CHAPTER III MARRIAGE FORMALITIES Art. 18. – Marriage must be celebrated by a civil status registrar. Art. 19. - Only marriages celebrated by civil status registrars have legal implications. Art. 20. – No religious official can proceed with religious wedding ceremony when it has not been justified by the presentation of a civil marriage certificate as provided for in article 28. Paragraph 1. – Preliminary Formalities Art. 21. New (Law 83-800 of 2-8-1983) – Exactly ten days to the date fixed for the celebration of marriage, each of the spouses-to-be must submit to the competent civil status registrar: - A copy of his/her birth certificate issued within three months of the submission Copies of documents granting exemptions in cases provided for by the law All other documents that could be requested for and necessary to establish that the conditions for marriage have been met. Art.22.- When the spouses-to-be appear before the civil status office, as stipulated in the preceding article, in order to submit their birth certificates, the registrar has to ask them: 1. If they have ever been married, and in the event of an affirmative response, to indicate the causes and the date of the dissolution of the previous union. In this case, he may require the presentation either of the death certificate of the previous spouse, or of proof of the fulfillment of the formalities stipulated in article 14 of the law on divorce and separation. 2. When one or both of them are minors, who is the person competent to consent to the marriage and whether this person will give his consent during the celebration. In the event of a negative response, he must remind them that he cannot proceed with the celebration, till he receives proof of consent or judicial authorization. Art.23 new (Law 83-800 of 2 8-1983) - The civil status registrar must also inform spouses-to-be, and, if they are minors, the persons entitled to consent to the marriage, that if they fail to opt for separate property regime on the day of the marriage, they will be united under the joint property regime. Paragraph 2.- Celebration of marriage Art. 24.- Marriage is celebrated publicly at the seat of the constituency or the civil status registry at the domicile or the residence of one of the spouses. Residence is established by at least one month of continuous habitation by the date of the celebration. The Public Prosecutor or the magistrate for the section of the court for the domicile or the residence of one of the spouses-to-be can, however, if there are just reasons, authorize the celebration of marriage in another location other than those mentioned in the first paragraph. The issuing magistrate sends notification of the authorization to the civil status registrar in charge of celebrating the marriage, and issues a copy to the spouses-to-be. Mention of this authorization must be made on the marriage certificate. Art.25.- In the event of a serious impediment, the public prosecutor may order the civil status registrar to go to the domicile or residence of one of the parties to celebrate the marriage. 3