Certificate of no impediment for Morocco: what UK citizens need

MoroccoMe

Oct 19

4 min read

If you're British and planning to marry your Moroccan partner in Morocco, one of the first documents you'll hear about is the certificate of no impediment, often shortened to CNI. It's the paper that shows you're legally free to marry. Which version you need depends on one simple question: do you live in the UK or not? Here's what the official UK guidance says, in plain English.

What is a certificate of no impediment?

A certificate of no impediment is an official document confirming that there's no legal reason you can't marry, for example that you're not already married. Moroccan authorities want to see proof of this before a foreign national can marry a Moroccan citizen. For British nationals, GOV.UK splits the rules into two routes.

If you live in the UK: get a CNI from your register office

GOV.UK is clear: if you live in the UK and want to get married in Morocco, you must get a certificate of no impediment from a UK register office. In practice this means giving notice at your local register office. Your notice is displayed publicly for a set period before the certificate can be issued, so don't leave it until the last minute. Contact your own register office early to book an appointment and check what they'll ask you to bring.

If you live outside the UK: the marital status affirmation

If you don't live in the UK, you won't get a CNI from a register office. Instead, GOV.UK says British nationals living abroad need a marital status affirmation and a certified copy of their passport. The process, according to GOV.UK at the time of writing, is:

Apply online and pay £50 for the affirmation and £25 for the certified passport copy (£75 in total).
Book an appointment at the British Embassy Rabat or the British Honorary Consulate in Marrakech.
At the appointment, check every detail in the affirmation, make any corrections, then make your declaration and sign.
Bring the originals of every document you uploaded, or the appointment may have to be rescheduled.

To apply online you'll need your UK passport, your partner's Moroccan passport or national identity card, proof any previous marriages have ended (legalised in the UK), and a payment card. GOV.UK says the application takes about 35 minutes.

Some courts still ask for a CNI

Here's the part that catches people out. GOV.UK explains that marital status affirmations were introduced in place of the older certificate of no impediment, but some Moroccan courts still ask for a CNI. So before you apply for anything, ask your local marriage office (the adoul) which document they need. It's the single most useful question you can ask at the start.

Legalisation and Arabic translations

A document from the UK isn't automatically accepted in Morocco. For the marital status affirmation route, GOV.UK says the affirmation and certified passport copy must be legalised by Morocco's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which confirms the signature or seal is genuine. Allow enough time for this between your embassy or consulate appointment and the wedding.

The affirmation is issued in English and French, but GOV.UK says you'll need all documents translated into Arabic to take to the court in Morocco. Use a qualified translator. For UK-issued documents such as a CNI, ask the adoul whether they need an apostille; GOV.UK explains how to get a UK document legalised on its Get a document legalised page.

Watch the 3-month time limit

If you go the affirmation route, timing matters. GOV.UK says you must get married within 3 months of getting your affirmation, or you'll need to reapply and pay again. Work backwards from your wedding date and leave room for legalisation and translations.

Source: GOV.UK: Confirm you're free to get married in Morocco.

A quick checklist

Ask the adoul which document they want: CNI or marital status affirmation.
Live in the UK? Give notice at your register office for a CNI.
Live abroad? Apply online for the affirmation and book Rabat or Marrakech.
Legalise your documents and get Arabic translations.
Married before? Have your legalised decree absolute or final order ready.
Marry within 3 months of the affirmation.

Get the free checklist

We've put all of this on one page. Download our free Morocco marriage checklist and we'll email it to you straight away. If you'd like every step in order, from the UK register office to the Moroccan court, our marrying in Morocco guide (£12.99) walks you through it.

MoroccoMe is a boutique UK company helping British women marry their Moroccan partners in Morocco, with the paperwork and the trip.

Questions? Talk to us

Every couple's situation is a little different. If you're not sure where to start, or you'd like a hand planning the trip around your paperwork, message MoroccoMe through our contact page and we'll get back to you.