Apply for certification of a marriage concluded abroad

Your marriage concluded abroad will be recognized if, among other things, the regulations applicable in the country of marriage were observed and the marriage was concluded in front of a legally authorized person. Your marriage certificate serves as proof...

Your marriage concluded abroad will be recognized if, among other things, the regulations applicable in the country of marriage were observed and the marriage was concluded in front of a legally authorized person. Your marriage certificate serves as proof of this. If the certificate was not written in German, a translation is required. There is no obligation for you to apply for the subsequent certification. But of course this has advantages: You always have the option of having a German marriage certificate issued at the registry office that certified your marriage if your foreign certificate is lost. This makes it easier to deal with authorities and other institutions.

Important notes

Prerequisites

The marriage was concluded abroad, also effective under German law, and at least one of the partners has German nationality

Documents required

Marriage certificate (marriage certificate) of the marriage concluded abroad, if necessary with authentication by the responsible foreign authority (apostille) or legalization by the German diplomatic mission abroad
Valid identity card, passport or travel document
if applicable, certificate of naturalization, certificate of nationality
if the spouses are born in Germany:
- certified copies of the birth registers from the registry offices of the places of birth.
if the spouses are born abroad:
- the birth certificates, if necessary certified by the competent foreign authority (apostille) or legalized by the German diplomatic mission abroad
Has a spouse been married before:
- certified copy from the marriage register of the previous marriage with notice of dissolution.
- Alternatively or in the case of a previous marriage abroad: Proof of the conclusion and dissolution of all previous marriages - for example marriage certificates, death certificates, all divorce decrees (complete and with a note from the court as to when the judgment became final ("final notice"))
- if applicable, recognition of the foreign divorce by the President of the Higher Regional Court
If a spouse has already established a registered civil partnership:
Evidence of the establishment and dissolution of all civil partnerships
Translations of all documents in a foreign language by domestically sworn translators
Additional documents may be required in individual cases.

Please note

It is not possible to submit an informal application.

Deadlines

A marriage of German nationals concluded abroad can be recertified upon request. The time of the marriage is irrelevant.

Only the spouses themselves can apply for certification of the marriage during their lifetime.

After the death of both spouses, their parents and children are also entitled to apply.

Procedure & Fees

Procedure

You have German citizenship and got married abroad.
You have a place of residence or habitual abode in Germany and apply for certification in the marriage register at the registry office responsible for your place of residence.
The competent registry office examines the application and certifies the marriage if, based on the evidence provided, it is convinced that the marriage was also valid under German law.

Processing time

The duration of the processing depends on the individual case; in Hamburg it is usually several weeks.

Fees

The fees in Hamburg start at 124.50 euros and always depend on the individual case.

Legal notes

Legal remedies

Application to AG Hamburg, Sievekingplatz 1, Hamburg

Legal basis

Section 34 Personal Status Act (PStG)

http://§ 34 PStG - individual standard (gesetze-im-internet.de)

Art. 13 BGB Marriage

https://dejure.org/gesetze/EGBGB/13.html