A romantic wedding in Austria... the stuff that dreams are made of! If you are planning on getting married in Austria, there are several legal hoops to jump through. The key to success, as always, is good research and preparation.
Always check with your embassy well in advance for up-to-date requirements. Many embassies recommend that you arrange your Austrian wedding through a professional agency, but here are some guidelines if you choose to do-it-yourself.
Documents
The following documents may be required:
- Passports
- Birth certificates - long form including names of parents
- Evidence of termination of all previous marriages – previous marriage certificates, final divorce decrees (including certificate of finality of divorce), annulment decrees or death certificates
- Certificates of no impediment (Ledigkeitsbescheinigung) or a declaration of single status
- Evidence of registration with local authorities (unless parties are staying in a hotel)
- Proof of residence - driver's licenses or other document indicating residential address
Certificates of No Impediment - An affidavit by the applicants, declaring that there are no impediments to their marriage under the laws of their country of residence. The affidavit must be completed in English and German and must be sworn before a Consular Officer in Austria. Check with the Standesamt for requirements. A sample of an affidavit for U.S. citizens is available here.
All civil documents should be originals endorsed with an Apostille Stamp.
All documents issued in a foreign language must be accompanied by official translations.
The legal age for marriage in Austria is 18. But women aged 16-18 may marry with notarized parental consent from both parents.
Ceremonies
Only civil weddings are legally recognized. A religious ceremony may only be performed after a civil ceremony. Officials at the office of vital statistics office (Standesamt) perform marriages in Austria. Bring a translator unless you are fluent in German.
Notice of Impending Marriage
If a party to the marriage is an Austrian resident or citizen, the marriage application must be filed at the local Standesamt. If both parties are non-residents, the application should be filed at the Standesamt for the first district of Vienna.
Both parties should submit the required documents, in person, to the appropriate Standesamt. The Standesamt will forward the documents for approval of the marriage to the appropriate court (Oberlandesgericht). The file will be returned to the Standesamt to schedule the date of the wedding.
For further information, please contact:
Standesamt Wien Innere Stadt
Mariahilf
Schlesingerplatz 4 (2nd floor left)
A-1082 Vienna
Phone: 401 34 08591
Fax: 401 34 99 08580
