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Getting married abroad

Germany: how to get married

A summary of the rules, taken from the official pages listed at the bottom. A fact we could not confirm there is left out.

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This is a summary, not legal advice. Rules change and offices differ: confirm everything with the registry office before you book anything.

Who can marry

  • Minimum age for both partners: 18.[1]
  • Couples of the same sex can marry, on the same conditions as any other couple.[1]

The ceremony

  • Only a marriage made before, or registered by, the state's civil registrar counts. A religious ceremony alone has no civil effect.[1]
  • Both of you must be present together; a representative cannot take your place.[1]
  • Witnesses are needed only if you want them.[1]

Timing

  • Time to hold the wedding after that: 6 months. After it you file again.[2]

Documents

  • A foreign partner brings a document from their own country saying they are free to marry (a certificate of capacity to marry, or of no impediment).[1]
  • Maximum age of that document on the wedding day: 6 months.[1]
  • If their country does not issue such a document, or it is very hard to get, a court can release them from the duty to bring it.[1]
  • If either of you was married before, bring the document that ended that marriage (a divorce decree or a death certificate).[2]
  • Documents in another language need an official translation (by a sworn translator, or certified as the country requires).[3]
  • Depending on the country they come from, foreign documents may also need an apostille or a legalisation.[3]

Left out because we could not confirm it on an official page: fees, how far ahead to book, apostille and legalisation rules, whether you have to live there. Ask the registry office.

Sources

Checked on 21 October 2026 against the pages below.

  1. [1] Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch, BGB (gesetze-im-internet.de)
  2. [2] Personenstandsgesetz, PStG (gesetze-im-internet.de)
  3. [3] Service Berlin: Unterlagen aus dem Ausland (service.berlin.de)

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