The truth about Indian Marriage Certificates in Germany

Did you know that it is difficult to get your Indian marriage certificates recognized in Germany? Read this article to find out why

Indian marriage certificates : Not legal in Germany?

Firstly yes. Indian marriages are legal in Germany. But the bride and groom should meet all the legal requirements for marriage in their home state.

However, if you have a residence in Germany there is an additional requirement for you. A ‘Non-objection certificate’. This document is issued by the Embassy or the Consulate General. The main purpose of the document is simple. It is to ensure that your marriage does not have any legal objections in Germany.

How to get the NOC Certificate?

The NOC Certificate is issued only after a recent ‘Marriageability Certificate’ is provided at the German Registry office. In addition to this requirement you need to submit a few other documents for this process.

• A Valid Passport
• A birth certificate with parents name visible
• Death certificate of a spouse (if applicable)
• Copy of final divorce decree (if applicable)

How to get my Indian Marriage Certificate recognized?

You now have done the process necessary for the NOC certificate. Subsequently we move on to the process of getting your Indian Marriage Certificate recognised in Germany.

If you want to apply for a German Passport, or get a German Marriage Certificate, you will need the Indian Marriage Certificate. However, the document by itself is not fully recognized in Germany. The marriage needs to be formaly registered with a local Indian Registry. It is also important that the marriage is registered under the specific marriage act. For example, the Hindu Marriage Act, the Christian Marriage Act or Special Marriage Act accordingly.

Finally, the registrar office will issue the formal Marriage Certificate with a registration number. Subsequently, this needs to be presented to the Consulate General. Following this, the document will go through a process of verification.

However, there is a need for many transalted copies of the documents throughout this whole process.

The problem with Document Translation:

German authorities need translations of foreign documents to authenticate them. In Germany. translation is as an expert service, not a public service. Therefore translation of documents are expensive. The translator also must be certified in Germany to legally qualify for translation of documents.

After this process comes the next hurdle!

The attestation of documents, copies and signatures.

Just like the previous step, this is also an expensive process. Fees could range anywhere from INR 2000 to 40000. It depends on the complexity of each specific case.

Since Germany no longer legalizes Indian documents, German authorities like the Registry Office often need to have documents such as birth certificates, marriage and school certificates certified by consular officers, especially when it is related to a visa or passport application. This
can take a fair amount of time since this needs to be done through a formal verification process that is initiated by the Embassy.

So, what is the solution?

Nevertheless, the solution to this problem is simple.

If you are an Indian living in the EU, marrying in Denmark is the ideal solution for you!

I say this from my own experience. When Bharat and I looked for the process to marry in Germany, we faced all the similar issues. Since Bharat had Indian Documents, the situation was not much different for us. This is when we discovered Denmark, following the suggestion by one of our friends.

Firstly, in Denmark the problem of recognizing the documents is totally avoidable. Why? Because the requirements to marry in Denmark is very simple. You just need two documents. Your Passport, and your VISA for the Schengen Area. You don’t even need a Birth Certificate to marry in Denmark. This just makes things so much easier!

If a couple is in the EU, it makes sense to plan the legal part of the marriage in Denmark. As it is recognized all over the EU without any hassle. Many Indian couples tell me that they wish to marry back home, in India. However, you can still do that. In European countries, there are two aspects to marriage. The legal side, and the ritual side. Once you can are past the legal hurdle by marrying in Denmark, you can surely go back home to marry in the traditional Indian way too!

Is the process of marrying in Denmark easy?

You might wonder if it is going to be super expensive to marry in Denmark, but that is absolutely not the case. In fact the process is not only cheaper than Germany, it is a lot quicker too.

In Germany the entire appointment system will take around 6 to 9 months for the whole process. It is even longer if you are an international couple. On the other hand, you can finish the process in just 2 weeks in Denmark.

Comparing the process of marrying in India and Germany as an International couple, Denmark is a lot better. Quick process, simple requirements at an affordable cost makes Denmark a realistic great destination for couples to Marry in EU.

Since trying to marry in both India and Germany, and going through the dramatic process, we discovered Denmark. And guess what? Fast forward weeks, we were actually there, marrying in Denmark!

You can refer to this video where me and Bharat talk about the process for a better idea!

Helping you to marry in Denmark

So, once you decide you want to consider Denmark as a serious option to plan your marriage, you will need some guidance. This is where we at Marry in Denmark can help you out. I have helped several couples marry in Denmark. The whole process is super easy, and you can actually enjoy a charming wedding in Denmark while we work on the legal side of things.

You can book a free Consulation call with me to plan your marriage in Denmark. I’d be glad to help you out in this!

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