Marriage/Partnership to be performed abroad

If your marriage/partnership is to be performed abroad, it will be subject to the law of the country in question.

The Swiss representation is not in charge of civil status procedures with foreign authorities. For information on the conditions, documents required and formalities to be respected, please directly contact the civil status authorities of the place where you are planning to get married or partnered. Only these authorities can give you authoritative information.

In particular, please enquire as to whether a Swiss certificate of capacity to marry is required or whether an individual Swiss civil status certificate is sufficient, whether other Swiss civil status documents are required and whether the documents need to be legalised.

Since 1 January 2000, there is no longer a compulsory procedure for the publication of marriage announcements in Switzerland before the marriage can be celebrated by the competent civil status authority.

In order to get married or to register your partnership in XY, a Swiss certificate of capacity to marry / a Swiss individual civil status certificate is required.