There is no special procedure or authority empowered solely to recognize marriages entered into abroad. Whether a German court or authority will apply German or foreign law depends on the provisions of private international law . It is always advisable to consult a lawyer with expertise in this area prior to getting married, who can if requested also help draw up a marriage contract. A separate check should be run to establish which legal system will apply, especially if the bride and groom have different nationalities. The place where you marry does not automatically determine which country's laws are applicable to the various other legal issues connected with marriage (e.g. ) can be obtained from the website of the Federal Office of Administration (available only in German).īinding legal advice can however only be given by the official (or competent authority) abroad who will perform the ceremony, and so we strongly recommend that you also make direct contact with this person (or agency) in order to obtain accurate and up-to-date information on the documents required, whether they need to be authenticated and/or translated, and to agree a date for the wedding. These leaflets, entitled “Deutsche heiraten in. This information is then sent to the Bundesverwaltungsamt (Federal Office of Administration) in Cologne, which produces five brochures on the subject, for the regions Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia/Australia and Africa. The German missions abroad regularly report on the law relating to marriage in their host countries. If neither of the couple is resident in Germany, the application must be filed with the registry office were the marriage should take place. The application to get married must initially be filed with the registry office in the district in Germany where one of the couple resides. If, exceptionally, it is not possible to get married in any particular country, you can of course get married in Germany in any registry office, provided at least one of you has German nationality. Binding information on the precise formalities can only be obtained from the local authorities or persons concerned. Nowadays it is possible in most countries to be married by the local authorities or persons authorized to solemnize marriages. Yet whilst the lights of Las Vegas, the romance of Venice or the tropical palms of a South Sea island beach do provide an unforgettable setting, it must be remembered that marriage is, first and foremost, a legally binding contract which has many consequences and that additional requirements may have to be met if the ceremony is performed abroad.Ĭonsular officials at German missions (Embassies and Consulates-General) no longer solemnize marriages. In addition, many German couples wish to get married when on holiday, which often means abroad. There are many reasons why bi-national couples marry outside of Germany. As globalization progresses, modern means of transport and communications technologies are bringing people closer together, a fact which is also reflected in the growing number of “international” marriages.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |