What do I need to arrange if I want to marry in Germany?
If you are a Dutch national planning to marry in Germany, you will need to provide certain documents. And you may need to meet extra requirements.
Can I get married in Germany?
Ask the organisation (Standesamt) that you want to perform the marriage whether the rules in Germany allow you to marry there as a Dutch national.
Same-sex couples can get married in Germany.
You cannot get married at the Dutch embassy.
Requirements for getting married for Dutch nationals
If you are a Dutch national and you want to marry, you must meet the following requirements:
- You and your partner must be 18 or older. If you are under 18 and you marry abroad, the Dutch authorities will not recognise your marriage until you and your partner are both 18.
- You and your partner must not already be married to or have a registered partnership with someone else.
- If you are under guardianship, you will need the permission of your guardian or of the limited jurisdiction judge (‘kantonrechter’).
- The following family members are not allowed to marry each other or enter into a registered partnership with each other: parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, and brothers and sisters.
What documents do I need to marry in Germany?
To get married in Germany you will need the following documents:
A certificate of legal capacity to marry (Ehefähigkeitszeugnis) shows that you and your partner are legally allowed to marry. To get this certificate, you will need to submit a number of other documents.
You can get an official copy of your birth certificate from the municipality where you were born.
To get married in Germany you will need a valid passport or identity card (or a photocopy).
To get married in Germany you will need a certificate of residence. This document states your marital status. In Germany this document is called erweiterte Meldebescheinigung mit Angaben des Familienstandes.
If you are divorced, you will need:
- proof that any previous marriages or registered partnerships have been dissolved (Nachweise über die Auflösung aller Vorehen oder Lebenspartnerschaften:):
- a photocopy of the judgment confirming the divorce or annulment of the marriage stating when the judgment became legally valid (Scheidungs- bzw. Aufhebungsurteil inkl. Rechtskräftigkeitsvermerk). You can get this document from the court where the divorce was granted; or
- an official copy from the marriage register or the register of registered partnerships, stating when the divorce or annulment became legally valid (aktuelle beglaubigte Abschrift des Ehe- oder Lebenspartnerschaftsregisters der letzten Ehe oder Lebenspartnerschaft, mit Vermerk über die Scheidung bzw. Aufhebung). You can get this document from the civil status records office (Standesamt) where the marriage was performed.
- proof that you reverted to your birth name after the marriage ended (if applicable) (Bescheinigung über Wiederannahme des Geburtsnamens nach Auflösung der Ehe).
If you are a widow or widower, you will need:
- proof that any previous marriages or registered partnerships have been dissolved (last partner's death certificate) (Nachweise über die Auflösung aller Vorehen oder Lebenspartnerschaften):
- a photocopy of the death certificate (Sterbeurkunde). You can get this document from the civil status records office (Standesamt) where the marriage was performed; or
- an official copy from the marriage register or the register of registered partnerships of the last marriage or last registered partnership, stating that your last partner died (aktuelle beglaubigte Abschrift des Ehe- oder Lebenspartnerschaftsregisters der letzten Ehe oder Lebenspartnerschaft, mit Vermerk Tod des Ehegatten). You can get this document from the civil status records office (Standesamt) where the marriage was performed.
Is my marriage valid in the Netherlands?
Marriages performed in Germany are recognised in the Netherlands.
Do I have to register my marriage in the Netherlands?
You may need to register your marriage in the Netherlands. This depends on where you live.
If you live in the Netherlands, you must register your marriage with your municipality. You will need your marriage certificate to do this. Ask for a multilingual marriage certificate. This document does not need to be translated.
If you live outside the Netherlands, you can have your marriage certificate converted into a Dutch certificate by the municipality of The Hague. This is not mandatory, but it can be useful if you ever need an extract in the future.
More information about registering a foreign marriage certificate in the Netherlands
Additional information
If you get married in Germany you can opt for Dutch law on names or German law on names.
Different surname after marriage
Under German law on names, you can choose to take a different surname when you marry.
You can choose to have the name on your Dutch passport or identity card changed. You can do this based on the recognition of a change to your surname that happened abroad. Ask for this to be done when you apply for a new Dutch passport or identity card. The name you chose on getting married will then appear in your new passport or on your new identity card. This may mean that your own surname no longer appears.
Keeping surname after marriage
If you opt for German law on names, and choose to keep your own name, nothing changes. You can have your spouse’s name added separately when you apply for a new travel document.
Under Dutch law on names you keep you own name after marriage. Nothing changes. You can have your spouse’s name added separately when you apply for a new travel document.
More information about getting married in Germany is available on the German government’s website (information in German).