Switzerland - Getting Married in a Civil Wedding Ceremony

ProcedureEdit

Complete a marriage preparation application form.
Submit application along with all other required documents to the civil registry office.
Both parties must personally declare before the registrar that they meet all of the requirements to get married.
The registry office will then examine the application submitted and will issue a written notification if it is granted or denied.
Once the application is granted you may now prepare for the ceremony itself, which can take place ten days at the earliest and three months at the latest after the authorisation for the marriage has been granted.
The ceremony is public event and takes place at a civil register office venue.
Two adult witnesses with the capacity to consent must be present during the wedding ceremony.
The bride and groom along with the two witnesses will sign a document to record the marriage in the civil status register. You will be given a family record document after registration.
You may also hold a church wedding, but only after the civil ceremony. For information, contact the church office of your place of residence.

Required DocumentsEdit

Completed application form
Additional documents needed for the procedure varies depending on your situation, approach your civil registry office for more information.

Office Locations & ContactsEdit

To search for Swiss Civil Register offices:

https://www.ch.ch/en/civil-wedding-ceremony

EligibilityEdit

Legal requirements:

The person you want to marry must be of the opposite sex;
Both of you must be over the age of 18 and have the capacity to consent;
If either of the parties are not Swiss citizens, they must be lawfully a resident of Switzerland at the time of marriage.

You are not allowed to get married:

If either person is already married or in a registered partnership;
If you are closely related to the other person;
In order to circumvent laws on the admission and residence of foreign nationals.

FeesEdit

The average fee for a civil ceremony is between CHF 300 and CHF 400 all over Switzerland. There may be additional costs in the case of special requests,like a Saturday ceremony or ceremony outside the register office venue.

ValidityEdit

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to UseEdit

Please attach documents which can be used by people who would like to follow this procedure.

Sample DocumentsEdit

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.

Processing TimeEdit

Please explain the processing your application.

InstructionsEdit

Before you can get married, you must first submit an application to the civil registry office in your or your partners place of residence.

Required InformationEdit

A list which displays the kind of information which is required to complete the procedure.
e.g.
1. Date of Birth.
2. City or County of Birth.

Need for the DocumentEdit

Marriage is a legal contract binding two people together, granting them rights and obligations. You will need to apply first before you can proceed with the actual marriage ceremony.

Information which might helpEdit

Change in marital status

You must notify the authorities, your employer , tax administration, banks, insurance companies, etc.. about changes in your marital status. You will also need to indicate your new civil status in signing new contracts.

Official Documents

If you change your name after you get married, the information in some of your documents will need to be updated. Some of the documents that need changing are:

Passport and identity card
Old-age, survivors and invalidity insurance certificate
Driving licence and vehicle registration document
Bank and credit cards
Your certificate of origin. Your commune of residence usually orders the new certificate from the register office and sends the bill to you by post. Otherwise you must order the certificate of origin yourself and send it to your commune of origin.

External LinksEdit

Marriage

https://www.ch.ch/en/marriage/

Civil Wedding