How to get married in Germany - visa for intended marriage

Are you in a relationship with a German and you consider getting married soon? Be aware that there are a few administrative steps before you can get married in Germany. But don’t worry, we have you covered in this article. 

A note beforehand: Germany recognises marriages performed in India if they fulfill the legal provisions. Check out our article on how to get married in India as well! 

In general, there are three steps to getting married in Germany. Firstly, you have to obtain the “Anmeldung zur Eheschließung” which is a certificate of intended marriage from the German Registrar (Standesamt). Secondly, you have to apply for a German National visa with the purpose of “intended marriage”. And lastly, after taking an appointment you can finally get married in the German Registrar in Germany. 

How to obtain the certificate of intended marriage

International marriages can sometimes mean a lot of administrative hustle. And although Germany is said to be well organised, every city has different rules and regulations. So before you do anything you should find out which German Registrar is the one responsible for you according to your partner’s registered address. Take an appointment with them to find out what are the regulations regarding the certificate of intended marriage. They will also tell which documents are required to obtain said certificate. 

Usually, you need the following documents: 

• valid passport or national ID
• proof of marital status
• proof of residence (“Meldebescheinigung”) of the person residing in Germany, that should not be older than 6 months
• proof of termination of previous marriages or divorce decree, if applicable 
• death certificate of former spouse, if applicable 
• certificate of no impediment to the marriage (“Ehefähigkeitszeugnis”) 

This certificate of no impediment to the marriage can pose a problem to Indians since India can’t produce such a certificate on the basis of a national register. That’s why the Indian partner has to obtain an exemption from this requirement from the president of the higher regional court (Oberlandesgericht) in Germany. In order to get the exemption the Indian partner usually has to show affidavits of the family stating the eligibility for and ruling out any objections against the marriage. The German Registrar will help you in the process of getting this exemption certificate by consulting you beforehand. That’s why you should really schedule the appointment! 

How to get a visa for “intended marriage”

The most important document for the application for this type of German visa is the certificate of intended marriage from the German Registrar. We all know that administrative processes sometimes don’t work out how we like them to. Luckily, the German Embassy and the Consulates in India also accept a confirmation that the certificate of intended marriage has been applied for. 

After receiving the certificate (or the confirmation) you can start the process of applying for a German National visa with the purpose of “intended marriage”. 

Please check our article which describes the general application process for the visa application! 

For the visa for intended marriage you usually need the following documents. 

• passport, issued in the last 10 years and valid for at least a year from the application date, it should contain at least two blank pages
• application form, declaration form and contact form 
• copy of all pages of your passport
• copy of all pages of your fiancé’s passport
• copy of finacé’s residence permit, if applicable
• Verpflichtungserklärung (from your sponsor in Germany) 
• proof of residence (Meldebescheinigung) of your fiancé in Germany, not older than 6 months
• proof of knowledge of German (Level A1) 
• certificate of intended marriage from the German Registrar
• copy of all the documents you have submitted to the German Registrar in order to obtain the certificate
• proof of residence in India 
• 3 biometric passport photographs, not older than 6 months
• visa fee

Please check the detailed checklist for the visa for intended marriage on the official website of the German missions in India!

After your visa is approved you have to show travel insurance for the duration of your trip. 

Some tips from New2Germany 

Getting a visa for Germany can be a lengthy process already. Since you need a document from the German Registrar as well, you should plan enough time before you fix your marriage date and send out invitations to family and friends. 

Especially in big cities such as Berlin, München or Frankfurt taking an appointment in the Registrars can be really difficult. Sometimes you can only book special appointments for international couples which are even less in number. 

Keep in mind that you don’t only have to apply for the certificate of intended marriage in the Registrar but you have to schedule a separate appointment for the actual marriage itself as well. 

We hope our article makes the process easier for you and helps you to focus on the more beautiful things of getting married! All the best from our side! 

If you have further questions please comment below or join our FORUM to connect with others who might have had similar experiences. 

Last Update: 28 Jan 2022 

Written by: Tanja Holbe

Cover Photo illustrated by Ananya Singh 

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