Legal Definitions - consular marriage

A consular marriage is a legal union of a couple as husband and wife that is solemnized in a foreign country by a consul or diplomatic official of the United States. The essentials of a valid marriage are parties legally capable of contracting to marry, mutual consent or agreement, and an actual contracting in the form prescribed by law.

For example, if an American citizen wants to marry a foreign national in a foreign country, they can do so through a consular marriage. The American consul or diplomatic official will perform the marriage ceremony, and the marriage will be recognized in some jurisdictions.