Notification of a marriage contracted abroad
If German nationals have entered into a marriage or civil partnership abroad, they can have this subsequently certified in Germany.
Description
A proper foreign marriage or civil partnership certificate is considered proof of marriage/partnership. In the case of a civil partnership, however, its effect for German law must be checked on a case-by-case basis. It is possible that under German law, the name of the spouses/partners may be judged differently than stated in the foreign certificate. In this case, it is advisable to submit an application for subsequent notarisation.
Under German law, the marriage must be notarised at the registry office of the place of marriage. Until 2009, civil partnerships were also established at German registry offices and notarised in the civil partnership register. Marriage/life partnership certificates are issued from the marriage/life partnership register and are conclusive for and against anyone in Germany.
Foreign marriage and civil partnership certificates are subject to the free evaluation of evidence by German authorities and courts. As "marriage for all" has been in force in Germany since 1 October 2017, it is difficult for many authorities to assess the legal consequences of a civil partnership entered into abroad.
Problems can also arise if the names of the parties are incorrectly stated in a foreign deed from the perspective of German law.
In this case, it makes sense to have the marriage/life partnership re-certified at the German registry office. All data will be checked and, if necessary, any missing declarations regarding the name will be added.
However, there is no obligation to obtain a subsequent certificate!
Prerequisites
The subsequent certification of a marriage or civil partnership is possible if at least one of the two parties has German citizenship by descent, naturalisation or adoption. The same applies to stateless persons, homeless foreigners and foreign refugees.
The spouses/life partners are entitled to apply, if both are already deceased, their parents and children.
Required documents
Please use our contact form to submit your documents in advance. These can be
- Birth certificate of the spouses/partners
- Foreign marriage / civil partnership certificate
- Court order on the dissolution of the marriage/ civil partnership
- Foreign-language documents are submitted in multilingual form or together with a translation (publicly appointed and sworn translators)
Questions & Answers
- If you live in Germany, the registry office at your place of residence is responsible.
- If you live abroad, the registry office at your last place of residence in Germany is responsible.
- If you have never lived in Germany, the registry office I in Berlin is responsible.
If you live abroad, you can also submit the application to the German consular mission. From there it will be forwarded to the responsible registry office.
Legal basis
§ 34 PStG