Ehefähigkeitszeugnis Ausstellung

If you want to get married abroad and need a certificate of no impediment to marriage, you can apply for one at your local registry office.

If you are a German citizen and wish to marry abroad, the requirements for marriage are determined by German law.

You can also apply for a German certificate of matrimonial capacity if you are a stateless person, a homeless foreigner or a foreign refugee within the meaning of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees with habitual residence in Germany and you need the certificate of matrimonial capacity to marry abroad.

This regulation is intended to prevent the marriage from being recognized abroad but not in Germany. It is particularly important for any future children that a marriage entered into abroad is also recognized in the country of origin of the German parent.

For this reason, you must always submit a German certificate of no impediment to marriage to the foreign marriage office. This certificate of no impediment to marriage confirms that there is no impediment to marriage under German law.

If you have more than one nationality, the law of the country with which you are most closely connected will apply.

The German certificate of no impediment to marriage is valid for a period of 6 months.

• Proof of identity, nationality and parentage, marital status and, if applicable, dissolution of previous marriage(s)
• All documents must be presented in the original. The registry office will provide information on the form in which the documents can be used (e.g. with an apostille or legalization).

• The application for a certificate of no impediment to marriage requires German citizenship.
• You can also apply for a German certificate of no impediment to marriage if you are a stateless person, homeless foreigner or foreign refugee within the meaning of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees with habitual residence in Germany and you require the certificate of no impediment to marriage for marriage abroad.
• The application can only be made via the registry office.
• Preliminary and status inquiries should also not be addressed to the Higher Regional Court, but exclusively to the registry office.

Apply for the certificate to be issued at a German registry office.

• Find out from the foreign registry office where you are getting married whether a German certificate of no impediment to marriage is required
• Apply to the German registry office for the form for issuing the certificate of no impediment to marriage (application form).
• The registrar will prepare the application and advise you on the documents still required in individual cases.
• The registrar examines and decides on the outcome of your application and issues the certificate of no impediment to marriage after a successful examination.

Take the opportunity to enter your details (of both fiancées) in the data collection form provided.

• You can find the data collection form under "Forms".
• Please return this to the registry office. This can be done in person and without an appointment during our opening hours, by post, by dropping it in your letterbox or by e-mail to ehe@magistrat.bremerhaven.de.
• After an initial review, we will contact you again and provide you with information about the documents you need to obtain a certificate of no impediment to marriage.
• If it is necessary to check the marriage requirements, the registry office may request further documents.
• In the case of foreign nationality, the respective national law/foreign law must be observed. Depending on the intensity of the check, this can also lead to longer processing times.
• The processing times depend on the individual case constellation.
• The average processing time for cases involving foreign nationals (initial contact until information is provided) is approx. 8 weeks.