Standesamt Marriage in Germany: Sworn Translation of Your Documents
Last updated: 2 October 2026
You live in Germany and want to marry at the Standesamt (registry office). Whether you are from Turkey, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia or India, the office needs your foreign documents in German. We make the sworn translation (beglaubigte Übersetzung) for the Anmeldung zur Eheschließung (registration of your marriage) and, if needed, for the exemption at the Higher Regional Court (OLG). Our partner translators sworn by German courts do the work.
- Birth records, single status proof and divorce judgments translated as one set
- Turkish, Arabic, Kurdish, Dari, Pashto, Ukrainian, Russian, English, Hindi and other Indian languages
- Names transliterated as written, with your passport spelling in a translator's note
- PDF in 3 working days, signed original posted to your German address (usually 1–3 working days)
Fixed price from €39 · You see the price before you pay
Can foreigners get married at a Standesamt in Germany?
Yes. People of every nationality can marry at a German Standesamt, but the office first checks that you are free to marry. Usually you prove this with a certificate of no impediment (Ehefähigkeitszeugnis) from your home country. If your country does not issue one, you apply through the Standesamt for an exemption (Befreiung) from the president of the Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht, OLG). Documents not in German need a translation by a translator sworn in Germany.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who translates | Our partner translators sworn by German courts (beeidigt / ermächtigt) |
| German name of the procedure | Anmeldung zur Eheschließung; Befreiung vom Ehefähigkeitszeugnis (§ 1309 BGB) |
| Price | From €39 (English) or €49 (other languages) per document; fixed price for the full set before you pay |
| Delivery | PDF in 3 working days, signed original posted to your German address (usually 1–3 working days) |
| What to upload | All pages, front and back. Usually a clear scan or photo is enough. Some offices want the translator to see the original, so check your letter. |
| Where to verify the translator | Official database: justiz-dolmetscher.de |
Is this page for you?
- You live in Germany, hold a non-EU passport and want to marry at a German Standesamt.
- Your Standesamt says your file goes to the OLG for an exemption.
- You were married before and need your divorce judgment or decree translated.
Anmeldung zur Eheschließung: documents and translations
Each Standesamt sets its own list, so always get the list from your office first. Most couples hand in a birth record, proof that they are single and, if married before, the divorce papers.
| Document | When you need it | Translation needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate or civil registry extract | Always | Yes, if not in German. A Turkish Formül A needs no translation. |
| Certificate of no impediment or single status proof | Always | Yes, if not in German |
| Divorce judgment or decree from an earlier marriage | If you were married before | Yes, with any finality note. See divorce decree translation. |
| Death certificate | If a former spouse died | Yes, if not in German |
| Name change proof | If names differ between documents | If the office asks. See affidavit for a name change. |
| Passport, residence permit, extended registration certificate (erweiterte Meldebescheinigung) | Always | No |
You usually make your own declaration about your marital status at the Standesamt. That is done in German, so it needs no translation.
Documents by country
Your nationality decides which documents you bring and whether they need an apostille or legalisation first. The apostille confirms the document, the translation its content; many offices want the apostille translated too.
| Country | Typical document (local name) | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Formül A (international birth extract), Nüfus Kayıt Örneği, Boşanma Kararı with Kesinleşme Şerhi | Formül A needs no translation and no apostille. The Nüfus Kayıt Örneği needs an apostille and a sworn translation. |
| Ukraine | Свідоцтво про народження, Витяг з Державного реєстру актів цивільного стану, divorce court decision | Apostille from the Ukrainian ministry. Older Soviet-era documents are often in Russian. |
| Russia | Свидетельство о рождении, Свидетельство о расторжении брака (from the ZAGS) | Apostille from Russian justice authorities or civil registry offices. |
| Syria | إخراج قيد (Ikhraj Qaid), بيان عائلي (family statement), divorce document | The German Embassy in Beirut legalises extracts from the electronic database. Otherwise the office decides case by case. |
| Iraq | شهادة ميلاد (birth certificate), شهادة الجنسية (nationality certificate), divorce judgment | Legalisation is suspended. The Standesamt decides at its discretion. |
| Afghanistan | Tazkira, birth certificate (often missing), Nikah-Khat from an earlier marriage | No verification possible. Without a birth certificate, many use the Tazkira plus an affidavit; the office decides. |
| India | Birth certificate, single status affidavit, divorce decree | No apostille: the office can ask the German mission in India for a verification. |
When your country does not issue an Ehefähigkeitszeugnis
If your home country does not issue a certificate of no impediment, you apply through the Standesamt to the president of the OLG for an exemption (§ 1309 BGB). The court reads all your documents, so each one not in German needs a sworn translation. The steps:
- 1You do the Anmeldung zur Eheschließung at the Standesamt and hand in your documents.
- 2The Standesamt checks the file. It may ask for a document to be verified or legalised.
- 3The Standesamt sends the application for exemption to the president of the OLG.
- 4The court decides. At OLG Bamberg, for example, this takes about six weeks and costs €15 to €305, based on income.
- 5After the exemption, you book your wedding date. In Berlin, the wedding must take place within six months of registration.
Example India. Indian law has no basis for issuing an Ehefähigkeitszeugnis, so Indian citizens usually need the exemption. According to OLG Köln, single status proof from India is usually an affidavit plus a confirmation by the Sarpanch or another official. In some areas, an affidavit by the parents is used. Indian apostilles are not valid in Germany; read our document verification guide.
Many courts want recent civil status documents. OLG Bamberg, for example, wants them not older than six months when the court receives them. So translate fresh documents quickly.
How names are handled in your translation
A sworn translator copies names as they appear on your document and transliterates Arabic, Cyrillic, Persian or Devanagari script. We never change a name to match your passport. Instead, we add your passport spelling in a translator's note.
| On your document | In your passport | In our translation |
|---|---|---|
| Юлія (Ukrainian Cyrillic) | IULIIA | Julija (translator's note: passport spelling IULIIA) |
| राजेन्द्र (Devanagari) | RAJENDER | Rajendra (translator's note: passport spelling RAJENDER) |
You can check any sworn translator in the official register at justiz-dolmetscher.de.
Why marriage files get delayed, and how we help
- 1Documents get too old. Checks and court time add up. We deliver the PDF in 3 working days.
- 2A stamp is not translated. Apostilles, notary stamps and court seals matter. We translate every stamp, seal and back side.
- 3The finality note is missing. A divorce judgment often needs proof that it is final, such as the Turkish Kesinleşme Şerhi. We translate it with the judgment.
How it works
- 1Upload scans or photos of all documents, front and back.
- 2Get a fixed price for the full set before you pay.
- 3Check your PDFs for names and dates.
- 4Receive the signed originals at your German address.
More details: how our sworn translation works.
Price
| Package | What's included | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Single document | One document, sworn German translation, PDF + signed original by post | from €39 (English) · from €49 (other languages) |
| Couple set | Documents for both partners in one order, PDFs + signed originals | from €99 · + €10 per document not in English |
| Divorce decree | Judgment or decree from an earlier marriage | €42 per page |
| Express | PDF in 1 working day | + €15 |
All prices shown are starting prices incl. VAT and postage within Germany. Your exact fixed price comes in a written quote after upload, before you pay.
Your files are transferred encrypted and deleted after 30 days (GDPR).
If your office asks for a change to our translation, we correct it free of charge.
Or see all prices.
What language are your documents in?
Turkish civil records, Arabic extracts from Syria and Iraq, Dari or Pashto papers from Afghanistan, Ukrainian and Russian certificates in Cyrillic, and Indian affidavits in English or a regional language: we translate them all, including every stamp.
Languages we translate into German: Turkish · Arabic · Kurdish (Kurmanji/Sorani) · Dari · Pashto · Persian (Farsi) · Ukrainian · Russian · English · Hindi · Punjabi · Urdu · Tamil · Telugu · Bengali · Marathi · Gujarati · Malayalam and other Indian languages.
Frequently asked questions about Standesamt marriage translation
Can foreigners get married at a Standesamt in Germany?
Yes. You register your marriage at a German Standesamt, whatever your nationality. The office checks that you are free to marry. If your country does not issue a certificate of no impediment, the OLG must first grant an exemption.
What if my country does not issue an Ehefähigkeitszeugnis?
Then you apply through the Standesamt for an exemption (Befreiung) from the president of the Oberlandesgericht. The court reads your documents, so documents not in German need a German translation by a translator sworn in Germany.
Do I need to translate a Turkish Formül A for the Standesamt?
No. According to the German Embassy in Turkey, the international extracts Formül A, B and C need neither a translation nor an apostille in Germany. Other Turkish documents, such as the Nüfus Kayıt Örneği, need an apostille and a sworn translation.
My Syrian Ikhraj Qaid comes from the electronic database. What does the office need?
The German Embassy in Beirut legalises extracts of Syrian civil status documents from the electronic database, certified by the Syrian Foreign Ministry, together with German translations. Ask your Standesamt what it wants. Otherwise German offices decide case by case.
How long does the OLG exemption take?
It depends on the court. At OLG Bamberg, for example, it takes about six weeks once the court has all documents.
Do I need to translate English documents for the Standesamt?
Often yes. Some offices accept English originals, but many courts want a full German translation by a translator sworn in Germany. Ask your Standesamt before you order.
Can I use a translation made in my home country?
Usually not. German offices generally do not accept translations made abroad or by notaries abroad. They want a translation by a translator sworn by a German court.
Can you apply for the OLG exemption for me?
No. We only translate documents. The Standesamt prepares the application for the court, and the court decides.
Planning your wedding in Germany?
Upload your documents today and get your fixed price for the marriage set.
Questions? Email us: info@germantranslators.de