You must register your intended marriage in person at the registry office responsible for your place of residence or habitual abode.

To speed up the process, you can submit your desired date for the marriage and the information required to check your eligibility to marry to the registry office in advance.

The place where you register the marriage does not have to be the same place where your marriage is to take place. In principle, you can get married at any registry office in Germany.

Civil marriage and church wedding are independent of each other.

Witnesses do not have to be present at the wedding. However, if you wish, you can appoint one or two people as witnesses.

You can decide whether you want to have a joint or separate family name in your marriage at the time of the wedding or at a later date.

The following persons may register a marriage:

• persons of legal age

Further requirements:

• A marriage may not be entered into before reaching the age of majority.
• Marriage between direct relatives, for example parents and their children, and between siblings and half-siblings, is not permitted. This also applies in principle if the family relationship was established through adoption.
• Bigamous marriages are not permitted in Germany. A previous marriage must have been dissolved by death, divorce, or other legally binding court ruling before a new marriage can be entered into.

If a previous marriage was divorced abroad, the divorce must generally be expressly recognized in Germany in order for it to be effective here. Exceptions to this principle apply primarily to most countries of the European Union (EU). A previously established civil partnership must also be dissolved.

• Objection
• Application for a court ruling

If, after completing the check, the registrar determines that the requirements for marriage have been met, you can get married within 6 months. After that, the marriage must be registered again.

• For processing the application: up to 4 weeks, depending on the registry office and individual case

• Registry office in whose jurisdiction one of the parties to the marriage (fiancés) has their place of residence (primary or secondary residence) or habitual abode
• if the place of residence or habitual residence is abroad: the registry office that is to perform the marriage ceremony

When submitting your application, you must provide:

• if you are a German citizen and are entering into your first marriage:
  • valid identity card or passport
  • extended registration certificate (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 your place of birth
• If your birth was registered abroad:
  • Current birth certificate
• If you were already married or in a civil partnership, you will also need:
  • Marriage certificate and final divorce decree or
  • Proof of the establishment and dissolution of the civil partnership or
• If you are a widow or widower:
  • the marriage certificate or
  • proof of the establishment of the civil partnership and
  • the death certificate of the deceased
• If your divorce took place abroad, you should check with the registry office in advance to see whether a recognition procedure is necessary. Please bring the following with you:
  • all marriage certificates
  • all legally binding divorce decrees (with facts and reasons for the decision)
• If you as future spouses have children together or have custody of children from previous marriages, you will also need:
  • Birth certificates of the children
• If one of the spouses is from abroad, the following are required:
  • Valid identity card, passport, or other proof of identity
  • Proof of nationality, if this is not evident from the identity card or passport
  • Extended registration certificate (not older than 4 weeks)
  • Birth certificate
  • Certificate of no impediment to marriage
  • Foreign-language documents

Notes:

For future spouses from countries where certificates of no impediment to marriage are not issued, it is advisable to consult the registry office about exemption from the obligation to present a certificate of no impediment to marriage. This is granted by the president of the competent higher regional court. The registrar will accept the application and forward it.

For foreign-language documents, the registry office generally requires complete translations into German, prepared by a translator who is publicly appointed and sworn in Germany. Foreign documents often also require certification by the competent foreign authority. In such cases, the registry office will inform you accordingly.

• Additional documents:
• The registry office may request additional documents, such as a naturalization certificate.

The costs vary depending on the state. Your local registry office will be happy to provide you with further information.

• Card payment (debit, credit, Visa, Mastercard, etc.)
• Mobile payments
• Cash payments are not possible!