Certified marriage certificate translation – including the apostille

Key facts at a glance

• ✓Certified translation by court-authorised translators – generally recognised throughout Germany
• ✓Apostille, legalisation and all annotations are translated in full
• ✓Marriage certificates from EU countries do not need an apostille, and a multilingual EU standard form can replace the translation
• ✓A photo or scan of the certificate is all we need for a no-obligation quote
• ✓Original delivered by post, as a PDF by email in advance or for collection in Mülheim an der Ruhr

Why do I need a translated marriage certificate?

You need a translated marriage certificate whenever you have to prove a marriage concluded abroad to a German authority. Typical occasions include:

• Subsequent registration in Germany: If Germans married abroad, the marriage can be registered in the German marriage register (Eheregister) on application (Section 34 of the Civil Status Act, Personenstandsgesetz, PStG). The German registry office (Standesamt) then issues marriage certificates.
• Choice of married name: If you wish to use a common married name after the wedding, you make a declaration of name at the registry office. The marriage certificate is the key proof for this.
• Spousal reunification and visa: German embassies and consulates require the marriage certificate for the spousal reunification visa – depending on the country, with a translation and legalisation or an apostille. The information sheet of the competent German mission abroad is decisive.
• Naturalisation: The checklist of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia for naturalisation applications lists the marriage certificate from your home country with a translation, and with an apostille or legalisation where applicable.
• Divorce: The marriage certificate and the birth certificates of the couple's joint minor children should be enclosed with the divorce petition (Section 133 of the Act on Proceedings in Family Matters, Familienverfahrensgesetz, FamFG). The language of the court is German. For the children's certificates, find out more on our page birth certificate translation.
• New marriage: If you have been married before, you prove your previous marriage and its dissolution when giving notice of a new marriage (Section 12 PStG).
• Survivors' pension: For a widow's or widower's pension, surviving dependants prove the marriage, usually together with the death certificate. Find out more on our page death certificate translation.

Marriage certificate or extract from the marriage register – what is the difference?

Heiratsurkunde and Eheurkunde are two German names for the same document, the marriage certificate: the German Civil Status Act speaks of the Eheurkunde, while in everyday language people usually say Heiratsurkunde. In addition to the marriage certificate, the registry office also issues certified register printouts (Section 55 PStG). The marriage certificate contains the most important details of the marriage. The certified printout from the marriage register – often called an extract from the marriage register (Auszug aus dem Eheregister) – on the other hand reproduces all the data the registry office has entered about the marriage, including later notes, for example on a change of name or a divorce.

Which version you need is determined by the office where you submit it. We translate both with certification – as well as foreign counterparts such as a US marriage certificate, the Danish Vielsesattest or extracts from foreign marriage registers. For certificates from Turkey, find out more on our page certified Turkish–German translation.

Do I need an apostille for my marriage certificate?

Whether your foreign marriage certificate needs an apostille depends mainly on the country where you married: certificates from EU countries are exempt, while German authorities often require an apostille or legalisation for certificates from other countries. The registry office in Cologne, for example, points out that in many cases the marriage certificate must also bear an apostille or have been legalised beforehand by the German embassy. The apostille is always issued by an authority of the country in which the certificate was issued – never by the translation agency.

Marriage in an EU country, for example in Denmark

Since 16 February 2019, authorities may no longer require an apostille for marriage certificates from another EU member state (Regulation (EU) 2016/1191). This also applies to a wedding in Denmark. On request, the issuing authority also provides a multilingual standard form. If it is attached to the certificate, a translation may only be required in exceptional cases. Not every country offers every form – ask the issuing office.

Marriage in the USA

The USA is a contracting state of the Hague Apostille Convention. The apostille is issued by the Secretary of State of the US state in which the marriage certificate was issued; German missions abroad no longer legalise US documents. In New York, the certificate must first be authenticated by a County Clerk or a New York State authority. For a certified translation from English, we offer our express certified English translation.

International marriage certificate

The contracting states of the 1976 Vienna Convention of the International Commission on Civil Status (CIEC) issue multilingual marriage certificates. The registry office in Cologne states: if you submit an international certificate, no translation is required. Ask your registry office whether it takes the same approach.

How do I get my marriage certificate translated into German?

At RAGUNATHAN, you can have your marriage certificate translated into German in four steps – online from anywhere in Germany or in person at our office in Mülheim an der Ruhr, where you can drop off documents without an appointment.

1. 01
   Send your certificate

   photo or scan of all pages including the apostille via our enquiry form, by email or via WhatsApp.

2. 02
   Match the names

   For names in a non-Latin script, enclose copies of both passports so that the spelling matches your other documents.

3. 03
   Receive a quote

   fixed price and delivery date, without obligation and before any costs arise.

4. 04
   Delivery

   certified translation as an original by post, as a PDF by email in advance or for collection at our office.

Pay attention to who translates: the registry office in Cologne, for example, requires translations by translators who are publicly appointed or sworn in Germany. Our translators are authorised by the court in Germany (gerichtlich ermächtigt).

Can I have a German marriage certificate translated for use abroad?

Yes – RAGUNATHAN translates German marriage certificates and register printouts into the language of the destination country, for example for authorities in your partner's country of origin. Ask beforehand whether an international marriage certificate from the German registry office is sufficient there; in that case, no translation is required. If the foreign authority requires a translation, it also determines whether an apostille is needed. Among others, we translate into English, Turkish, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic and Persian.

How much does it cost to have a marriage certificate translated and certified?

The cost of the certified translation of your marriage certificate depends on the language, length, certification and delivery time – you will find out the fixed price before you place the order. A one-page certificate is quickly translated. If an apostille, legalisation endorsements or a multi-page register extract are added, the length increases. If you need several documents – for example a marriage certificate and birth certificates for subsequent registration or naturalisation – send everything together. You will then receive a quote for the entire order.

Request a quote for my marriage certificate

Why RAGUNATHAN?

• Since 1986

  Experience with marriage and civil status certificates for registry offices, authorities and courts.

• Authorised translators

  Certified with certification statement, stamp and signature, generally recognised throughout Germany.

• 170 languages and dialects

  Over 1,000 language professionals, including for rare languages and non-Latin scripts.

• ISO 9001:2015

  Processes certified by TÜV SÜD; the owner is a member of the BDÜ – the Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators.

Questions about your marriage certificate or the apostille? Call us on +49 208 99 04 77 (Mon–Fri 8:30 am – 4:30 pm) or write to us via our contact page.