local registrar for the equivalent certificate.
  • Northern Ireland — apply through the General Register Office for Northern Ireland.

Ask your register office how long the certificate stays valid. Serbian registry offices commonly expect civil-status documents to be recent — often issued within the last six months — and a CNI that expires before your wedding date is a wasted fee.

3. Birth certificate

A GRO-issued certified copy is what you want, not a photocopy and not a hospital souvenir certificate. If yours is old or damaged, order a fresh one from the General Register Office; it's cheap and quick compared to everything else here.

4. Evidence of any previous marriage ending

If you've been married before, you'll need the final divorce order (decree absolute) or the former spouse's death certificate — apostilled and translated like everything else.

5. Apostille — FCDO Legalisation Office

Every UK-issued document above needs an apostille from the FCDO Legalisation Office. Two practical points:

  • You must do this from the UK side. An apostille certifies a UK document, so it can't be obtained in Serbia. Getting it sorted after you've arrived means posting originals back and forth.
  • You can apply directly or use a registered legalisation service, which costs more but is faster and handles the courier. If your date is tight, this is money well spent.

6. Certified translation into Serbian

Once apostilled, your documents must be translated into Serbian by a court-certified (sworn) translator. Do this in Serbia — it's inexpensive, quick and locally arranged, and Serbian offices want a translation done by a translator on the Serbian court register. Keep the apostilled original and the translation together as a pair.

At the registry office

Go in person, with both sets of documents. You'll agree your date there. On the day you'll need:

  • Two witnesses with valid photo ID. They don't need to be Serbian citizens.
  • A court-certified interpreter, if either of you doesn't understand Serbian. The ceremony is conducted in Serbian and this is your responsibility to book — see court interpreters for marriage in Serbia.

If you're marrying in the capital, note that Belgrade is several city municipalities each with its own registry office — see Getting married in Belgrade.

Afterwards: your marriage certificate

Ask for the Serbian marriage certificate (izvod iz matične knjige venčanih) on the multilingual international form. This is the single most useful thing you can do for your future self — it's designed to be accepted across signatory countries without further translation. Otherwise, get a standard copy apostilled by the Serbian authorities before you leave.

Recognition back in the UK

Good news: there's nothing to register. A marriage validly performed abroad is generally recognised in the UK automatically, and consular registration of overseas marriages was discontinued years ago. There's no UK register your Serbian marriage needs to appear in.

Your Serbian marriage certificate is your proof of marriage in the UK. Keep the multilingual or apostilled version safe, and get a couple of copies while you're still in Serbia — ordering one later from abroad is a nuisance.

For changing your name on a British passport, HMRC records or a driving licence, the marriage certificate is what you present. A multilingual international form usually saves you having to commission a UK translation.

Does marrying a Serbian citizen give me residency?

Marriage does not automatically confer Serbian citizenship or a residence permit. It is a basis on which to apply for temporary residence as a family member, with its own separate process, evidence and fees. Treat it as a second project after the wedding, and get local advice — immigration procedure is outside the scope of a wedding guide.

Related guides

Not legal advice. Rules vary by municipality and change over time — always confirm with the registry office and the British Embassy in Belgrade.

Frequently asked questions

Can a British citizen get married in Serbia without living there?
Yes. Serbia does not require residency to marry — two foreign nationals can marry there. What gates the timeline is document preparation, not how long you have been in the country.
Do UK citizens need a visa to enter Serbia for a wedding?
British citizens can normally enter Serbia visa-free for short stays as tourists, which covers coming to get married. Visa-free entry is not a residence permit and does not depend on the wedding — check the current rules on GOV.UK travel advice before you travel, as entry rules can change.
Where do I get a Certificate of No Impediment for a marriage in Serbia?
In the UK, not at the embassy in Belgrade. The FCDO no longer issues Certificates of No Impediment at most overseas posts, so British nationals normally obtain one from their local register office in England, Wales or Northern Ireland (which involves a public notice period), or via the equivalent process in Scotland. Start this early — the notice period is real calendar time.
Who apostilles UK documents?
The FCDO Legalisation Office in the UK. You cannot apostille a UK document from within Serbia, so do it before you travel. Documents are then translated into Serbian by a court-certified translator once you are in Serbia.
Do I need to register my Serbian marriage in the UK?
No. A marriage validly performed abroad is generally recognised in the UK automatically, and there is no requirement to register it with a UK authority. Keep your Serbian marriage certificate — ideally on the multilingual international form, or apostilled — as your proof.
Will the ceremony be in English?
No. The civil ceremony is conducted in Serbian, and if you do not understand Serbian a court-certified (sworn) interpreter must be present. You arrange and pay for this yourself; the registry office does not provide it.

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