Marriage Laws- Legal Marriage- Matrimonial Laws

A basic idea about International Marriage Laws

Knowledge of international marriage laws is important if you want to understand the very old institution of marriage. The legal union of two people is something that holds interest of people all around the world. Though different countries have different laws regarding marriage, the underlying notion that marriages are sacred is omnipresent. It is also a good idea to research the marriage laws of a country if you want to have a more specific view of their culture. This article throws light on the basic marriage laws of China, Mexico and Canada. International marriage laws have some common principles though their appearance may vary a lot.

China: In ancient times, it was common for a man to have multiple wives. But since the year 1950, the Chinese marriage law has made it unlawful and illegal to have more than one wife. Arranged marriages are still common in present China though a lot of young people choose their own spouses. But parental approval is still a must. The China Marriage Law suggests that a marriage will be considered invalid if either party is a bigamist, if either party has a disease that is considered as being rendering the person having it unfit for marriage, if the parties are in such a kinship that is not permitted by law or if either party is not of the legitimate age to get married.

Mexico: Mexico marriage law prevents people below the age of 18 years to marry without parental consent. Wit parental consent, girls over the age of 14 and boys over the age of 16 can get married legally. For people who are not residents of Mexico, a valid passport and a Tourist card or Visa is necessary. Some states will require a copy of the birth certificates of the couple. Also, for a person who is not a Mexican citizen and wants to marry one, an authorization letter from the National Institute for Migration (Instituto Nacional de Migración) will be necessary. Mexico marriage laws also allow same-sex marriages in the state of Coahuuila and Mexico City.

Canada: Canadian marriage laws allow the civil marriage of people who are above the age of 18 years. People who are below the age of 18 and above the age of 16 years may get married but they should have parental consent under the marriage laws of Canada. A male minor who is under the age of 16, may not get married in Canada under any circumstances. But it may be possible for a girl below the age of 16 to get married if it can be proven that she is pregnant or is the mother of a living child. Canada marriage laws allow the legal union of same-sex couples and cousins by birth. Common law marriages though, are not recognized. People who want to marry in Canada may not necessarily be residents of the place, but the application must come from the couple together. Also widowed or divorced people need to provide the death certificate of spouse or Certificate of Divorce, whichever is applicable, to prove the annulment of their previous marriage.