Family

# Marriage

Have you found your partner for life and do you want to make it official? Which authorities do you need to inform of your change in status and perhaps name when you get married? When planning and preparing for your wedding, you need to provide numerous different certificates, agree on the time and place, and clarify questions relating to property. Local registry offices are responsible for the majority of the government services you will need.

To Services

Rules and recognition of marriage

If you do not have German citizenship and wish to marry in Germany, you will need a certificate of marriageability from your home country. If you are not issued one, you can apply for an exemption from the requirement to present a certificate of marriageability.

Do you need a marriage certificate? You can obtain your marriage certificate from the registry office where the marriage took place. The registry office will issue it from the marriage register.

If you wish to marry abroad, it may be that there is a legal standard in the intended country of marriage which requires the presentation of such a certificate. The issuance of a certificate of eligibility for marriage abroad is also possible in Germany for stateless persons, persons entitled to asylum, recognised refugees and persons whose nationality cannot be determined. The certificate is issued by the registry office in whose area of jurisdiction the applicant has his or her residence or habitual abode. The certificate of marriageability is valid for a period of six months.

You must have an important reason for changing your name.

If you got married abroad, you can have your marriage subsequently entered in a German marriage register under certain conditions.

If your marriage was divorced outside Germany, you can have this decision formally recognized in Germany.