• Образование (злокачественное)
State Absurdity: a Real Online Wedding in the USA?
It turns out there is a way to register a marriage via Zoom in the U.S. state of Utah, and for this you do not need to be a U.S. citizen or even be on U.S. territory. It sounds like a joke, but it is an official law passed in 2020. Apparently the local legislators had too much time on their hands during quarantine. 😎
To start, you submit an application on the Utah county website: fill out a form, upload a passport photo, and take a selfie for verification — the whole procedure takes about fifteen minutes and costs around $72. Then you need to find a certified registrar from Utah and two witnesses who can also be anywhere in the world; the main thing is that they have internet access and a valid passport.
On the appointed day, everyone gathers on Zoom, the registrar conducts the ceremony in English, vows are exchanged — and voilà, the marriage is official. The electronic certificate arrives right away, and the paper one with an apostille is sent by mail so the marriage can later be recognized in your own country.
There are, of course, a few caveats: not every country recognizes such a marriage, so it’s better to check in advance. And one more important point: if either partner was previously divorced, at least 60 days must have passed since the divorce.
All in all, it’s a very cool thing, but deep down I’m against weddings without cake, dresses, and silly competitions 😁
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