Marriage in Germany: Rights and Obligations
In order to get married in Germany there several are steps that have to be fulfilled. In Germany, both marriages and civil partnerships are recognized by the local legislation. It is also allowed to marry, as a local citizen, with a person who has another nationality. Foreigners who want to get married in Germany have to present at their Embassy or the Consulate and then, to the local registry in order to start the legal formalities. The process can vary depending on the region and on the particular situation of the respective couple and, in this sense, it is advisable to receive legal representation from our German law firm.
The definition of marriage in Germany
In Germany, the definition of marriage refers to a legal contract that is signed between a woman and a man, which is protected by the provisions of the German Constitution. The procedure provides legal rights for the married couple in terms of taxation, pension schemes as well as adoption.
Legal rights in marriage in Germany
It is important to know that the legal act of getting married in Germany provides more rights than in the case of a civil partnership. Those who choose to get married can benefit from tax reliefs, while a civil partnership does not prescribe such regulations.
In the situation of a mixed marriage, where a foreigner marries a German citizen, the local legislation prescribes that the non-national individual does not automatically receive the German nationality.
However, such persons can apply for German citizenship and our German law firm can offer legal assistance on the legal steps that must be fulfilled.
How to get married as a foreigner in Germany
Non-national citizens can get married in Germany only if they have spent at least 21 days in this country prior to the marriage formalities. The legal aspects can be fulfilled in a period of a maximum of six weeks.
It is important to know that, once the marriage license was issued, the wedding is recognized in the country of origin of the married couple. An important aspect is that the country of origin is not relevant, as long as the persons are citizens of a member-state of the European Union.
We invite those who want to receive in-depth assistance on the rights and obligations of a German marriage to contact our attorneys in Germany.
