Marrying in Germany as a U.S. Citizen
Germany · Europe
Marrying in Germany as a U.S. Citizen
What Germany requires from an American before it will register a marriage: the documents, whether each one needs a notary, an apostille or a translation, and how long the U.S. side takes.
- Authentication
- Apostille
- Translation
- Into German
- Residency
- Registration at a Standesamt is required, and the office decides what it...
- Embassy wedding
- Not permitted
Your documents, and what each one needs
Shown for a couple where neither has been married before. If either of you is divorced or widowed, the wizard on the main page adds the extra records.
| Document | Where it comes from | Notary | Authentication | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your passport | You already have it | No | None | No. |
| Birth certificate | A certified copy from the vital records office of the state you were born in | No, it is already a public record | Apostille | Yes, into German, normally by a translator the local authority recognises. |
| Affidavit of eligibility to marry | Sworn by you, because no U.S. authority issues a Certificate of No Impediment | Yes, this is the one document that must be sworn | Depends which route you take | Yes, into German, normally by a translator the local authority recognises. |
Your passport. Identity only. A passport is never apostilled and any service offering to is selling you something you do not need.
Birth certificate. An apostille from the state that issued it, or from the U.S. Department of State for a federal document. A hospital souvenir certificate or a photocopy will be refused.
Affidavit of eligibility to marry. Two routes. Sworn before a U.S. consular officer at the embassy in Germany for $50 per seal, which many local registrars accept directly, sometimes after attestation by the local foreign ministry. Or notarised at home and then apostilled by the state whose notary signed it.
What Germany itself requires
Residency or notice: Registration at a Standesamt is required, and the office decides what it needs case by case.
- Germany often requires a Ehefähigkeitszeugnis, a certificate of no impediment, which the United States does not issue. An exemption must be applied for through the Oberlandesgericht.
- That exemption application is the slow step and can take months.
Requirements differ by municipality, not only by country. Ask the office that will actually perform the marriage for its own list before you order or authenticate anything.
After the wedding
The marriage is valid in the United States because it was valid in Germany. Nothing needs registering at home. What you do need is the Germany marriage certificate, with an apostille from Germany's own competent authority, and a certified translation if it is not in English. Get that before you leave the country; doing it afterwards from another continent is far harder.
Questions people actually ask
Do my documents need an apostille for Germany?
Yes. Germany is in the Apostille Convention, so a single apostille from the issuing state, or from the U.S. Department of State for a federal document, is what it needs.
Do they need translating?
Yes, into German, and normally by a translator the local authority recognises rather than one you choose. Translate after authentication, not before.
Where do I swear the affidavit that I am free to marry?
Either at the U.S. embassy or consulate in Germany, at $50 per seal and by appointment, or before a notary at home and then authenticated. The United States issues no Certificate of No Impediment, so this sworn statement is the substitute every time.
What catches people out in Germany?
Germany often requires a Ehefähigkeitszeugnis, a certificate of no impediment, which the United States does not issue. An exemption must be applied for through the Oberlandesgericht.
Will the marriage be valid back in the United States?
Yes, if it was validly performed under Germany law. No U.S. official needs to be present and nothing is registered at home. Keep the marriage certificate, authenticated before you leave.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
