recognize it fully or will recognize it as a common law marriage. An exception to this is the state of Iowa, where it is completely unrecognized. Germany Germany does not allow proxy marriages within its jurisdiction (§ 1311 BGB). It recognizes proxy marriages contracted elsewhere where this is possible, subject to the usual rules of private international law, unless the foreign law should be incompatible with German ordre public (art. 6 EGBGB): this is not the case with the marriage by proxy per se, but would be if, e. g., the proxy was held responsible for choosing the spouse without further asking rather than only contracting a marriage with a given spouse. United Kingdom Proxy marriage was argued for in the House of Commons by Jennie Adamson in 1943. In 2014 it was reported that "proxy marriage misuse" was common in the UK, in which an EU citizen and non-EU citizen, both living in the UK, participated in a proxy marriage in an outside country. These were sham marriages which allowed one spouse to gain EU citizenship. Citizens Advice Scotland warns that "It may be extremely difficult to prove that a marriage by proxy is a valid marriage, both legally and for claiming benefits." Catholic Church Catholic Canon Law permits marriage by proxy, but requires officiants to receive authorization from the local ordinary before proceeding. References External links Operation ‘I Do’: Moody AFB Attorneys Help Couple Tie Knot Ernest G. Lorenzen, "Marriage By Proxy and the Conflict of Laws" (1932) Double Proxy Marriage in Montana (limited to Montana residents and active duty military personnel, all branches) Types of marriage