'Project Cupid': New York City is making marriage licenses available online for the 1st time

LPETTET/iStockBy JACQUELINE LAUREAN YATES and AARON KATERSKY, ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- For the first time, New York City is making marriage licenses available online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The new order, slated to last until May 18, will allow people to obtain marriage licenses online. The city is calling this transition to online licensing "Project Cupid" and it will allow couples to virtually schedule an appointment with the city clerk's office, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday.

All couples who want to get married in New York need a license. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Gov. Andrew Cuomo waived the requirement that it must be obtained in person.

On April 18, Cuomo tweeted, "I am issuing an Executive Order allowing New Yorkers to obtain a marriage license remotely and allowing clerks to perform ceremonies via video conference."

NEW: I am issuing an Executive Order allowing New Yorkers to obtain a marriage license remotely and allowing clerks to perform ceremonies via video conference.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 18, 2020

New York City's IT department built the technology to enable online licensing, beginning the first week of May.

"For the first time in our city's history, New Yorkers will be able to obtain marriage licenses online, and it was our pleasure to build out the technology to enable that," said Jessica Tisch, commissioner of the city's Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications.

"We need moments of joy now more than ever, and we won't let a pandemic get in the way of true love," de Blasio said in a statement regarding the new order. "To all of the couples looking forward to tying the knot, know that your city is right here with you, throwing rice from afar."

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