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assisting in the realization of civil and social rights
Marrying a German citizen. Departure and wedding arrangements
Marrying a citizen of Germany in Germany
It is possible to marry a citizen of Germany in Germany or in the Republic of Belarus.
The full list of documents for the legal registration of the relationship between a German citizen and a foreigner should be requested from the Standesamt (the equivalent of the Registry Office) at the place of registration. The list varies depending on the state of residence of the groom.
List of basic documents for submission to the German Registry Office:
- Birth certificate with apostille and translation into German with notarized certification;
- Certificate of marital status with apostille and translation (validity period of this document is 6 months); If a marriage was previously concluded, then it is necessary to submit an additional divorce certificate, as well as a court decision, if a widow/widower — death certificate;
- Residence certificate of the international sample (not older than 3 months);
- Completed questionnaires in German;
- Copies of the passport certified by a notary, in some states the original passport may be required.
Apostille can be placed:
On originals: in the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus at the address: Minsk, K. Marx St., 37a.
On copies: in the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus at the address: Minsk, Kollektornaya St., 10.
It is better to translate documents into German with notarized certification in Germany.
On copies: in the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus at the address: Minsk, Kollektornaya St., 10.
It is better to translate documents into German with notarized certification in Germany.
After submitting the documents to the registry office, it usually takes from two to eight weeks before the marriage license is issued, but in some cases the procedure may take longer. When the decision is ready, you can choose the wedding date. This document is required to obtain a visa.
It is noteworthy that German legislation excludes the possibility of registering a relationship with a foreigner who has arrived in the country on a regular Schengen (tourist) visa.
Therefore, it is necessary to obtain a national visa, which has a validity period of up to three months. This visa is also called the "fiancée visa" and can be obtained at the German embassy in the country of origin.
Applying for a visa for the purpose of marriage and subsequent permanent residence in Germany
In order to marry a citizen of Germany, the future spouse from another country must reside in Germany legally. This means that it is necessary to apply for a visa for the purpose of marriage and subsequent permanent residence in Germany.
List of documents for obtaining a national visa
- Two applications fully completed in German. The application can be downloaded for free from the Embassy's website;
- Passport and two uncertified copies of its pages with personal data. The passport must be no more than ten years old and have at least two blank pages, and its remaining validity period must exceed the requested visa by at least 3 months;
- Three identical current passport photographs. Full-face view, eyes must not be hidden. Two photographs should be affixed to the applications, one should be attached separately;
- Document confirming the submission of an application for marriage
- written confirmation from the German civil registry office that the application for marriage has been submitted (original with two uncertified copies);
- Cohabitation in Germany
- written invitation in German or English (sample wording published on the Embassy's website) with the handwritten signature of the fiancé/fiancée residing in Germany, confirming that cohabitation based on a marital relationship is planned in Germany (original with two uncertified copies).
- uncertified copies of both identity document pages (in two copies) OR uncertified copy of the foreign passport (in two copies)
- certificate of registration in Germany (original with two uncertified copies)
- proof of basic knowledge of the German language, usually by presenting the „Start Deutsch 1“ certificate from the Goethe Institute (original with two uncertified copies)
- when moving to Germany to join a foreign national:
uncertified copy of both residence permit pages (in two copies) - when moving to Germany to join a foreign national who is a citizen of a country other than Germany, but one of the other EU member states or Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, or Switzerland:
uncertified copy of salary statements for the last three months (in two copies) OR proof of their entrepreneurial activity (in two copies).
All Belarusian documents must be apostilled (authenticity confirmation).
Duration of the visa procedure: 6 – 8 weeks, in some cases longer or shorter
First, you will be issued a visa for a period of 3 months. Then, while your spouse is in the country, you will need to apply for a residence permit in a timely manner (it will need to be renewed). After 3 years of marriage, you can obtain permanent residence or, if you renounce your Belarusian citizenship, German citizenship.
Marriage to a citizen of Germany in the Republic of Belarus
To find out the details of marrying a citizen of Germany in the territory of the Republic of Belarus, we recommend contacting the civil registry office in advance. Advice on the necessary documents can be obtained, for example, at the Wedding Palace at the address:
Wedding Palace, Kommunisticheskaya Street, 8, Minsk
tel.: +375-17-294 1000
Also, additional information on the website of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Minsk in the section "Marriage in Belarus" https://minsk.diplo.de/by-be/service/-/2004832
As a rule, citizens of Germany are required to provide the following documents:
- A valid passport with a notarized translation into one of the official languages (Belarusian/Russian); Confirmation of registration in Belarus;
- If previously married, a certificate of divorce of the previous marriage/marriages or a death certificate of the previous spouse;
- Certificate of marriageability (a certificate from the place of registration in Germany indicating marital status cannot replace the certificate of marriageability).
For citizens of Germany who have never lived in Germany, the certificate is issued at the civil registry office No. 1 in Berlin at the address:
Info
Standesamt I
Schönstedtstr. 5
13357 Berlin
Tel.: +49-30-90-269 5000
Fax: +49-30-90-269 5245
Schönstedtstr. 5
13357 Berlin
Tel.: +49-30-90-269 5000
Fax: +49-30-90-269 5245
Important: The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Minsk does not have the authority to issue such certificates; the embassy only forwards the application for consideration to the appropriate civil registry office in Germany. Therefore, to avoid unnecessary expenses and loss of time, it is recommended to submit the application directly to the appropriate civil registry office in Germany.
Documents from Germany must be provided with an apostille issued in Germany. A notarized translation into one of the official languages (Belarusian/Russian) is also required. It is better to do the translation and notarization in Belarus.
After concluding a marriage with the aim of living together in Germany, the young spouse, a citizen of the Republic of Belarus, must apply for a visa for the purpose of family reunification.
Applying for a visa for the purpose of family reunification with a spouse
When submitting an application, the following documents must be presented:
- A valid passport and 2 copies of its pages with the applicant's personal data. The passport must not be more than ten years old and have at least two blank pages, and its remaining validity period must exceed the requested visa by at least 3 months;
- Three current identical passport-sized photographs, two of which should be affixed to the application forms, and one should be attached separately. The photographs must be biometric (full face, eyes must not be hidden);
- Two application forms, fully completed in German. The forms can be obtained free of charge from the visa department or printed from the Embassy's website;
- Marriage certificate with apostille and notarized translation (original with two uncertified copies);
- Cohabitation in Germany
- a written invitation in German or English (sample wording published on the Embassy's website) with the handwritten signature of the spouse residing in Germany, confirming that joint life based on marriage is planned in Germany (original with two uncertified copies)
- uncertified copies of both pages of the identity card (in two copies) OR uncertified copy of the passport (in two copies)
- certificate of registration in Germany (original with two uncertified copies)
- proof of basic knowledge of the German language, usually by presenting the „Start Deutsch 1“ certificate from the Goethe Institute (original with two uncertified copies)
These include holders of the Blue Card visa. This special visa is used by people with higher education to migrate. In such cases, spouses do not have to prove their knowledge of German to come to Germany for family reunification. Partners of migrants who have obtained a visa for a period of at least one year and are scientists, specialists, and individual entrepreneurs are also exempt from presenting certificates. However, there is an additional requirement: the marriage must be concluded in advance, before one of the family members enters the FRG.
Additional information:
- when moving to a foreign national already residing in Germany:
Uncertified copy of both pages of the residence permit (in two copies) - when moving to Germany to a foreigner holding citizenship of another EU member state or Liechtenstein, Iceland, or Norway:
Uncertified copy of their wage slips for the last three months (in two copies).
Duration of the visa procedure: 6 – 8 weeks, in some cases longer or shorter.
Documents submitted for the visa must be carried with you when crossing the border. The border service has the right to check them in full.
Peculiarities of reuniting with a child.
No language requirements are imposed on minor citizens. But it is important to note that according to the country's laws, all children are required to attend school. Therefore, it is impossible to do without knowledge of the state language. According to the Family Reunification Act, only children and teenagers under the age of sixteen can be transported to the territory of the German state without any problems. Permission for reunion of parents with a 16-18-year-old teenager depends on the integration forecast. If the child speaks German at a high level C1, the reunification procedure will be quick. The rule about knowing the state language does not apply to the children of a foreigner who left for Germany on a Blue Card.
The visa for reuniting with a minor is called Kindernachzug.
Birth of a child on the territory of Germany.
A child automatically receives German citizenship at birth if one of the parents is a German citizen.
Useful information about Germany:
Calls and written inquiries are temporarily not accepted.
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