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.

Marriage in Germany - Australian citizens resident in Germany

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. An apostille may have to be affixed to the birth certificte for legalisation purposes.

2. Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) - Ehefähigkeitsbescheinigung

As of the 1/12/2021, the Australian Embassy in Berlin and the Consulate-General in Frankfurt no longer issues Certificates of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI). The German authorities have been advised of this and you should not be required to provide one. Should you require any further information on this matter, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].

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.

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.

5. Previous marriages

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.

Marriage in Germany - Australian citizens resident in Australia

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 who do not live in Germany at the time of organising the marriage may wish 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.

3. Official Statement of Residency (Meldebescheinigung)

We advise Australians, resident in Australia, to contact the German registry office and ask what they will accept as proof of address in lieu of a Meldebescheinigung.

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.

5. Previous marriages

Additional information

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 or at the Australian Embassy Berlin or Consulate-General in Frankfurt. Please refer to the previous page to make an appointment.

*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.