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Romantic Adventure

Sunday 1 December 2013

Texas Free Marriage Records

By Ben Kingsley


Texas is a great place to get married as the State allows non-resident couples to marry. Although same-sex and cousin marriages are not allowed, the State does allow proxy marriages and informal marriages. For certified true copies of marriage, one can check the Texas marriage records or visit the County Clerk. One can also obtain a copy of certificate of marriage from the Texas Department of Health - Vital Statistics.

In securing a marriage license, couples can obtain the license by visiting the county clerk of the place where they intend to marry. The couples should show valid IDs as proof of their identity. They can show their passports or driver's license for verification. Should one of the couple not be able to show himself/herself to the county clerk; a proxy can stand for them. Proxy marriages are allowed in the State; however, they should present an absentee form and one valid ID of the person they are stepping in for. Once the clerk of the county releases the marriage license, the couple has to wait a minimum period of 72 hours before they can get married. The 72-hr period is waived when the couple has attended the free seminar provided by the State.

The fee for the marriage license costs about $60 and other fees may also apply depending on the county one is set to marry at. However, this fee is waived if the couple attends a pre-marital education seminar. The seminar discusses what is important in marriage including handling conflict and improving communication between the couple. The workshop lasts about eight hours and is completed one year before one applies for a marriage license. Once the couple finishes the workshop, the $60 fee is waived and the seventy-two hour waiting period is waived as well.

For 17- to 18-year-olds who want to get married, they may do so if they (1) obtain a parental consent from their parents. They have to download a form and have their parents sign it. (2)If one of the couple is divorced, he/she should present a certified copy of the divorce and (3) the couple has obtained a court order from the place of residency of their parents.

Informal marriages or common marriages can also be declared by the State. Couples who are in an informal marriage and want it to be declared should sign a declaration form under oath and should meet the following conditions: (1) they agree and live as husband and wife and (2) they present themselves as a couple to other people.

The marriage license is valid for thirty days (30) and a copy for certificate of marriage is available by contacting the issuing county clerk office. Another way to obtain the marriage record is through applying online which is the most expedient way to do so.




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