Both the bride and groom need to obtain their official birth certificate bearing the Apostille stamp which can be obtained by contacting the county clerk’s office in the state where they were born. The certificates need to be translated into Spanish. The translated copies need to be notarized and bear the official Apostille stamp as well. Foreigners are not subject to a residence requirement, but will have to identify themselves by presenting their tourist cards and/or visas as well as a copy of their passports. The bride and groom must fill out a written application (obtained from the Registro Civil), which will include a statement as to whether they wish to marry under the system of joint or separate property. This application will have to be accompanied by a certificate from a Public Health unit, (i.e. Red Cross, Centro de Salud, Civil Hospital) indicating that both parties are free of those diseases that are impediments to marriage. A blood test is required. Further documentation may be required on a per case basis. Persons previously married must present proof of the termination of that marriage in the form of a divorce decree or death certificate. If the divorce or death took place outside of Mexico, it must be authenticated and translated. If the divorce took place in Mexico, divorced persons cannot marry in Mexico until one year after the finalization of the divorce. If a person has not been married previously, he/she should make certain that his/her tourist card or other Mexican documentation states that he/she is single (soltero). All notarized and stamped documents should be pre-sent to the destination in Mexico where the couple is getting married. This allows for all paperwork to be in order before the couple arrives. The civil ceremony will then take place with the officials from Mexico. Typically only the official, the bride and groom, and two legally qualified witnesses (over 18 years old) are in attendance for this ceremony.