Marriage Certificate for Bahrain

Using a U.S. Marriage Certificate in Bahrain

A marriage that took place in the United States becomes relevant in Bahrain in several ways: an employee sponsoring a spouse for residence, a spouse applying for a CPR card, an employer paying a family allowance, a Bahraini citizen recording a marriage concluded abroad, or a family dealing with an inheritance. Each Bahraini office asks for the same thing, an apostilled certified copy of the civil marriage record, and the most common mistakes come from sending the wrong document.

Certificate, not license

In the U.S., a couple first obtains a marriage license, which authorizes the marriage. After the ceremony, the officiant returns it and the marriage is recorded. The document that proves the marriage is the certified copy of the recorded marriage certificate, issued by the county clerk or recorder where the license was issued, or by the state vital records office in some states. A blank license, a ceremonial certificate signed at the wedding, or an uncertified photocopy cannot be apostilled and will not be accepted in Bahrain.

Spouse residence and the CPR card

An expatriate working in Bahrain who sponsors a spouse through the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs authority (NPRA) proves the relationship with the marriage certificate. The same document supports the spouse’s CPR card and is often requested by employers for family benefits. Names on the certificate should match the passports, and if one spouse changed their name at marriage, the certificate itself usually shows the link.

Bahraini citizens married in the U.S.

A Bahraini citizen who marries in the U.S. generally needs the marriage recorded with the Bahraini authorities, so that it is reflected in their civil status and so a spouse and children can be documented. Where the marriage also had a religious ceremony, Bahraini authorities generally still rely on the civil record. Check the current procedure with the Bahrain Embassy or the relevant ministry, which may also ask for passports and birth certificates.

Apostille by the state where you married

A marriage certificate is a public record. It is never notarized, and the apostille is issued by the Secretary of State of the state where the marriage was recorded, not where the couple lives now. In some states, a county-issued copy must first be certified at county level. Bahrain has accepted apostilles since December 31, 2013, so the U.S. Department of State and the embassy are not part of the authentication. In Bahrain, a certified Arabic translation is made where the office requires it.