Explaining Las Vegas Divorce & Marriage Laws
Very few people understand how family law operates in Nevada, and fewer are aware of marriage annulment in the state. Here is some useful information on these issues.
Las Vegas Marriage Laws: Peculiarities
Those striving to tie the knot quickly and easily go to Las Vegas, Nevada. But how long does it take to get a marriage license in Las Vegas? The answer is simple – A marriage license in the state requires neither a blood test nor a waiting period or appointment. Future spouses can obtain this document right after they appear in the court-house and produce their IDs.
A marriage license will be issued immediately after a couple pays the fee. It is important to note that this document is valid only for twelve months, meaning that future spouses have one year to have their wedding ceremony. Technically, a couple can receive a Las Vegas weddings license and celebrate their wedding on the same day.
How to Get Married in Las Vegas
To become husband and wife, future spouses should take the following steps:
- Check if they are eligible
Here are a few requirements that every future spouse must meet:
- Be 18- years old or older. If a minor wants to tie the knot, the consent of one parent is needed. Once the relevant document is provided and the court believes that this marriage is in the teenager’s best interest, the request will be approved.
- Relationships must not be closer than 2nd cousins; otherwise, charges of incest may be involved.
- Have no living spouse; otherwise, charges of bigamy may be used.
In Vegas, future spouses are not required to be Nevada residents to tie the knot.
- Get a marriage License
Anybody wishing to get married in Las Vegas is supposed either to preregister for a marriage license online or show up at a marriage bureau in person. Since there is no waiting period between filing the application and getting the license, future spouses can get one immediately.
If you want to preregister, then you can do this up to two months prior to the wedding date. If you decide to go to the bureau without previous registration, then you will need to produce a specific application first and only then have your license issued. Note that no appointment is required; you and your future spouse must show up together with your IDs, such as your passports, driver’s licenses, green cards, etc., and pay $77 for the license.
- Get married and receive a marriage certificate
After you and your future spouse receive the license, you have twelve months to get married. You can either plan a big wedding ceremony or have a Las Vegas courthouse wedding that is much cheaper than a traditional one.
If you don’t know where to get married in Vegas, browse the Internet to look through available options – there are many places to get married in Las Vegas. When choosing a chapel for the celebration, make sure that you pick one that has an authorized officiant and can supply a witness.
Within the next ten days, you will be able to get a copy of your marriage certificate for which you will have to pay $15. You will need one to change your name, file taxes, and register your marriage in another country if you are a foreigner.
Las Vegas Marriage Annulment
When two people get married, they have two options when it comes to untying the knot. While they, just like most unhappy spouses, can get divorced, another way of terminating their marriage is via annulment. The latter option is all about determining a marriage as unlawful or voidable and returning spouses to their previous status as if they have never been married – this is the main difference between an annulment versus divorce. While divorce treats a marriage as valid, during an annulment, it is considered invalid and thus no property is subject to division.
You may want to cancel your marriage through annulment either to comply with your religious beliefs, or to avoid being “divorced”, or to save a lot of time and money that you would spend on divorce, or to avoid disputes over property division. However, you should realize that the court doesn’t grant annulments to everyone. To get one, you need to have at least one of the following grounds:
A prohibited marriage. Blood-related relatives cannot marry one another. Also, if someone is married, he or she cannot marry a third party without getting divorced first.
Lack of understanding. If someone gets married while intoxicated or stressed, such a relationship is considered invalid. In Vegas, there are numerous bars and clubs, and it is common practice for many to tie the knot on weekends and divorce after less than 1 year of marriage.
Lack of parental consent. Those who are underage and who lack parental consent cannot enter into a valid marriage. However, those who went down the aisle while being underage and stayed married after they turned eighteen can have their marriage validated.
Fraud. Entering into marriage in order to become a US citizen is the most widespread example of fraud. Lying about your marital status, debts, both alcohol and drug addiction, and so forth can give another spouse a good ground to cancel marriage.
Breach of Contract. Before people get married, they may sign a contract: future spouses may make promises about having kids, moving to another place, changing a religion, etc. And not keeping those promises may be grounds for a marriage annulment.
That being said, if there is any fraud, mistake, or violation of the law, a spouse can apply for an annulment in Las Vegas. Every marriage should be based on trust and honesty, and if they are ignored, an innocent spouse can erase his or her mistake.
It is worth mentioning that every ground should be proved in court. So, if you are going to obtain Las Vegas annulment, be ready to provide some evidence or produce another party’s affidavit.
How to File for Divorce in Las Vegas
Those seeking a quick divorce in Vegas online can submit a complaint with their district court-house. One should go to the court where:
- their reason for the split occurred; or
- either party lives; or
- the spouses last shared space.
If the other party doesn’t file any answers, the divorce is considered uncontested; otherwise, the parties will be involved in a contested case.
But how long does a divorce take in Nevada? – Usually, an uncontested formal divorce lasts up to six weeks, while one by publication lasts up to eight weeks. When spouses are involved in a contested case, the process may last a few months or even years. For this very reason, it is highly recommended to have an uncontested case. If you are about to start one, then sign up at this website to have a full divorce packet prepared specifically for your case at one of the lowest prices on the Web.