If you’ve ever been to Chicago, you would surely not deny that it can be a beautiful place to live in. For this reason, most people often plan to have their weddings in the beautiful scenery in the city. If you are one of those who are planning on getting hitched soon in Chicago, then it is important that you take note of one certain factor. That is the need for a marriage license.
The city of Chicago and indeed most parts of the Cook County would require you to get a marriage license before you can get married in the state.
Here is how you can achieve that;
Preliminary issues
There are factors which you would have to weigh in when you apply for a marriage license. The first factor is that you would not be able to get a marriage license if your wedding is just 24 hours away. The only way in which you can achieve this would be through a judicial waiver. Another thing which you would have to take note of would be the age exceptions which are currently in force in Chicago. Under the Chicago laws, if you have a first cousin you hope to marry and both of you are above the ages of 50, you would be allowed to marry. If you are planning on getting married at the age of 16 or 17, then the law would see it necessary to see consent from your parents before the license can be granted.
Application Process
In Chicago, there are about six places where you can apply for marriage licenses in the city. It is mandatory that both spouses make an appearance before the City clerk. No other power or delegation is recognized when it comes to the collection of marriage license. Once you and your spouse are present, you would be asked to complete the application form. This form would either be in physical form or you can choose to complete the form online. It is also important to note that the submission of the form would also require that the couple both appear in person before the clerk.
You would have to take care of the small issue which is the marriage license fee. The license fee is uniform across the state at $60. Once you have completed the application process and paid all the necessary fees, then you would be given a license. It is also important to note that any license fees which is given in the state through its clerk would only have jurisdiction and force of law in Chicago or in Cook County.
Identification and proof of age
Before you are given the license, you would be required to provide some forms of proof. These proof would often border on age and general identification issues. For the ages, there are many documents which would be considered sufficient. Most people would use the birth certificate. If you are a citizen in the US through naturalization, then you would be allowed to show your age through your naturalization record. The age on the record of your baptism would also be recognized as your official age.
As for identification, you would also have some options. Generally, submitting a driver’s license or an international passport would be considered enough to prove your identity. You would also be allowed to use any other means of identification which has been given to you or issued by the government.
Other things which you would have to bear in mind would be the duration of validity. You would only be able to use your marriage license for 60 days in Chicago. However, if you are in the military, you would be allowed a longer period of time before your marriage license would be revoked. Knowing your duration would be essential when you are trying to decide when to apply.
Conclusion
Having your marriage license application done smoothly should be your focal aim during these periods leading to you getting hitched. Make sure that you take in all the procedures and visit the clerk’s office as soon as you can. You just might be able to get it done faster than you think. If you need help getting your marriage license or have more questions, U.S Marriage Laws is a great resource.
