Getting married in Switzerland is a simple procedure that involves signing the relevant documents at a Swiss civil registry office. Marriage in Switzerland is tied to legal and residency requirements, so it is important to know the criteria and steps that need to be taken to get married. Note that as of 2022 civil partnerships are no longer offered in Switzerland.
It is essential that you follow the steps below before booking a religious or spiritual ceremony.
Criteria for getting married in Switzerland
In order to be officially married in Switzerland, you must fulfil some set criteria. In order to marry someone, they must be:
- Over the age of 18 and have the capacity to consent.
- Have the correct visa or residence permit in order to stay in Switzerland legally until the date of the marriage.
You are unable to get married in Switzerland under the following circumstances:
- If the person you wish to marry is already married or in civil registered partnership.
- You are deemed to be a close relation of your fiancée, defined by your canton of residence.
- You are getting married in order to streamline the path to Swiss citizenship or residency.
Application for marriage in Switzerland
To become a married couple in Switzerland, you must complete a marriage application form from your canton’s civil register office (Zivilstandsamt). You must attend this office in order to receive the application form and will have to provide supporting documents with your application. Each register office asks for different documents, but some more common items are:
- Residence permit
- Passports or proof of ID
- Proof of residency in the locality
Finally, you must declare in front of the registrar that you fulfil the requirements for getting married. Once this is complete, the registrar will check your application and request any further documents they might need. You are then informed in writing by the registrar as to whether the wedding can take place. Expect a response by post in one to three weeks.
To find your nearest civil register office, you can use the official government website.
Planning your wedding day
Once you receive the civil register office's approval, you can proceed with planning your wedding. You can find more information about weddings in Switzerland on our dedicated page.
Civil partnerships in Switzerland
As of July 1, 2022, civil partnerships are no longer be issued in Switzerland and same-sex couples will be able to get married instead. Those who are already in a civil partnership are able to convert their partnership into a marriage by contacting the civil register office in your local canton. Those who do not want to convert their partnership can continue to remain partners.
What to do after getting married
Once you have got married in Switzerland, you civil status will change to married. There are various administrative steps that you need to take after your wedding:
Choosing a family name
After getting married, you are free to choose a family name. As of 2013, both spouses will retain their own surnames by default after they marry. However, the law states that you are allowed to both adopt either your surname or your spouse’s surname. If you would like to register a unique name, it is advised to contact your home country for more information.
Inform authorities of your marriage
After your wedding, you need to provide notice of your marriage - as well as any change of surname - to a number of authorites in Switzerland, including:
- Communal administration
- Cantonal tax authorities
- Your employer
- Your bank
- The post office
- Insurance companies
It is recommended to get in touch with the relevant authorities to have your name changed for:
If you have changed your surname, you should also have it updated on your:
- Identity card
- Passport
- Driving licence
- Bank and credit cards
It is also recommended to put both your original name and new name on your letterbox while you are informing all of these authorities, otherwise you may not receive vital correspondence.
Taxation after getting married in Switzerland
Please also bear in mind that, once you are married, you and your spouse are treated as a single entity for the purpose of your tax return and may receive benefits for being married in the Swiss tax system.
Does my wedding mean I can apply for Swiss citizenship?
If you have got married or formed a civil partnership with someone who is a Swiss citizen, you will be entitled to become a citizen through simplified admission. This removes all naturalisation tests and residency criteria for applying. This streamlines the process and removes some of the obstacles in your way. Check out the guide to becoming a citizen in Switzerland for more information.
Getting married abroad
If you live in Switzerland but decide to get married abroad, there are also a number of administrative processes you need to take care of. First, you should ask the civil registrar office in the place where you will be getting married if there are any important documents you need to bring with you from Switzerland.
You should also inform the Swiss embassy or consulate in the foreign country of your intention to get married there.
After your wedding, you will need to send the documents received at the end of the ceremony to the Swiss embassy or consulate in the country where you got married. The embassy will forward them to your local civil status office. If you or your spouse are not Swiss, you may have to provide additional documents. It is best to consult with the Swiss authorities in the country where you wish to get married to ask for more information.
If neither you nor your spouse are Swiss, you will need to get your marriage recognised in Switzerland. Contact the migration authority in your canton of residence to find out more about this.
Getting a replacement marriage certificate
After your marriage in Switzerland, you will receive a marriage certificate from the register office. If for any reason you lose this and need a replacement marriage certificate, you should contact the register office where your marriage took place.