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After your marriage/partnership performed abroad

You must report your marriage or registered partnership performed abroad to your Swiss representation so that the data in the various Swiss registers can be updated.

The foreign authorities generally do not inform the Swiss representation of your union. You are therefore required to submit the necessary documents to your Swiss representation so that the civil status authority in Switzerland can enter your union into its register. The change of your civil status must also be entered by your Swiss representation into the Register of the Swiss Abroad. These procedures are free of charge and may take some time.

Please submit the following documents and information to your Swiss representation:

  • original marriage or registered partnership certificate
  • if one of the spouse/partner is a Swiss citizen and domiciled in Switzerland, a copy of their Swiss individual civil status certificate
  • copy of the valid passport of your spouse or partner (male or female) not yet entered into the Register of the Swiss Abroad
  • address of spouses/partners

For spouses/partners (male or female) who are not Swiss citizens:

  • original birth certificate establishing who the parents are
  • original civil status record before the marriage or registered partnership was performed:
    a) certificate establishing that they are unmarried
    b) divorce decree that specifies when it entered into force
    c) dissolution decree that specifies when it entered into force
    d) death certificate of deceased spouse/partner
  • original certificate of residence valid when the marriage was performed or the partnership was registered

Certain documents may no longer be required if the person is already registered in the Swiss civil status register.

In case of Malta, the following documents are required:

Marriage or registered partnership certificate

Full marriage certificate (Att taz-zwieg / Act of marriage) with apostille or Full Civil Union Certificate (Att ta' unijoni civili / Act of civil union) with apostille

Birth certificate

Full birth certificate (Full Att ta' twelid / Act of birth) with apostille

Certificate establishing that they are unmarried

Free Status Certificate with apostille

Divorce decree

Divorce decree and Full marriage certificate (Att taz-zwieg / Act of marriage) with mention of the divorce, both with apostille

Dissolution decree

Dissolution decree and Full Civil Union Certificate (Att ta' unijoni civili / Act of civil union) with mention of the dissolution, both with apostille

Death certificate

Full death certificate (Att ta' mewt / Act of death) with apostille (in DOCI viene menzionato anche l’Estratto, vogliamo inserirlo?)

Original certificate of current residence

Affidavit concerning the current address legalised Commissioner for Oaths

Copy of the valid passport

Copy of the valid passport or Identity card

All certificates of civil status and decrees issued in Malta have to be provided with an apostille.

Most certificates of civil status with Apostille can be obtained online visiting the website of the Public Registry:

Certificates of civil status

If the Maltese spouse was not born in Malta / the foreign spouse is not a Maltese national, please contact us for information concerning the documents required.

The original documents are submitted to the civil status authority concerned in Switzerland and must not be older than six months. They will not be returned. Photocopies are not accepted. Additional documents may be required if necessary.

The costs of a thorough verification, should it be necessary, of the foreign civil status documents by a lawyer approved by the Swiss representation are at your expense.

Report your marriage or partnership online:

Online desk

Please submit the following documents and information to your Swiss representation:

  • original marriage certificate
  • original certificate of residence valid when the marriage was performed or the partnership was registered
  • copy of the passport of your spouse or partner (male or female) not yet entered into the Register of the Swiss Abroad
  • current address of spouses/partners

For spouses/partners (male or female) who are not Swiss citizens:

  • original birth certificate establishing who the parents are
  • original civil status record before the marriage or registered partnership was performed:
    a) certificate establishing that they are unmarried
    b) divorce decree that specifies when it entered into force
    c) dissolution decree that specifies when it entered into force
    d) death certificate of deceased spouse/partner
  • original certificate of residence valid when the marriage was performed or the partnership was registered

Certain documents may no longer be required if the person is already registered in the Swiss civil status register.

In case of Malta, the following documents are required:

Original marriage or registered partnership certificate

Full marriage certificate (Att taz-zwieg / Act of marriage) with apostille or Full Civil Union Certificate (Att ta' unijoni civili / Act of civil union) with apostille

Birth certificate

Full birth certificate (Full Att ta' twelid / Act of birth) with apostille

Certificate establishing that they are unmarried

Free Status Certificate with apostille

Divorce decree

Divorce decree and Full marriage certificate (Att taz-zwieg / Act of marriage) with mention of the divorce, both with apostille

Dissolution decree

Dissolution decree and Full Civil Union Certificate (Att ta' unijoni civili / Act of civil union) with mention of the dissolution, both with apostille

Death certificate

Full death certificate (Att ta' mewt / Act of death) with apostille (in DOCI viene menzionato anche l’Estratto, vogliamo inserirlo?)

Original certificate of current residence

Affidavit concerning the current address legalised Commissioner for Oaths

Copy of the valid passport

Copy of the valid passport or Identity card

All certificates of civil status and decrees issued in Malta have to be provided with an apostille.

Most certificates of civil status with Apostille can be obtained online visiting the website of the Public Registry:

Certificates of civil status

If the Maltese spouse was not born in Malta / the foreign spouse is not a Maltese national, please contact us for information concerning the documents required.

The original documents are submitted to the civil status authority concerned in Switzerland and must not be older than six months. They will not be returned. Photocopies are not accepted. Additional documents may be required if necessary.

The costs of a thorough verification, should it be necessary, of the foreign civil status documents by a lawyer approved by the Swiss representation are at your expense.

Report your marriage or partnership online:

Online desk

If you have changed your surname, you will have to ask the appropriate authorities to reissue certain official documents (passport, identity card, driving licence, etc.). If you have not changed your surname, you do not need to do anything, as civil status is not indicated on Swiss identity documents.

If you plan to travel to Switzerland or take up residence here and your spouse or partner (male or female) is not a Swiss citizen, they may need a visa to enter Switzerland and/or a residence permit. 

Visa – Entry to and residence in Switzerland

People who are not citizens of Switzerland do not automatically acquire Swiss citizenship through marriage or registered partnership. More information here: 

Citizenship

The change in your civil status and possibly your name must also be communicated to the various authorities of your domicile abroad (residents' registration office, immigration authorities, the tax office, etc.).

If you are a citizen of more than one country, you should ask the foreign authorities concerned whether your marriage or partnership must be reported to them.

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Last update 29.12.2022