How to Get Married in Australia as a Tourist (2026 Complete Legal Guide)
Yes — you can legally get married in Australia as a tourist. No residency requirement. No citizenship requirement. No special visa needed. If you are visiting Australia from the UK, USA, New Zealand, Europe, or anywhere else in the world, you can get legally married here and leave with an internationally recognised Australian marriage certificate.
This guide tells you exactly how it works — the paperwork, the timing, the ID requirements, and how to get everything organised before you arrive so the only thing you need to do when you land is choose your location and get married.
Any tourist visiting Australia can get legally married here. You need a valid overseas passport, a completed Notice of Intended Marriage lodged at least one month before the ceremony, and two witnesses on the day. I Do Drive Thru handles all the paperwork remotely before you arrive and supplies witnesses if you need them. The ceremony happens at any Australian location you choose, from $400, and the marriage is recognised internationally.
Can Tourists Get Married in Australia?
Yes — completely legally. Under the Marriage Act 1961, there is no residency requirement to get married in Australia. Visitors from any country on any type of visa — including tourist visas — can legally marry here. The same law that governs every other Australian marriage applies equally to visitors.
The marriage is registered with the relevant state's Births, Deaths and Marriages office and is internationally recognised. Couples from the UK, USA, New Zealand, Europe, and countries across the world regularly marry in Australia and have their marriages recognised at home without any additional process.
The key requirement is time — specifically the one-month notice period for the NOIM. Plan ahead and the rest is straightforward.
How to Get Married in Australia as a Tourist — Step by Step
Contact I Do Drive Thru with your planned Australian travel dates and preferred ceremony location — Melbourne, Sydney, or wherever in Australia you want to get married. We will confirm availability and assign your local celebrant. Do this as early as possible — ideally two to three months before your trip — to give the NOIM process plenty of time.
The Notice of Intended Marriage is the legal document that must be lodged at least one month before the ceremony. The good news — you do not need to be in Australia to complete it. You can get it witnessed in your home country and email it to us.
- A Public Notary in your home country
- A member of the Australian Consulate or Embassy in your country
Once witnessed, photograph or scan all pages clearly and email them to us. We lodge the NOIM and the one-month clock starts immediately.
We need to sight your identification documents before the ceremony. For overseas visitors the accepted ID is:
Important — you must also bring original documents to show your celebrant on the day. This is a legal requirement.
Two witnesses are required at the ceremony. Both must be over 18, understand English, and be sober. If you have family or friends in Australia they can witness — or if you do not know anyone here, we supply both witnesses at $120 each. Many of our tourist couples use this option and it works perfectly.
Everything is organised before you land. Your celebrant meets you at your chosen location — Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne, the Sydney Harbour foreshore, wherever you want to be. The ceremony takes 2 to 7 minutes. You receive a presentation marriage certificate on the day. Your marriage is registered with the relevant state BDM and is internationally valid from that moment.
The Timeline — Plan Around This
We recommend booking at least 2 months before your trip to allow plenty of time for the NOIM process. The legal minimum is one month but life is less stressful with more buffer.
Where to Get Married in Australia as a Tourist
Anywhere you want. Here are the most popular choices for international couples visiting Australia.
Fitzroy Gardens, the Conservatory, Fern Gully, Carlton Gardens, the Yarra Valley, Dandenong Ranges, St Kilda, laneways, rooftops. Melbourne has extraordinary variety — from heritage gardens to urban laneways to forest fern gullies — all within easy reach of the CBD. Our most popular city for international tourist weddings.
The Harbour Bridge, Bondi, Manly, the Northern Beaches clifftops, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Opera House foreshore. Sydney is the most internationally recognised Australian city and its ceremony locations photograph like nowhere else. Perfect for couples who want their Australian marriage to be instantly identifiable as Australian.
Gold Coast beaches, Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest. Popular with couples who are combining their Australian holiday with a wedding — beach ceremony in the morning, reef snorkelling in the afternoon.
Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Tasmania, Canberra — we have local celebrants in every Australian capital city and major regional area. Wherever your Australian trip takes you, we can have a celebrant there.
🌍 Is an Australian Marriage Recognised Internationally?
Yes — an Australian marriage is an internationally recognised legal marriage. Couples from the UK, USA, New Zealand, Europe, and most countries worldwide have their Australian marriage recognised at home without any additional process.
You will receive a presentation marriage certificate on the day and can also apply for an official certified marriage certificate from the relevant state BDM — this is the document most foreign governments and institutions require for name changes, immigration applications, and other official purposes. We provide the BDM links for every Australian state on our portal.
Planning to Get Married in Australia? Talk to Us.
We have helped couples from the UK, USA, New Zealand, Europe and beyond get legally married in Australia. We handle all the paperwork before you arrive. Witnesses supplied. From $400.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — completely legally. There is no residency requirement under the Marriage Act 1961. Visitors from any country on any visa type including tourist visas can legally marry in Australia. The marriage is registered with the relevant state BDM and is internationally recognised.
No — you can complete and witness the NOIM in your home country before you arrive. Overseas residents need the NOIM witnessed by a Public Notary or a member of the Australian Consulate or Embassy in their country. Once witnessed, scan or photograph all pages and email them to us — we lodge it and the one-month waiting period begins immediately.
A valid overseas passport is the accepted ID for all international visitors. If either party has been previously married, a divorce certificate or death certificate of a former spouse is also required. Original documents must be presented to your celebrant on the day — this is a legal requirement.
At minimum one month — this is the legal waiting period after the NOIM is lodged. We strongly recommend contacting us at least two to three months before your Australian trip to allow comfortable time for the NOIM process, especially when overseas witnessing is involved. Book early — your celebrant will be confirmed quickly and the paperwork handled before you board the plane.
Yes — two witnesses are required at every Australian marriage ceremony. Both must be over 18, understand English, and be sober. If you have family or friends in Australia they can witness. If you do not know anyone in Australia, we supply both witnesses at $120 each — fully discreet and completely standard for international couples.
Yes — an Australian marriage is an internationally recognised legal marriage. Couples from the UK, USA, New Zealand, and European countries have their Australian marriage recognised at home. For official purposes such as name changes or immigration applications, an official certified certificate from the relevant Australian state BDM is recommended — we provide guidance on obtaining this after the ceremony.
I Do Drive Thru tourist wedding packages start from $400 for a celebrant on a Tuesday. Weekday from $550. Weekend from $650. Add a photographer from $400. Witnesses at $120 each if needed. NOIM lodgement included in every package. The ceremony happens at any Australian location you choose — garden, beach, park, laneway, rooftop, or anywhere else.