Marriage of foreigners in Czechia

In the case of a civil marriage, you will be married off by a local official (mayor, deputy mayor, representative). If you choose a church wedding, you will be married by a representative of the church or religious society.

Marriage is concluded by the free and full declaration of consent of the man and woman that they enter into marriage together. The declaration is made publicly and solemnly in the presence of two witnesses.

• Registered same-sex partnership
• A symbolic wedding (without legal validity)
• Read more about the specifics of civil or church weddings.

Where to start?

First, choose your wedding venue and tentative wedding date. If you have decided on a civil marriage, contact the registry office in whose administrative district the wedding venue falls. To perform a church marriage, contact a person authorized by an authorized church or religious society. In both cases - for civil and church marriages - your marriage documents will go to the registry office, which will then also issue a marriage certificate.
 

         
If one of the foreigners' fiancés does not understand Czech, it is necessary to arrange for an official interpreter for the ceremony. If you are both foreigners without knowledge of the Czech language, the registry office requires an interpreter to be present at the pre-wedding meeting at the registry office - i.e. when submitting documents. The participation of the interpreter at the wedding/registration meeting is paid for by the betrothed. The interpreter signs the marriage protocol during the wedding ceremony.

Marriage documents for foreigners

Before entering into marriage, you fill in the Marriage Questionnaire. The registrar will give it to you. The first part of the questionnaire is filled out by the betrothed, the second by the registry office. Other documents required for marriage:

The fiancé, who has Czech citizenship, submits:

1. birth certificate (original or officially certified copy)
2. citizenship card of the Czech Republic or a valid travel document of the Czech Republic (if it is not clear from the citizenship card, an extract from the information system of the population register on personal status and place of permanent residence must also be submitted)
3. in the event that he has a permanent residence permit abroad, he submits the above-mentioned statements of personal status and place of permanent residence abroad, or corresponding similar documents issued by the state in whose territory the fiancé resides (if they are issued by a foreign state)
4. a final judgment on the divorce of a previous marriage (if the fiancé is divorced), or the death certificate of the deceased spouse (if the fiancé is widowed).

The fiancé, who is a foreigner, submits:

1. proof of identity (passport or proof of identity if EU citizen)
2. birth certificate
3. proof of citizenship (can be proven with a travel document)
4. proof of legal capacity to enter into marriage, which must not be older than 6 months on the date of entering into marriage! This document, also called a certificate of legal capacity to enter into marriage, will be issued to you by your home state. If you are a foreigner residing in the Czech Republic, ask your embassy if they can help you issue this certificate. Some countries do not issue such a document (e.g. the USA) - in that case it will be replaced by your sworn statement drawn up at a notary.
5. confirmation of personal status and residence, if it is not part of the Certificate of legal capacity to enter into marriage
6. death certificate of the deceased spouse (if the spouse is a widower)
7. final judgment on the divorce of the previous marriage (if the fiancé is divorced)
8. confirmation of the legality of residence in the territory of the Czech Republic issued by the foreign police of the Czech Republic, which must not be older than 7 working days on the date of the marriage. If the fiancé is a citizen of the European Union, a citizen of another contracting state of the Agreement on the European Economic Area or a member of his family, he does not need this confirmation.

Submitted documents issued by the authorities of a foreign state must be provided with prescribed verifications - super legalization or apostille and officially translated into the Czech language. The registry office can waive the necessary verification of documents if their measure is connected with an obstacle that is difficult to overcome.

Countries that are part of the Hague Convention authenticate documents with an apostille. Other countries provide documents with super legalization. Certain countries have an international agreement with the Czech Republic, whereby documents do not have to be verified.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic will provide you with more detailed information about the method of verifying the documents of the given country.

You will personally sign the Marriage Application and submit the above-mentioned documents (those from abroad will be provided with an apostille or super-legalization, unless it is a state from which verification is not required) and will be translated into Czech by a court translator. The registry office will process your documents and you will then sign the Marriage Protocol during the wedding ceremony (for both civil and church marriages).
In addition to you, your two witnesses also sign this Protocol (name, surname, social security number. If the witness is a foreigner without a social security number, then the date and place of his birth). Before the ceremony, they show their identity card or passport.

Useful links and contacts

• You can find more information about marrying a citizen of the Czech Republic with a foreigner on the website of the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic.
• You can download the marriage questionnaire here.
• You can find detailed information about marrying a foreigner on the website of the Center for the Integration of Foreigners.
• You can find more information about the conclusion of a registered partnership on the website of the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic.

What is the best time of year to get married in Czechia?

The peak wedding season is from May to September, however weddings take place all year round. Summer weddings offer the opportunity to be part of the wedding outside, winter weddings can be enjoyed in beautiful historic interiors. Wedding venues and suppliers often offer better terms and prices for weddings from November to March. The most common wedding day is Saturday, but more and more weddings are also held on weekdays.

The warmest months are June, July and August, with usual temperatures around 23°C-30°C. The coldest months are January and February, with usual -5°C-5°C and best chance of snow.

How long in advance to choose a wedding venue?

If you want to have a Saturday wedding between June and September, then it is ideal to plan a year or more in advance. Otherwise, the ideal time for planning is 6-12 months, but a shorter period is also possible. It takes at least 2-3 months to process documents for foreigners, unless you choose a symbolic wedding.

How long in advance do you need to arrive before your wedding?

It depends on whether you have a civil, church or symbolic wedding. Sometimes it is enough to arrive a few days before the wedding, in other cases it is necessary for you to personally sign the wedding documents on the register even a month or more before the wedding - this can be solved by coming to the Czech Republic once during the planning process and combining it with a visit to the wedding venue, menu tasting etc.

Do wedding suppliers and coordinators speak English?

A large number of wedding venues and suppliers speak English. If you choose a venue or suppliers who do not speak English well or if you would like to plan in your language, it is advisable to choose the help of a wedding coordinator who speaks your language.