Registering a marriage
You must register the intended marriage in person at the registry office in whose jurisdiction you have your domicile or habitual residence.
In order to speed up the procedure, you can send the registry office your desired date for the marriage as well as the data required for the examination of the capacity to marry by means of a pre-registration.
The place where you register the marriage does not have to be the place where you want your marriage to take place. In principle, you can get married at any registry office in Germany.
A civil marriage and a church wedding are independent of each other.
There is no need for witnesses to be present at the wedding. However, if you wish, you can designate one or two people as witnesses.
Whether you want to use a joint or separate surname during the marriage can be decided at the time of marriage or at a later date.
Process flow
You must submit the application for registration of the marriage in person at your local registry office.
- In order to register the marriage, you usually visit the responsible registry office together with your partner or fiancé. There you will get all the necessary information.
- If one of you is unable to attend, the other can register the marriage on his own. To do this, the registry office requires the written power of attorney of the partner who is unable to attend.
- If the registry office does not find any impediment to marriage, you will be informed that the marriage can take place. Notification shall be made either verbally, in writing or electronically.
Who should I contact?
Registry office in whose jurisdiction one of the parties to the marriage (fiancée) has his or her domicile (main or secondary residence) or habitual residence.
In the case of domicile or habitual residence abroad: registry office that is to perform the marriage.
Requirements
The following can register a marriage:
- Persons of legal age
Other requirements:
- A marriage may not be entered into before reaching the age of majority.
- Marriage between direct relatives (e.g. parents and their children) and between siblings and half-siblings is not permitted. In principle, this also applies if the relationship was established by adoption.
- Double marriages are not allowed in Germany. A previously entered into marriage must have been dissolved by death, divorce or other final court judgment before a remarriage.
- If a previous marriage was dissolved abroad, the divorce must first be expressly recognised in Germany in order for it to be effective here. Exceptions to this principle apply mainly to most countries of the European Union (EU). A previously established civil partnership must also be dissolved.
Which documents are required?
When applying, you must submit:
If you are a German citizen and enter into your first marriage:
- Valid identity card or passport
- Certificate of residence from the registration office (not older than 4 weeks)
If your birth was registered in Germany:
- current certified extract from the (electronic) birth register or current certified copy from the birth register (in paper form) from the registry office of the place of birth.
If your birth abroad was notarized:
- current birth certificate
If you were already married or in a civil partnership, you will also need:
- marriage certificate and final divorce decree, or
- Evidence of the establishment and dissolution of the civil partnership.
If your former partner has since passed away:
- the marriage certificate, or
- proof of the establishment of the civil partnership, and
- the death certificate of the former partner.
If your divorce took place abroad, you should inquire in advance at the registry office whether a recognition procedure is required. Please bring the following with you:
- all marriage certificates
- all final divorce decrees (with facts and reasons for the decision)
- a complete translation by a sworn translator of documents in Germany.
If you have children together with your future spouse or if you have custody of children from previous marriages, you will also need:
- Children's birth certificates.
In the case of a partner from abroad, the following are required:
- Valid identity card/passport or other proof of identification
- Proof of nationality if it is not apparent from the identity card or passport
- Certificate of residence from the registration office (not older than 4 weeks)
- Birth certificate
- Certificate of no impediment to marriage
- Documents in foreign languages
Hints:
For partners from countries that do not issue certificates of no impediment to marriage, it is advisable to seek advice from the registry office about the exemption from the obligation to present a certificate of no impediment to marriage. This is granted by the President of the Higher Regional Court. The registrar takes up the application and forwards it.
For foreign-language documents, the registry office generally requires complete translations into German, made by a translator who is publicly appointed and sworn in Germany. Foreign documents often also require certification by the competent foreign authority. Your local registry office will be happy to provide you with information in advance.
Other documents:
Under certain circumstances, the registry office may request additional documents, such as the naturalization certificate.
What are the fees?
Fee: 50,00 EURPayment in advance: NoA basic amount of 50 euros is required for the examination of the marriage requirements in the context of the registration of the marriage. This amount may continue to increase. If, for example, foreign law is to be examined, a further 40 euros must be charged for each right to be examined. The amount is also increased by a further 40 euros for each foreign decision to be examined in matrimonial or civil partnership matters. A further 40 euros will be charged for each application to be received for recognition of a foreign judgment in matrimonial matters to the State Administration of Justice and/or for a preliminary examination of a decision in matrimonial or civil partnership matters for the submission of an application for exemption from the requirement to provide a certificate of no impediment to marriage, if a determination by the State Administration of Justice is not required. Your registry office responsible for registration will be happy to provide you with information. Further costs may be incurred in connection with the marriage, e.g. if the marriage takes place outside the offices of the registry office, at a so-called external wedding location, and/or outside the usual office hours of the registry office. Information will be provided by the registry office that performs the marriage.
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
If, after completing the examination, the registrar determines that the requirements for marriage are met, you can get married within 6 months. After that, the marriage must be re-registered.
Processing duration
The processing time varies depending on the examination effort in each individual case.
Applications / forms
Forms available: Yes
Written form required:
Yes. Unless the registration is made orally.
Personal appearance required: Basically, yes.
Appeal
If the registry office refuses to register the marriage, you can file an application with the competent court to instruct the registry office to receive the marriage registration.
What else should I know?
The marriage can also be contracted by a registry office in another place. However, registration always takes place at the competent authority.
Technically approved by
Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior and Sports
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
