3,000 couples in Irish Republic told marriages 'not legal'

3,000 foreign couples in the Republic were told their marriage is not legal

Around 3,000 foreign couples in the Irish Republic are caught up in a diplomatic row after being told their marriage status is not legal.

The marriages over the past three years are null and void because they were performed in foreign embassies.

The problem has caused a diplomatic row between the Irish government and a number of European Union states.

The decision also affects the citizens of non-EU states, whose embassies conduct marriage ceremonies.

Last week, the General Register Office in the Republic wrote to all foreign embassies informing them that marriages performed by diplomatic missions were not recognised as marriages unless they conformed to Irish law.

The note said marriages would not be legal unless they were performed by an authorised registrar and took place in a registered building which was open to the public.

The Irish Times reports that the guidance issued to embassies follows passage of the 2004 Civil Registration Act, which updated existing laws on registering marriages.

It entered into law on 5 November 2007, which means all marriages in embassies since then are invalid.

A number of embassies have complained that the communication last week was the first time they had been told performing marriage ceremonies was illegal.