Leistungen A-Z

None

In order to establish a marriage, a civil marriage ceremony is essential in German law.

When examining the so-called capacity to marry of foreign spouses (certificate of capacity to marry from the home country), it is important to determine whether there are any legal obstacles to marriage under the respective home country law of the foreign partner. This examination is intended to prevent a marriage being entered into in Germany that is invalid, annullable or void in the home country of the spouses.

The marriage is performed by a registrar as part of the civil marriage of two persons.

The only exception is the marriage of two foreigners before a wedding officiant duly authorized by the government of the home country in the form prescribed by the law of that country, provided that one of the fiancées is a national of that country.

• The spouses must be of legal age.
• The spouses must have legal capacity (specifically, of course, legal capacity to enter into marriage).
• The spouses must be present in person
• There must be no impediment to the marriage under German law.

• Proof of identity (identity card, passport, or suitable identification document)

• Dependent on the individual case, may vary.
• The costs for the marriage ceremony depend on the administrative costs involved. Please contact the responsible office.

Before the marriage, the spouses must be asked whether there have been any changes in their actual circumstances concerning the marriage requirements since the registration of the marriage and whether they wish to choose a married name.

The marriage ceremony should be conducted in a dignified manner appropriate to the significance of the marriage. Witnesses are no longer mandatory under German law, but may still be involved.

The marriage ceremony takes place in a place designated (prescribed) for this purpose by the competent authority (registry office).

The legal marriage presupposes the legal capacity (especially natural capacity and capacity to contract marriage) of the parties to the marriage, which is checked by the registrar/registrar's office. The declarations of the spouses that they wish to enter into marriage with each other must be recorded by the registrar in a transcript following the marriage. The minutes must contain all the information to be recorded in the marriage register. It must be signed by the spouses, the witnesses and the registrar.

A marriage is also deemed to have been concluded if the spouses have declared their intention to marry each other.

• independent city, independent town or municipality,
  Association municipality or office in which the domicile or habitual residence is located
• Any German registry office is responsible for performing the marriage.

For the registration of the marriage:

Registry office in whose district the independent city, the independent town or municipality, the association municipality or the office of the place of residence or habitual abode is located

For the marriage ceremony:

any German registry office.

• § 104 BGB
• § 1310 BGB
• § 1312 BGB
• § 1896 ff. BGB
• § SECTION 1903 BGB
• Art. 13 para. 4 sentence 1 EGBGB
• § Section 6 PStG
• § Section 11 PStG
• § Section 13 PStG
• § Section 29 PStV
• Art. 14.1 ff. PStGVwV

Senator for Internal Affairs, Department 23 - Civil Status Law, of the State of Bremen