Australische Botschaft

Deutschland

Wallstraβe 76-79, 10179 Berlin // Tel: +49 (0)30 88 00 88 0 // Fax: +49 (0)30 88 00 88 210

Visainformationsdienst: Tel: +49 (0)69 222 23 99 58 , Mo-Fr 10-17 Uhr // Fax: +49(0)30 22 48 92 92
Sprechzeiten Visaschalter: Mo, Mi, Fr 9-11 Uhr

Marriage in Germany for Australian Citizens

Australian citizens who wish to get married in Germany are requested to contact the ‘Standesamt’ (registry office) at which they plan to get married. The Standesamt will inform them of their requirements.

As a guideline, the following documents may be required when lodging the Notice of Intended Marriage with the Standesamt. Due to regional interpretations by the courts in Germany, requirements may vary.

1. Birth Certificate

The birth certificate needs to be an original and must not be older than 6 months. If the birth certificate is not in German a certified translation must also be submitted.

2. Single Status Declaration (Ledigkeitsbescheinigung)

Australians intending to marry in Germany need to provide a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI). (see below for more information on CNI)

The CNI is normally accepted in Germany as prove of single status. However, we advise Australians who do not live in Germany at the time of organising the marriage to contact the Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages in Australia (for addresses click here) in order to obtain an Australian State single status declaration. The single status declaration must be an original document plus a certified translation.

Australians that have lived - and therefore have their residency registered - in Germany before or since the age of 18 can obtain the single status declaration from the Standesamt in Germany as this office has evidence of their marriage status in Germany.

If one of the partners has been married before, a divorce certificate or the former partner’s death certificate needs to be provided. If the former marriage was divorced in Australia, the decree absolute of the divorce is requested. All papers have to be originals and translated if applicable.

3. Official Statement of Residency (Meldebescheinigung)

If the Australian citizen resides in Germany, the German “Meldebescheinigung” must be provided. The Meldebescheinigung can be obtained from the German Einwohnermeldeamt (citizens Registration Office) and town hall/city council respectively.

We advise Australians that are resident in Australia, when organising the marriage, to request the Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages office in Australia to include the Australian address in the single status declaration. This original document must be provided together with a certified translation.

4. Financial statement

The administrative fee for the marriage is dependent on the financial status of the couple. In order to prove the level of income, an official salary statement has to be provided to the Standesamt. If the Australian citizen is unable to provide a salary statement (e.g. due to not being employed), a bank statement may be submitted instead. If this is also not possible, the fiance must provide a written declaration that the partner sponsors the Australian applicant.

Apostille

If the High Court has any doubt about the authenticity of the Australian documents provided, it may request an Apostille*. An Apostille can only be obtained from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in Australia (for addresses click here). Apostilles cannot be issued overseas.

*Apostille: Australia and Germany are signatories to The 1969 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents.

Choice of Registry Office and Location

Persons may wish to have their civil marriage ceremony in their hometown or elsewhere in Germany. Although an alternative marriage location is possible, it is subject to higher registration fees and a longer processing period.

Before the couple are able to contact the Standesamt of their choice, the Notice of Intended Marriage must be lodged at their local Standesamt.

All necessary documentation must be submitted to the local Registrar who, when satisfied, will grant the transfer of the case to the Standesamt of the couple’s choice. The desired Standesamt will process the application again, considering regional requirements. It should be noted that this scenario attracts double the processing fees.

Certificate of No Impediment - CNI - (Ehefähigkeitsbescheinigung)

The CNI is an official document that states that there is no Australian law that prohibits an Australian citizen from marrying a national of another country and that the marriage celebrated in Germany according to the German law would normally be recognized as valid in Australia.

If you want to apply for a CNI, please download the application form at www.smartraveller.gov.au/marriage_os.html. The form must be completed by both partners and returned to either the Australian Embassy in Berlin or the Consulate-General in Frankfurt together with a copy of the Australian passport.

The current fee for the issue of the certificate is € 72.00 including postage.

Please transfer the money to one of the following bank accounts depending on where you intend to lodge the application for a CNI:

Payment details for Berlin:
Payment must be made by bank transfer.
Recipient: Australische Botschaft
Bank: Commerzbank Berlin
Account No: 266030600
Bank Code: 100 400 00
Reference: Consular (CNI) Fee for: <name of applicant>

Bank details for Frankfurt:
Payment must be made by debit/credit card (except American Express or Diners). As fees are subject to exchange rate fluctuations and/or changes, you will be charged the fee applicable on the date your application is received. Please complete an authorisation payment slip in one of the following formats:
<Credit Card Authorisation Form.pdf>
<Credit Card Authorisation Form.rtf>

Upon receipt of the completed form and the fee, the CNI will be issued in both English and German.