Romantic relationship in St Vincent and Grenadines

People form romantic relationships in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines through informal dating, marriage, common-law unions and visiting relationships. A common-law union generally describes partners who live together without marrying. A visiting relationship describes partners who maintain a relationship without living together as one household. No state dating institution or dating registration system has been evidenced. The 2023 data for people aged 15 and over recorded 22.3% as married and living with a spouse, 3.3% as married but not living with a spouse, 11.3% in a common-law union and 9.4% in a visiting relationship. A further 30.8% were not in a union, 16.0% had never had a spouse or common-law partner, and 6.8% did not state their status. These figures show the local relevance of relationships outside marriage, but they do not by themselves determine legal rights. Marriage is registered through a Marriage Officer and the Civil Registry. An ordinary Registrar's Licence requires an application in person, identity and civil-status documents, public posting for seven consecutive days and a licence that remains valid for three months. Both foreign parties generally need to be present at least 15 clear days before applying. A passport or birth certificate is used for identity, and a final divorce decree or death certificate is needed when a previous marriage ended. The ceremony requires two witnesses, and the Marriage Officer sends the registration to the Civil Registry immediately after solemnisation. Religious and civil marriages can both have legal effect when the required procedure is followed. Published charges include EC$15 in Revenue Stamps, as well as Civil Registry charges listed as EC$50 in stamps and EC$150 for the Registrar; confirm the current total with the Registry. A Governor General's special licence can shorten the ordinary process. The researched official pages give different fees, ranging from EC$500 to EC$540, so the Civil Registry or Ministry of Legal Affairs and Justice should confirm the current non-refundable fee. Both foreign parties generally need to be present 24 hours before the application, and the special licence also remains valid for three months. The portal lists eligibility from age 18 and requires passports and proof concerning a previous divorce or death. Common-law and visiting relationships are not formally equal to marriage in the available evidence. Cohabitation does not automatically establish the same property or financial rights as marriage. Divorce and related financial-provision or property-adjustment orders are handled by the High Court under the Matrimonial Causes Act, Cap. 176. The published divorce process uses a decree nisi followed by a decree absolute. The current official divorce fee and timing were not established. For a marriage abroad, the Civil Registry in Kingstown can issue a certificate confirming no marriage record, with a stated fee of EC$20 and an approximate processing time of seven working days. Family Court counselling and mediation can support relationship disputes, including walk-in access, with referrals to Family Services, a Family Court Counsellor, a Probation Officer or Marion House. Scheduled Family Court sittings also take place in Saint Vincent, Bequia, Canouan and Union Island. The available evidence does not show a broad dedicated couple-therapy system, so access may depend on the referral and provider. The National Family Planning Programme provides contraception, counselling and follow-up through 38 health centres. The HIV/AIDS/STI Unit serves sexually active people, adolescents and young people, men who have sex with men, and people referred by nongovernmental organisations. Domestic violence law applies to current and former partners, including married, cohabiting and other covered relationships. The Domestic Violence Act 2015 covers physical, sexual, emotional, verbal and psychological abuse, economic abuse, intimidation, harassment, stalking, property damage and non-consensual entry. A protection-order application can be made through the Family Court or a Magistrate's Court. The documented process requires identification and EC$1.20 in stamps; counselling or mediation may be offered, and a hearing date is generally set within seven working days. An ex parte or interim order is recorded as valid for seven days, and breach can lead to police action, arrest or a charge. The Gender Affairs Division can provide reporting and psychosocial services, while the Crisis Centre offers counselling, shelter and a 24-hour hotline. In an emergency, contact the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force on 911 or 999. Same-sex marriage and civil partnership are not legally recognized, and consensual same-sex sexual activity remains criminalized with penalties of up to ten years. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has no general law protecting against discrimination based on sexual orientation, and a 2024 High Court challenge was dismissed. The researched protection-order eligibility wording expressly refers to an opposite-sex visiting relationship, so a same-sex couple should obtain current legal and safety advice rather than assume that pathway applies. Requests for money from a new online romantic contact are a recognized romance-scam warning sign; do not send funds solely because an online relationship feels established.