How to Use Cupid Project to Get a Virtual NY Marriage License
Now that engagement season is approaching, you may be wondering how to get a marriage license amid the COVID-19 pandemic in New York. Our world has turned to a virtual platform to decrease the risk of public exposure. Governor Cuomo has issued Executive Order No. 202.20, which authorizes NYC Clerk’s Offices to use video conferencing technology to allow couples to obtain marriage licenses. In order to be considered for a marriage license, you and your spouse must be physically located in New York State together.
Project Cupid is the only way to access virtual marriage licenses in New York. Look out for red markings in the photos below for extra help! Here are the steps to using Project Cupid’s platform:
1. Sign up for Project Cupid and fill out your information to create an account
Visit nyc.gov/cupid to begin your application process and hit the blue “Start Application Now” button in the center of your screen. It will ask for you and your prospective spouse’s personal information to set up an account. Once you’ve filled out your information, you will receive a confirmation number in your email inbox. This is the first part of the two-step application process.
2. After receiving your confirmation number, return to Project Cupid to finish your application
Once you have received your confirmation number, you can complete the second part by going back to nyc.gov/cupid and clicking on the blue “Log In and Continue Application” button lower down on your screen. Use the credentials you entered in Step 1 to log into your application and input the confirmation number. From here, you will need to upload photos of a government-issued ID such as a driver’s license. Then, you will have to answer a few more questions and pay the $35 Marriage License fee with a credit card. After you complete these steps, your application is finished, and you can schedule your marriage license virtual appointment. You should receive an email confirming your date, as well as a Microsoft Teams link to access your appointment.
Tip: If you are experiencing any technical issues with your application, you can report a problem with the City Clerk online.
3. Check back regularly for appointment date releases if They are booked when you finish your application
If you finish your application only to see that the next few months of appointments are entirely booked, don’t worry! Project Cupid is the only NYC platform for virtual marriage license authorization, so they experience high volumes of applications daily. However, the City Clerk’s Office regularly releases new online appointments. You can monitor the website to check for new time slots due to cancellations and follow the City Clerk’s Twitter, which announces when they are releasing new appointments. Securing a date is the most challenging aspect of this process, but don’t give up if it looks booked; remember to keep checking!
Tip: Typically, the City Clerk announces new date openings on Twitter on Thursday mornings around 9:00 am EST and at the beginning of each month.
4. Go to your online marriage license appointment
Once your scheduled date and time have arrived, log onto the appointment through the Microsoft Teams link mentioned above. The appointment time slots are typically 45 minutes, but many will run closer to 30 minutes.
You will need to show the same government IDs you used in your application and confirm that you and your spouse are physically together and located in New York. After the appointment, you will receive a digital link to download your marriage license as a PDF.
5. Have the wedding ceremony and upload the signed license to your portal
You will have to wait at least 24 hours after receiving the license to get married. However, the Executive Order states that marriage licenses are valid for 60 days following the end of NY’s State of Emergency (180 days for active military personnel).
After your wedding ceremony (whether it is virtual or in-person), your officiant and witness(es) will need to sign the license. You then must upload the document back into your Project Cupid portal. You should receive an email confirmation once it is successfully uploaded, and your marriage certificate should be given to you within four weeks!
Tip: If you do not receive an email confirmation after your upload, send your signed marriage license to VMLreturns@cityclerk.nyc.gov.
Final Note: The COVID-19 Pandemic has presented our world with continuous change and adaptability. Given the country’s current conditions, it is unknown when the City Clerk’s Offices will reopen in NYC for in-person appointments. However, LLG Events is committed to providing the public with current news, so check back with us and subscribe to our newsletter for future updates!
