Official marriages in Germany require that you visit your local civil registration office (German: Standesamt). The upcoming marriage must be registered at the office 6 months before the wedding date. If you and your future spouse live in different districts, you can choose the registration office in either of your respective districts. You may also pick any other Standesamt in Germany, but this may lead to additional fees.
Registration and Required Documents for Civil Marriage
Both parties are required to present the following documents when registering a civil marriage:
- Valid ID Card (Personalausweis) or Passport (Reisepass)
- Extended Proof of Residence (Erweiterte Aufenthalts- oder Meldebestätigung) obtained max. 6 months before registration; this is also called Ledigkeitsbescheinigung and can be issued by any residents’ registration office (Kundenzentrum or Einwohnermeldeamt)
- Birth certificate, obtained from the civil registration office max. 6 months before registration
- Birth certificates of joint children, if applicable
- If widowed, the respective marriage certificate and a death certificate of the deceased spouse
- If divorced, the respective marriage certificate and a valid divorce certificate from any previously dissolved marriages
Further documents may be required. For more information, click here (German only) or contact your local Standesamt.
Please note: All certificates must be submitted in the original; you will get them back at the wedding. Foreign certificates will only be accepted in sworn translation or international form. Foreign certificates from non-EU countries may need additional legal verification.
Documents Required for Church Weddings
- Valid ID card (Personalausweis) or passport (Reisepass)
- Certificates of baptism and confirmation
- Wedding confirmation issued by the Standesamt, or a written statement that the marriage is registered
- Ledigkeitsbescheinigung (only for Catholic weddings)
Documents required for Mosque Weddings
- Valid ID card (Personalausweis) or passport (Reisepass)
- Birth certificates of both partners
- Wedding confirmation issued by the Standesamt, or a written statement that the marriage is registered
- Both partners must be Muslims; evidence may be required
- Written consent of the bride’s father
Further documents may be required depending on Sunna or Shia wedding regulations.
Please note that due to German law, a Muslim wedding is only legally valid when the marriage is also registered at a Standesamt.
Name Change
If you decide to change your family name to that of your partner, please remember to change it in your personal documents as well. This may apply to your IC Card (Personalausweis), car documents (Fahrzeugpapiere), driver’s licence (Führerschein) and current contracts as well as your Income Tax Card (Lohnsteuerkarte) and Income Tax Bracket (Lohnsteuerklasse), if applicable.
Please let other companies and institutions know about your name change, for example your employer(s), bank(s), credit card companies, insurance agencies, energy and water suppliers, and newspaper and magazine subscriptions. Please also check if your marriage results in your having double contracts or insurances and cancel them if applicable.
Public Services
Our public services section will help you with official issues concerning your marriage. Here you will find what other documents may be required, for example if you were married abroad and wish to validate or certify your marriage in Germany
