Foreigners can marry in the U.S.: no nationality or residency requirement, just bring your original passport
Yes, you can. In the counties we checked, nationality and residency aren't among the requirements for a Marriage License: Orange County states it doesn't require citizenship, residency or a blood test, and San Mateo County doesn't require residency or citizenship either. What the county looks at is that both of you appear in person, government-issued photo ID, and age.
Getting a marriage license and having the marriage recorded is separate from immigration status. If you're in the U.S. on a tourist, student or work visa and marry here, how that affects your status is a question for immigration rules; see the end of this article.
What ID the county wants to see
- Clark County (Nevada, Las Vegas): The original of a government-issued photo ID; digital copies and photocopies aren't accepted. Acceptable IDs include a passport, an ID issued by a foreign government that shows your date of birth, a Matricula Consular, and a permanent resident card. If you use a foreign birth certificate, attach a notarized English translation (checked 2026-10-22).
- San Francisco County: A valid government-issued photo ID, such as a passport, driver's license or resident alien card; if it doesn't show your full legal name, also bring a certified copy of your birth certificate or your Social Security card (checked 2026-10-22).
- Orange County (California): One valid government-issued photo ID per person, such as a driver's license or passport (checked 2026-10-22).
- Duval County (Florida): A government-issued photo ID; a passport or an alien registration card both work (checked 2026-10-14).
Fill in the application with your English name spelled exactly as it appears on your ID, without changing a single letter. Later on, the marriage certificate, your name change and your registration in Taiwan will all involve comparing the certificate against your passport.
What if you don't have an SSN?
Most counties ask for a Social Security number (SSN), but the rule is "provide it if you have one," and there are alternatives if you don't:
- Clark County (Nevada): U.S. citizens who already have an SSN must provide it (checked 2026-10-22).
- Fort Bend County (Texas): If you have an SSN, you must provide it (checked 2026-10-14).
- Duval County (Florida): If you've been issued an SSN, write the number down; you don't need to bring the card. Non-citizens can give either an SSN or an Alien Registration Number (A-Number); if you have neither, you may need to show other documents (checked 2026-10-14).
- Wake County (North Carolina): People who aren't eligible for an SSN sign an affidavit; non-citizens who entered lawfully can use an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, applied for from the IRS with Form W-7); people with permanent residence or work authorization must have an SSN (checked 2026-10-14).
Before you go, check what the county you're applying in says, and don't assume another county's practice applies. For the rules in each state, see Official rules for 9 states, checked side by side.
Previous marriages and documents in other languages
If you've been married before, the county will ask when the previous marriage ended. San Francisco County's rule: if it ended less than 90 days ago, bring a certified copy of the divorce, annulment or death certificate; documents in other languages need an English translation by a court-certified or ATA-certified translator (checked 2026-10-22). In Hawaii the threshold is 30 days (checked 2026-10-14).
If you need to use a Taiwanese divorce certificate or household registration transcript, prepare an English translation first, by a translator who meets that county's requirements.
Marriage is not immigration status
The county issues the license and records the marriage; it doesn't deal with immigration status. If you're in the U.S. on a tourist (B), student (F) or work visa and marry here, whether you can stay, whether you need to leave, and whether you can apply for status from inside the U.S. are all questions of immigration law, and they vary a lot from case to case.
The two points below are official USCIS rules; we list only the timing:
- If you entered on a K-1 fiancé(e) visa, you must marry within 90 days of entry, and K-1 status can't be extended once it expires (USCIS, checked 2026-10-14). See On a K-1, you must marry within 90 days of entry.
- Non-U.S. citizens in the United States must report a new address to USCIS within 10 days of moving (USCIS, checked 2026-10-22).
For applying for spousal status, and choosing between adjusting status inside the U.S. or getting a visa in your home country, see the visa and documents site. We don't recommend specific lawyers or agencies.
Registering in your home country
Whether and how to register a U.S. marriage in your home country depends on your home country's rules.
- Taiwanese citizens: After the marriage certificate is authenticated by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), register the marriage in Taiwan; the Household Registration Act requires the application within 30 days. See Married in the U.S., registering in Taiwan: five steps.
- If a foreign spouse is to appear on the Taiwan household registration, you also need a Chinese-name declaration and an authenticated certificate of marital status.
- Clark County also reminds foreign couples to check first with their home country whether it recognizes a marriage performed in the U.S.
Frequently asked questions
Can I marry in the U.S. on a tourist visa?
The county's requirements for a marriage license don't include a visa or nationality; Orange County and San Mateo County, which we checked, state they don't require citizenship or residency. Your immigration status after the wedding is a separate matter; see the visa and documents site.
Can I get a marriage license without an SSN?
Most counties say "provide it if you have one." Wake County, North Carolina lets people who aren't eligible for an SSN sign an affidavit, and Duval County, Florida accepts an Alien Registration Number. Practices differ by county, so go by the website of the county you're applying in.
Can a foreign passport be used as ID for the application?
Yes. Clark County, San Francisco County, Orange County and Duval County all list a passport as acceptable ID; bring the original, and it must not be expired.
When the two of you have different nationalities, the extra documents you need are added to the My Wedding Plan checklist once you choose "one partner is a foreign national," starting from item 1, the marriage license. There's a free version, and you can start without leaving an email address.
Sources (checked 2026-10-22)
- Clark County (Nevada): Marriage License Requirements (checked 2026-10-22)
- Clark County (Nevada): Frequently Asked Questions (checked 2026-10-22)
- San Francisco County: Get a marriage license (checked 2026-10-22)
- Orange County Clerk-Recorder: Marriage (checked 2026-10-22)
- San Mateo County: How to Get Married in California (checked 2026-10-22)
- Duval County (Florida): Marriage License (checked 2026-10-14)
- Fort Bend County (Texas): Formal Marriage License (checked 2026-10-14)
- Wake County (North Carolina): No Social Security Number (checked 2026-10-14)
- Hawaii State Department of Health: Marriage Licenses (checked 2026-10-14)
- USCIS: Visas for Fiancé(e)s of U.S. Citizens (K-1) (checked 2026-10-14)
- USCIS: Change of Address (AR-11) (checked 2026-10-22)