Guides · Mexico · Marriage certificate
For USCIS, a marriage is proven with the acta de matrimonio from the Civil Registry, as a photocopy with a complete English translation certified by the translator. A church certificate normally isn't accepted, and if either spouse was married before, you also need proof of how that marriage ended.
Updated October 26, 2026 · Sources · General information, not legal advice
The State Department's country-by-country document list (the Reciprocity Schedule) names the acta de matrimonio from the Civil Registry. The seal and signature vary by state and by the year the copy was issued.
Church marriage certificates are normally not accepted, because in Mexico they have no legal effect without the civil ceremony. A constancia de concubinato is a different document: it shows a couple lives together, not that they are married.
If you or your spouse were married before, the Form I-130 instructions ask for documents proving each prior marriage legally ended, translated as well.
Online: the National Civil Registry Platform (gob.mx/actas) offers an official digital copy of the acta de matrimonio. You need a Llave MX account, both spouses' CURP and to pay online; the fee depends on the state (70 to 357 pesos).
In person: at the Civil Registry. The State Department notes the procedure varies by state.
We found no official sample of the Mexican marriage certificate: it varies by state and year. This list covers the information Mexico's Federal Civil Code requires in the record, with the usual translation. Copy names, numbers and dates exactly as they appear.
| On the document | In English | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Acta de Matrimonio | Marriage Certificate | |
| Registro Civil | Civil Registry | |
| Contrayentes | Contracting Parties | The two people getting married. |
| Padres de los contrayentes | Parents of the Contracting Parties | Names, occupation and address. |
| Régimen: sociedad conyugal / separación de bienes | Property regime: community property / separation of property | The property regime they married under. |
| Testigos | Witnesses | Their details and whether they are related to the spouses. |
| Juez u Oficial del Registro Civil | Civil Registry Judge / Officer | Who signs the record; the title varies by state. |
| Huellas digitales | Fingerprints | Described in brackets, for example [fingerprint]. |
| Anotaciones marginales | Marginal Notes | For example, a divorce annotation. |
Also translate everything that isn't on this list: seals, signatures, codes, handwritten notes and margin notes. Describe anything without words in brackets, for example [seal] or [signature].
Yes. Mexico's National Civil Registry Platform (gob.mx/actas) offers the official digital copy, with a Llave MX account, both spouses' CURP and online payment. The fee depends on the state.
Usually not. The State Department explains that religious certificates are normally not accepted because they have no legal effect in Mexico without a civil ceremony.
No. The State Department describes it as a document showing a couple lives together as if married, even though they are not.
Yes, if you or your spouse were married before. Form I-130 asks for documents proving each prior marriage legally ended, and every Spanish document needs a complete certified translation.
The Form I-130 and I-485 instructions ask for a legible photocopy and a complete English translation certified by the translator, and don't mention an apostille. USCIS can ask for the original at any time. Other foreign authorities may ask for one.