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Can you marry a family member?

Verified 04 August 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice

You are not allowed to marry any member of your immediate family, whether it is a relationship (biological or adoptive) or a bond of alliance (created by a marriage).

You can not marry one of the following:

  • Your father, your mother, your child, your grandfather, your grandmother, your grandson or your granddaughter
  • Your brother or sister
  • Your half brother or half sister
  • Your uncle, aunt, niece or nephew

The situation varies according to whether it is a plenary adoption or a simple adoption.

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Plenary adoption

The prohibitions are the same as in the case of a biological relationship.

You can not marry one of the following:

  • Your father, your mother, your child, your grandfather, your grandmother, your grandson or your granddaughter
  • Your brother or sister
  • Your half brother or half sister
  • Your uncle, aunt, niece or nephew

Please note

The same prohibitions apply to your family of origin.

Simple adoption

In your adoptive family, you can not marry one of the following:

  • Your adopting parent, your adopted child
  • Another adopted child of your adopting parent
  • A descendant of your adopting parent, a descendant of your adopted child
  • Your adopted child's former spouse (or Civil partnership partner), your adopting parent's former spouse (or Civil partnership partner)

As a single adopted child, some marriages are also forbidden in your family of origin, to which you continue to belong.

You can not marry one of the following:

  • Your father, your mother, your child, your grandfather, your grandmother, your grandson or your granddaughter
  • Your brother or sister
  • Your half brother or half sister
  • Your uncle, aunt, niece or nephew

Marriage

The covenant is the bond that results from a marriage.

By getting married, you become an ally to everyone who is related to your spouse/husband.

You can't you marry the following people:

  • Your stepfather (father of your wife/husband), your stepmother (mother of your wife/husband)
  • Your son-in-law, your daughter-in-law (your daughter-in-law)

Also, in a blended family, you cannot marry the following people:

  • Your stepfather (ex-husband of your mother), your stepmother (ex-wife of your father)
  • Your stepson, your stepdaughter

These prohibitions persist in cases of divorce or widowhood.

Please note

If the person who created the alliance has died, a derogation may, in certain cases, be granted by the President of the Republic. In practice, it is exceptional.

Civil partnerships

The Civil partnerships: titleContent does not create a bond of covenant preventing a marriage.

However, in the case of a single adoption, you cannot marry your adopting parent's Civil partnership partner, or your adopted child's Civil partnership partner.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Telephone administrative information - Allo Public Service

    The informants who answer you are from the Department of Justice.

    Cost: free service

    Service available at the following times:

    • Monday: 8.30am to 5.30pm
    • Tuesday: 8:30 to 12:15
    • Wednesday: 8:30 to 12:15
    • Thursday: 8.30am to 5.30pm
    • Friday: 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m

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