Australia in Switzerland
Bern and Geneva
Switzerland, Liechtenstein

Getting Married in Switzerland or Australia

Getting Married in Switzerland

Australian citizens wishing to marry in Switzerland are requested to contact the local Swiss Civil Registry Office (Zivilstandamt / l’office de l’état civil / l’ufficio dello stato civile) where you plan to get married to obtain authorisation and a list of documents required.

More information can be found at: 

Expect to provide the Swiss Civil Registry Office with:

  • Birth certificates for both parties – must be an original and recently issued*, not older than 6 months. A new certificate can be ordered with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages where you were born in Australia.
  • Single Status Certificate - must be an original and recently issued*, not older than 6 months. Can be ordered with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages where you were born or reside in Australia.
  • If either party has been married previously (divorced or widowed), the relevant decree absolute/divorce certificate or death certificate. 
  • A sworn/official translation is normally required for documents not in one of the three official Swiss languages (French, German and Italian).
  • Foreign issued documents must be legalised (Apostille/Authentication stamped).
  • Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI)
  • Proof of Address* - Australians, residing in Australia, should contact the Swiss civil registry office and ask what they will accept as proof of address.
 

Getting Married in Australia

In accordance with the Marriage Act 1961, a marriage cannot be solemnized in Australia unless a notice in writing of the intended marriage (NOIM) is given to the authorised celebrant performing the marriage ceremony at least 1 month (but not more than 18 months) before your wedding.

More information can be found on the Attorney-General’s Department website:

 

Is an Appointment required?

Yes, an in-person appointment is required for Consular staff to witness your signature on a CNI or NOIM form.

 

How to book an appointment

All notarial appointments are held in Geneva only (not Bern) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The current waiting time for an appointment is 1-2 weeks - please advise us if your request is urgent.

Appointments can only be made by sending an email to: [email protected]

Please provide the following in your email:

  1. Title your email subject with: “Last name”, “First Name” – Notarial Appointment
  2. Your full name, contact phone number and email address
  3. The full name of anyone else requiring the same service
  4. Preferred 'day' (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday) and ‘time’ (morning/afternoon preference)
  5. Where you will be coming from
  6. Specific details of the notarial service you require – Full instructions from the requesting authority must be provided before an appointment can be scheduled - please attach these details to your appointment request email.
 

What to bring to your appointment?

Marriage in Switzerland

  1. Completed CNI application form but DO NOT sign before your appointment.
  2. Your valid passport
  3. Your partner’s valid passport
  4. Copies of other documents (for both parties) – birth/divorce/death certificates, if applicable.
  5. Your credit/debit card for payment – Fees and payment methods.

The CNI processing time is two business days. Your documents can either be mailed to you (postage fees apply) or collected in-person at an appointment.

 

Marriage in Australia

  1. Completed NOIM application form but DO NOT sign before your appointment.
  2. Valid passport for both parties signing the form.
  3. Your credit/debit card for payment – Fees and payment methods.

 

*Birth Certificate, Single Status Certificate (or No Record of Marriage) and Address Confirmations 

The Australian Embassy and Consulate cannot issue statements of address confirmation, civil status and/or statutory declarations for use within Switzerland. Check with the Swiss Civil Registry Office if they will allow/accept for you to make a sworn declaration with a Swiss public notary.

A new Australian birth certificate and/or a single status certificate can be issued by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM) in Australia. There is a fee involved, but you can apply online.