- Everything you need

Requirements

A valid passport or EU ID card

equirements can vary depending on where you come from, where you live, your civil status and whether or not you have children, but as a general rule, all couples will need to supply the following documents for both partners:

A valid passport or EU ID card
Passport from the country of which you have citizenship status

A valid Visa

What type of Visa do you need to get married in Denmark?

There are lots of different answers to this, and some visitors don’t need a Visa at all!

But you may need a valid Visa to get married in Denmark.

If you do need a Visa, there are a number of different options.

We’ll cover the different Visa types that can be used to get married in Denmark, along with information on exemptions, and answer some other common questions about Danish Visa requirements within this section.

Getting married in Denmark on a Schengen C Visa

Is it possible to get married in Denmark on a C Visa also known as a tourist Visa that is valid within the Schengen Area?

Yes, as long as the Visa is valid on the date of your wedding, you have not exceeded the duration of your permitted stay, and it does not explicitly exclude travelling to Denmark.

Getting married in Denmark on a Schengen D Visa

Is it possible to get married in Denmark on a D Visa issued by one of the Schengen States?

Again yes, as long as the Visa is valid on the date of your wedding, you meet the 90/180 rule and and it does not explicitly exclude travelling to Denmark.

Getting married in Denmark if you’re Visa-exempt

Not everyone who comes to Denmark is subject to Danish Visa requirements;

Visitors from some countries don’t need a Visa to come to Denmark at all, and these people are known as Visa-exempt in Denmark.

Is it possible to get married in Denmark if you’re Visa exempt? Yes, as long as you haven’t overstayed your permitted time in the Schengen Area.

For most visitors who are Visa exempt in Denmark, you are permitted to stay for no longer than 90 days in any 180-day period, although this is variable depending on where you come from.

You can check yourself using the above link, whether you need a Visa or whether you are exempted and can instead use your 90 Visa-free days as a tourist.

What you need to know about entry and exit stamps and getting married in Denmark

The stamps in your Passport are important, as they prove that you haven’t overstayed your permitted time in the Schengen Area – or to show that you have!

You will have to show all of the stamps in your passport (and if relevant, also your Schengen Visa or residence permit issued by one of the Schengen countries) to prove that you haven’t exceeded your permitted stay. There may be instances where you also need to show a previous passport and/or permit?

What if I’ve got an overstay mark on my Passport?

Is it possible to get married in Denmark if you’ve overstayed your permitted time and this is marked in your passport and/or Visa? Well, this might well be a problem.

Overstaying your permitted visit, even if this was in the past, can greatly compromise your chances of having an application to get married in Denmark approved.

This doesn’t mean that it is impossible, but it will definitely make things harder, and may result in your application being refused.

In a nutshell, you will need to show that the overstay was either justified or settled with having paid a fine.

Either way, this needs to be handled very carefully to give you the best chances of being able to go ahead with your wedding.

A residence permit

A residence permit or residency permit is a document that allows you to stay in a country other than your home country for longer than you would be allowed to as short-term visitor.

A residence permit might allow you to reside in the country that grants it indefinitely; or it might have a fixed end date.

This might be a residence permit for Denmark itself, or for a different EU/Schengen country; from which residents are also allowed to enter Denmark.

For instance, if you have a residence permit from another EU country, this could serve as one of your required documents to get married in Denmark, even though the residence permit isn’t for Denmark itself.

A divorce decree or death certificate

A final divorce decree, divorce certificate or death certificate

If either you or your partner have ever been married before, that previous marriage must be legally over before you can get married in Denmark.

This means you’ll need to supply either a final divorce decree (or divorce certificate) or a death certificate to prove that the prior marriage has finished and that you’re free to marry again.

Getting this right is really important, and being unable to provide a final divorce decree, (or divorce certificate) or death certificate can stop you from getting married entirely!

We’ve handled and resolved a wide range of issues with death and divorce certificates from all over the world, and we’ll help you to get things right the first time.

Who needs a divorce decree or death certificate to get married in Denmark?

If you and/or your partner had a previous legal marriage

If you or your partner have been legally married before – in any country – you will need to provide a final divorce decree or death certificate, proving by law that the marriage has been dissolved by divorce or death.
If you or your partner have been married and divorced or widowed more than once, you only need to provide the divorce papers or death certificate of the most recent marriage, not those for the prior marriage(s) too.

If you and/or your partner were involved in a registered partnership

If you or your partner have previously been in a registered partnership with someone else, you will need to provide a dissolution decree or certificate or death certificate for the registered partnership in order to get married in Denmark.
If you and your partner are currently in a registered partnership with each other, the bad news is that you have to formally dissolve the union each other and get the paperwork to prove this before you can get married in Denmark!

It isn’t possible to convert or “upgrade” your existing civil union to a legal marriage in Denmark instead

If you and/or your partner previously had a religious, but not legal, marriage

If you or your partner were previously married to someone else in a union recognised by your religion but not by the law, you don’t need to provide a death or divorce certificate to get married in Denmark.
If you and your partner are married to each other under a union recognised by your religion but not by the law, the good news is that you don’t have to divorce from that union to marry each other under Danish law!

Understanding the technical terms for a former marriage

As mentioned earlier on, getting the divorce papers or a death certificate is really important for getting married in Denmark without problems.

However, the three most common methods of splitting up with a former husband or wife are often taken to mean the same thing, when in law, they’re viewed very differently.

Here’s a simple explanation for each of them:

Divorce:

A divorce is a legally recognised and completely final end to a marriage between two romantic partners.

Once a divorce has been issued and the divorce has become final (or absolute), both former partners are free to marry again.

Annulment:

Annulments are uncommon; legally, an annulment means voiding a marriage or declaring it invalid, as if the marriage never really happened in the first place.

Annulments are also recognised in law, and may be issued in place of a divorce in exceptional circumstances, such as if one of the partners was already legally married to someone else, or misrepresented themselves in order to marry; for instance, to try to get citizenship benefits.

If you were married and received a legal annulment, then you are free to marry again.

Separation:

A separation is not the same as a divorce or annulment, because during a separation, the two partners in the union are still legally married to each other, and so, are not free to marry again.

A separation may be part of the process of attaining a divorce, and may be permanent or temporary; but if you and your former partner are only separated but not divorced, or your marriage is not annulled, you are not free to marry again at this point.

What is a death certificate?

A death certificate is a document that is produced by the authorities after a person’s death. It is to prove that the law recognises this person has died.

If you are legally married to the person at the time of their death, then the death certificate acts as proof that you are no longer legally married, and are free to remarry again, when the time is right.

Note: The death certificate must list the other partner as the then spouse or husband. Some death certificates do not list this information, in which case, on top of the death certificate, a copy of the marriage certificate of the previous marriage is also required.

Does a death certificate or divorce certificate need to be verified or certified before submission?

If you do need to provide a death certificate or divorce certificate as part of the requirements to get married in Denmark, you may need to have the certificate legalised first.

We’ll talk about what this means in more detail later on.

However, if the divorce certificate or death certificate was issued in the USA, Canada, Australia, or an EU member country, it is all ready to use as it is.

Original birth certificates for any children you have with your partner

A birth certificate is a formal document that verifies and documents the birth of a child, and this is one document that even adults need to produce to prove their identity or place and date of birth occasionally.

That said, most people don’t need to supply their own birth certificate to get married in Denmark.

However, if you have children together, you will need to supply the birth certificate for your child or children as one of the required documents to get married in Denmark.

If the birth certificate does not list the father, then additional information to proof the fatherhood, such as paternity recognition, a DNA test etc. can be accepted.

If you are in the military, you may need permission to marry from your commanding officer

If you, your partner, or both are in the military and stationed in a Schengen country, you will need to either provide permission from your Commanding Officer or your Military Orders before you can get married in Denmark!

If you are a civilian, working for the military in a Schengen country, then in this instance you will need to provide your SOFA stamp.

These are required to show legal stay within the Schengen, without the need for a Visa or residence permit.

A certificate proving your current single status from your current country of residence

A “Single Status” Certificate

The Danish Agency of Family Law doesn’t usually ask for a Single Status Certificate before they’ll let you get married in Denmark. However, they can sometimes ask for a Single Status Certificate, if this is necessary, in combination with your divorce papers to show that the divorce has become final.

A Single Status Certificate or is known by various different names depending on the country issuing it; in Denmark, it’s called a “Civilstandsattest” (Single Status Certificate); in the UK it is a Certificate of No Impediment, and in Germany, it is called a Ledigkeitsbescheinigung.

The certificate itself confirms to the relevant Danish authorities that the holder meets all of the requirements to be able to legally marry, and it remains valid for four months from the date of issue.

The certificate needs to show your name, date and place of birth, current address, citizenship, and of course, marital status!

Same-Sex Marriages in Denmark

Can same-sex couples marry in Denmark?

Absolutely! Denmark is a popular destination for same-sex couples who wish to marry. Denmark was the first country in the world to grant recognition to same-sex unions in 1989 which has now been replaced by a new same-sex marriage law.

Today, it is hard to believe that it was once not possible to get married to someone of the same sex.

The First Country in the World to Allow Same-Sex Marriage

And of course same sex marriage in Denmark is allowed.

We still can’t imagine that some politicians won’t allow others to get married. Luckily that is history in Denmark.

In 1989 Denmark became the first country in the world to allow equal rights to same sex couples.

For us it is amazing to be able to help same-sex marriages in Denmark for foreigners, and especially in Copenhagen where it all started. We know that it is something special for our couples to be in the midst of Copenhagens progressive legacy of LGBT rights.

Even though Denmark was the first country in the world to grant legal recognition of same-sex unions, it wasn’t until 2012 that you could get married, surprisingly.

This means that since 2012 it has been possible to have a gay marriage in Denmark for foreigners.

Gay Marriage in Denmark for Foreigners

Denmark and gay marriage is a perfect match for foreigners.

Actually, there is no difference between a gay marriage in Denmark for foreigners or any other group of people (Danes, Germans, straight, etc.).

We understand that it can be overwhelming going to another country getting married for any couple, and maybe more so for same sex couples with the troubles still encountered in some places around the world.

Therefore we welcome you to reach out, and ask any questions you might have concerning your situation.

Gay Marriage Agency for Your Gay Wedding Abroad?

If you are considering going for a gay wedding abroad, then don’t worry. Getting Married in Denmark is for any couple that wish to get married.

We help any loving couples wanting to get married. There is no difference, and there shouldn’t be, right?

We don’t care about labels!

Safety Precautions

Danish people are very open minded, so you won’t experience any troubles coming here.

We occasionally experience that foreign same sex couples will be worried about possible consequences in their home countries or maybe even during the wedding ceremony.

If you have any worries or questions about this then don’t hesitate to ask us. There is always a way to solve any issues that might be on your mind. The Danish authorities are very understanding of this, and always attempt to be flexible and adjust to any circumstances you consider important.

Privacy

Don’t worry.

If you don’t want anyone to know that you got married then no one will know.

The official Danish records are confidential. This means that your personal information will stay secret.

Though, if you want to register your wedding then obviously your local authorities will know that you got married in Denmark..

History of LGBTQ+ rights in Denmark

In 1933, Denmark was one of the first countries in the world to decriminalise men having sex.

The community and organisation ‘LGBT Denmark‘ originated in 1948, and was founded by Axel Axgil.

Axel joined his partner Eigil Axgil to become the first LGBT couple in the world to enter into a registered partnership in 1989 when. they got married at Copenhagen City Hall.

This is one of the most popular town-halls for foreigners to get married in Denmark and you could get married here too!

The beautiful Copenhagen Pride was established in 1996, and today the Pride celebrations are blooming with at least 25.000 active participants in the parade, and an estimated 300.000 people joining the parade on the streets of Copenhagen. Considering the size of Copenhagen this is a big parade!

In 2014 the Danish Parliament made it possible for a person to change their legal gender, the first country in Europe to do so and 3rd country in the world. This meant that you could now change your gender without undergoing any surgery – and without any bureaucracy.

Since 2014 the Danish Parliament have made continued and welcome changes to the rights and legal status of transgender persons.

In 2017 the parliament removed transgendered from the list of “mental illnesses”. Within the old legal regime a transgender person needed a diagnosis in order to get access to hormonal treatment and surgery – as if the person was sick!

Getting Married at Copenhagen Pride?

Copenhagen Pride takes place every year in August. The parade is getting bigger and bigger each year, and the city is buzzing. If you are looking to spice up your wedding day then having a wedding during the Pride week could be a great choice.

Copenhagen’s LGBTQ+ environment

If you have no idea what to do or what to see in Copenhagen? Then check out this site, where you can check out some great places to visit, hotels, cafes and events happening in Copenhagen.

Hague Apostille Legalisation

If you’re getting married in Denmark, the chances are that at some point you’ll need to prove your marital status or provide legal evidence of your marriage in another country. This can be done with a Danish Apostille legalisation, a certificate that verifies that your marriage certificate is official and genuine.

Danish-issued wedding certificates can be legalised for use abroad with a Hague Apostille.

This is because Denmark is one of the Hague Convention countries, which follow the simplified registered Apostille process of the Hague Convention.

If you’re not quite sure whether or not this affects you or simply want to know how to get an Apostille, Denmark’s procedure for this is fortunately relatively simple.

This guide will tell you what you need to know about Hague Apostille Legalisation, Denmark’s status for issuing an Apostille legalisation, and cover some common questions about it too.

What is the Hague Apostille Convention?

The Hague Apostille Convention is an international treaty made between Hague Apostille Convention countries.

It is an agreement on how a document issued in any one of the Convention’s member countries can be certified as suitable for legal recognition in any of the other member countries.

Once issued for use across the other Hague Apostille Convention countries, the document in question is what we call the Apostille

What Countries are Part of the Hague Apostille Convention?

There are currently 125 members within the Hague Apostille Convention, representing most first-world countries, and a significant number of developing nations as well.

For a full, up-to-date list of apostille countries in 2023 that are signatories of (or will soon be joining) the Hague Apostille Convention, please see here: https://bluenotary.us/hague-apostille-country-list/

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