Can a non-citizen be ordained as a minister and perform wedding ceremonies?

[Connecticut Dave 0]

The title says it all. We are living in Connecticut at the moment. It seems like I can't perform ceremonies in CT anyway, but I wonder generally whether I can get ordained (via one of mail-order churches like ULC) not being a U.S. citizen but a permanent resident?

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

You may not even need that. Go to your county clerk, and see if you can be certified as a wedding official. At least in my county, you can take a short period of instruction, and be qualified to perform wedding ceremonies for a fixed period of time.

Do you have a friend or family member whom you would like to have perform your marriage ceremony? If so, we may be able to assist you.

Pursuant to section 401(a) and (B) of the California Family Code, the County Clerk, who is designated as the Commissioner of Civil Marriages for Sonoma County, may at her discretion appoint Deputy Marriage Commissioners to perform civil marriage ceremonies.

Prior to the marriage ceremony, the parties must purchase a marriage license in Sonoma County, and the following conditions must be met by the person requesting an appointment as a Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a Day:

He or she must be at least 18 years of age

He or she must mail or FAX a written request to be appointed as a Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a Day to:

Sonoma County Clerk's Office

2300 County Center Drive, Suite B-177

Santa Rosa, CA 95403

FAX: (707) 565-3957

The person requesting the appointment must personally appear on the date shown in the application for appointment and provide valid photo identification, $133 fee payable by cash or check, attend a training class, and be sworn in as a Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a Day. The training class is about 45 minutes, at which time you will receive instructions on California's requirements for performing a marriage ceremony.

Please Note! Appointments are limited and book up quickly. In order to be assured an appointment time, you MUST submit your application for an appointment AT LEAST two days prior to the ceremony.

If you meet the requirements stated above or have any questions concerning the Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a Day program, please contact our office at (707) 565-3800. To download a PDF edition of the Application for Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a Day, please visit our Forms section.

[Otto 83]

The title says it all. We are living in Connecticut at the moment. It seems like I can't perform ceremonies in CT anyway, but I wonder generally whether I can get ordained (via one of mail-order churches like ULC) not being a U.S. citizen but a permanent resident?

Any ideas?

Thanks!

I'd be willing to bet the answer is yes. (No personal experience though...)

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Eric's posts removed

[NickD 202]

This is a state related question, the state issues marriage certificates. In Wisconsin, you have to be registered with the state to perform the ceremony, priests, rabbis, ministers, and even attorneys. Was surprised that practically all the divorce attorneys in my town were listed as state register marriage performers. And in like manner, their fees were substantially higher. We even have a do it yourself marriage, sign the papers and and them to the county clerk, but believe a judge has to sign it. Have to check with your state, I did a google search on our state, trying to find the best way to get married, they listed everyone eligible to perform the ceremony in the state. But in regards to getting registered in my state, wasn't interested in that. But if I was, would also read all the divorce laws in our state as part of the ceremony. LOL, would lose five bucks if I did that.

[Connecticut Dave 0]

Thanks for all the answers! The county clerk is probably a good place to go, but as far as I found out it doesn't matter whether you are a citizen or non-citizen to get ordained (with the United Life Church or whatever.) It really is a question of state legislature. I did some research so here goes:

You have to check with your county clerk and have him formally recognize you as an officiant. You might need to be an ordained minister, you might not. In Connecticut, only 'ministers who are active in their ministry' are allowed to perform wedding ceremonies, so people simply getting ordained in order to wed people can't do it. So the ordainment part is out. In CT, you can also become a Justice of the Peace, which in CT you can do every four years and the slots are distributed via party lines (funny, I know). So, yeah, officiating at a wedding in CT isn't really working out.

My wife and I got married by a friend in Seattle, WA, and there we essentially had to go to the county clerk and get a wedding license for a small fee, which we both signed and then had it signed by our officiant too after the wedding (if I remember correctly). Then she mailed it back to the County Office and a couple of weeks later we had our wedding certificate.