Can Undocumented Immigrants Marry in Minnesota?

Everyone in the United States has a right to get married. This is true regardless of immigration status. But, being married in the US or being married to a US citizen does NOT protect you from deportation.

The Minnesota marriage license application has a place to fill in a social security number. If you don’t have a social security number, you can still apply but you have to swear that you don’t have one. There is a place to do this on the application form.

To be legally married in Minnesota you apply for a marriage license and have to be married by someone authorized to perform marriages. Once you do these things, you get a marriage certificate.

In Minnesota, you must be over 18 and able to make your own decisions if you want to get married. 

Note: Minnesota does not recognize marriages involving a minor who traveled out of state to get married. 

• If you want to get married, you can’t be married to anyone else.
   
• If you were married before, you must have a valid divorce from your spouse before. A valid divorce is one that follows the divorce laws in the state or country where the divorce happened. In Minnesota, a divorce must go through the court systems and an order needs to be signed by a judge and filed with the court before it is a valid divorce.
   
• Minnesota doesn’t let certain blood relatives get married. You can’t marry:
  • Your biological or adopted children.
  • Your biological or adopted grandchildren.
  • Your brother or sister.
  • Your nieces or nephews if there is any blood relation.
  • Your first cousins. First cousins are the children of an aunt or uncle that you are related to by blood. There may be exceptions to this for civil marriages allowed by the customs of certain Aboriginal cultures. 

For information about getting a marriage license and having a ceremony, please see our fact sheet Marriage in Minnesota.