I Am not a U.S. Citizen. Can I Officiate Weddings in the U.S.?

Yes, with the exception of the state of Nevada. The state of Nevada currently has minister registration laws that make it prohibitive for non-us citizens to officiate wedding ceremonies in the state. That being said, you can conduct the wedding ceremony in Nevada so long as an authorized person signs the marriage license.

In the other 49 states and US territories you do not need to be a US citizen to officiate wedding ceremonies. Most religious institutions predate the founding of the American Republic and the US Constitution was set up to respect the rights of all religious officials regardless of nationality.

Consider the Catholic church for instance. Many Catholic Priests, Bishops, and so on are not US citizens however they regularly conduct marriage rites.

If you are not a U.S. citizen and you plan on officiating a wedding in the United States you are subject to the same laws as U.S. citizens. This means that you must register with the government in states where minister registration is required. Below are a list of U.S. States where ministers must register before officiating weddings.

States Requiring Officiant Registration

1. Arkansas
2. Delaware
3. Hawaii
4. Louisiana
5. Massachusetts
6. Minnesota
7. Nevada
8. New Hampshire
9. New York
10. Ohio
11. Puerto Rico
12. Vermont
13. Virginia
14. Washington DC
15. West Virginia