Issue #2: Cancun dropped the wedding blood test. The town hall didn't get the memo.

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Welcome back. Every week we re-check the official registry, embassy and government pages behind weddingabroadrules.com and tell you what changed. Every figure below comes from an official source, and anything we couldn't confirm is labelled.

Lead story: Cancun dropped the wedding blood test, but the town hall didn't get the memo

If you're marrying legally in Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum, you've probably been told you need a local medical certificate with lab results. In state law, that's no longer true.

• What changed: Quintana Roo's Decree 258 (published in the state's Periódico Oficial on 23 July 2026) repealed article 682, section II of the state Civil Code, which required a medical certificate from each partner. Pre-marriage health talks are now voluntary, and the law says they "no constituirá requisito" (won't be a requirement). We confirmed this in the Quintana Roo Congress's consolidated Civil Code (version of 14 October 2026).
• The catch: Playa del Carmen's official listings for foreigners getting married (MPDC-SG-RC-MEO-010 and MPDC-SG-RC-MEFO-011) still list a medical certificate with lab results, valid for 15 days.
• What to do: before you pay for lab tests, ask your Registro Civil office in writing whether it still wants them. If it does, ask which rule it's applying. Other Mexican states may still require tests, so this change only applies in Quintana Roo.

What hasn't changed in Playa del Carmen: only the Registro Civil ceremony is a legal marriage, you need 4 witnesses (two per partner) with photo ID, processing takes about 20 business days, and the government fee for foreigners is MXN 7,625 in the office or MXN 8,212 outside it (2026). Full details are on our Mexico page.

What else changed this week

• Fiji's fees are now confirmed. The Ministry of Justice page loads again. It lists FJD 15 for the notice of intention to marry and FJD 50 for a registry (court) marriage. The special licence fee still isn't stated (not confirmed). More below.
• Seychelles: the Civil Status Office's procedure for two foreigners marrying says your original apostilled documents must be handed over in hard copy, either couriered to your planner before you arrive or brought in person. The certificate is issued within 24 hours of the ceremony. Fees haven't changed.
• Same-sex marriage, now confirmed from the law itself: Las Vegas (Nevada Constitution, licences issued "to couples regardless of gender"), Ireland (Marriage Act 2015) and Scotland (Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014).
• Still not confirmed: some official pages blocked our checker or have moved (Aruba's registry, the Maldives foreign ministry, Jamaica's justice ministry and registrar, France's service-public, Canada's travel marriage page, Costa Rica, and Scotland's NRS pages). We'll try again next week.

Scam watch

We found no new official scam warnings for our 34 destinations this week. These are the patterns the official pages themselves point to.

• "Legal wedding" packages that cost far more than the government fee. Know the real number before you compare packages. Playa del Carmen charges foreigners MXN 7,625 in the office / MXN 8,212 outside it (Registro Civil listing). Mauritius charges nothing at the Civil Status Office and Rs 5,000 at a hotel (Civil Status Division). Planners can add real value, but ask for the government fee as a separate line. Also watch for packages that still bundle Quintana Roo lab tests as "required" without checking with the registry.
• Out-of-date government fee pages. Saint Lucia's government portal still shows a marriage licence fee of EC$335 (EC$540 urgent). The Attorney General's Chambers says it's EC$500 regular / EC$700 urgent under Order No. 158 of 2024 (AG Chambers FAQ). When two official pages disagree, go by the newer legal order and confirm with the office that issues the licence.
• Symbolic ceremonies sold as legal. In the Maldives, resorts register symbolic wedding ceremonies (one.gov.mv), and the government set fines of up to Rf 1 million for resorts that break the rules (President's Office). A "certificate" from a resort isn't a marriage certificate. Ask in writing which government office registers your marriage.
• Fake apostille or translation services. An apostille is issued by a government authority, never by a website. For US documents that's the state that issued the document, so check that state's official site for the fee (fees vary by state, and we don't track them). Watch for sites that look official and charge "processing" fees. The destination also decides who may translate:
• Mexico (Quintana Roo): translations must be by a translator certified by the state.
• Croatia: apostille plus translation into Croatian by a court interpreter (Croatian ministry).
• Seychelles: apostilled originals, translated into English or French by a sworn translator (ICS notices).
• Gibraltar: the government can apostille your Gibraltar marriage certificate for GBP 37.

A translation from an uncertified service can mean starting over when you've already arrived.

Destination of the week: Fiji

Fiji is one of the quicker legal options for visitors in the South Pacific.

• Timing: apply for the marriage licence at the nearest Registrar or District office in Fiji at least 3 working days before the wedding. The licence is valid for 28 days (Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
• Fees: FJD 15 for the notice of intention to marry, and FJD 50 for a registry (court) marriage (Ministry of Justice). The special licence fee isn't stated (not confirmed).
• Documents: original or certified birth certificates, a decree absolute if divorced, a death certificate if widowed, a statutory declaration of single status, and passports with a valid visa. The Ministry of Justice also asks non-residents for a single status certificate from their country of origin and country of residence, plus photo ID for both witnesses.
• The gotcha: both witnesses must be 21 or older, not 18. Your 19-year-old best man can watch, but he can't sign.
• Before you book: make sure your celebrant is a registered marriage officer published in the Gazette. Get the Fiji certificate apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you fly home.
• Not confirmed: whether incoming documents need an apostille, blood test rules, and same-sex marriage (the UK FCDO says homosexuality was decriminalised in 2010, but we found no official page on same-sex marriage).

See the full Fiji page.

Guests flying in?

Guests may need an ETA, e-visa or arrival card to get in, even for a short trip. Our sister site Travel Permit Rules lists the official sites and real fees, so nobody pays a copycat site.

Planning a destination wedding?

Planning a destination wedding? Get free help from a travel agent. She can help with venues, group room blocks and guest travel. She's a travel agent, not a legal or registry service.

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Not legal advice; confirm with the registry or embassy.

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