Is It Illegal to Marry Your Cousin in Alaska? Here’s What the Law Says

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Is It Illegal to Marry Your Cousin in Alaska Here's What the Law Says

In Alaska, it is legal to marry your first cousin. The state law prohibits marriages between closer relatives such as siblings or half-siblings but allows cousin marriages, including first cousins, first cousins once removed, half cousins, and more distant cousins.

  1. Alaska’s marriage laws prohibit marriage between parties who are related more closely than the fourth degree of consanguinity. First cousins fall within the fourth degree and therefore can legally marry.
  2. The marriage license application in Alaska asks if parties are blood-related, and first cousins should disclose that relation without it preventing the marriage.
  3. Closely related parties such as siblings and half-siblings are prohibited from marrying under Alaska law.

Other Cousin Relationships

  1. Besides first cousins, marriages between first cousins once removed, half cousins, second cousins, and cousins more distantly related are also legal.
  2. Alaska is one of about 27 states that permit first cousin marriage with no special restrictions.

Marrying your cousin in Alaska is legal under the state law, with restrictions only applying to closer relatives like siblings or half-siblings.

Sources

(https://dataminingdna.com/can-first-cousins-marry-in-alaska/)
(https://theamm.org/articles/1927-kissing-cousins-the-popularity-controversy-of-cousin-marriage)
(https://www.insideedition.com/gallery/kissing-cousins-states-where-marrying-your-relative-legal-48234)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_law_in_the_United_States)
(https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/cousin-marriage-laws.html)

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