Marrying a foreigner

You will need to prepare the following documents before your visit to the registry office.

1) your birth certificate

2) a document proving your nationality e.g. a passport or an ID card

3) a certificate of no impediment to marriage (Vysvědčení o právní způsobilosti k uzavření manželství)

This certificate might mention just you or both you and your partner (the content varies country to country) but it must not be older than 6 months when presented at the local registry office and it must contain:

•  the name, second name(s) and surname(s) of the fiancé(s)
• the address of your permanent residence (in either CR or the country of your origin)
• a record of your citizenship
• a confirmation that there are no obstacles for you to enter into a marriage
• a record of your marital status – single, married, widow(er) or living in a registered partnership proving your legal competence to enter into marriage
• the date the document was issued, an official stamp along with the name and signature of the official who it was issued by

We suggest you contact your Embassy in advance and find out whether they can issue this document for you or whether it is necessary for you to visit your country of origin to get it

If any of the above mentioned information is missing in the certificate e.g. your citizenship, you will be asked to provide a document proving it. Note that in case your marital status or your residency are not mentioned, you need to obtain a form called “Confirmation of your marital status and residence” (Potvrzení o rodinném stavu a pobytu) issued either by your Embassy or your country of origin. It must not be older than 6 months.

In case you are not capable of proving some information, it is possible to provide a sworn statement that will have to be certified by a consular officer of your country of origin. In case there is no consular agreement between your country of origin and the Czech Republic, the statement of the consular officer needs to be legalized by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs (this option is currently unavailable for Russian and Byelorussian citizens, these have to deliver the certificate of no impediment to marriage).

4) a valid residency permit issued by the Ministry of Interior

5) a document proving your legal residency status in the Czech Republic (Potvrzení o oprávněnosti pobytu na území ČR) issued by any department of the Foreign Police. Here is the list of departments in the South Moravian Region

Note that the certificate must not be older than 7 workdays on the day of your marriage. The latest possible day to submit it to the registry is your wedding day.

6) other documents are needed if

• you were previously married or in a registered partnership (and if this is not already stated in the Certificate of no impediment to marriage)
• if you are a widow/widower / your partner deceased – the death certificate of your deceased spouse / partner
• if you are divorced / your registered partnership was terminated – a final divorce judgement / a final legal ruling terminating this partnership

Please, note that all the documents issued by foreign authorities (the originals or their notarized copies) must be

• legalized through a higher recognition such as an Apostille or superlegalization unless they were issued by an EU country or an exception is stipulated by a bilateral treaty and your home country,
• presented with their official certified translations¹ into Czech stapled to them together with the translator’s declaration that the meaning of the original and the translation are identical. Make sure the spelling of your name in the translations is identical with that in the original documents.

A Registry Office (matrika) can waive the requirement for a document in exceptional situations for

• foreigners who were granted International or Subsidiary protection
• foreigners who face an almost insurmountable obstacle to obtain the document

A decision in which the Registry does not approve a request for a waiver of the above-mentioned documents required for marriage may be appealed within 15 days of its reception. The appeal shall be made through the same Registry that issued the decision.

Under exceptional circumstances, marriage by proxy (one of the fiancés is unable to attend the wedding ceremony) is possible. In the Czech Republic, the permission to marriage by proxy is usually issued by the Regional Council, sometimes by City Councils as well. Before you start the procedure, you should always make sure that your country of origin recognizes such type of marriage.

Please, note that all the above-mentioned documents will be required for civil and religious marriages as well as for registered partnership. However, different registries require them at various times during the administrative procedure. Also, there will be more forms to be filled in and possible fees to be paid directly on the spot.

It is maybe also worth considering the practicalities that arise from two individuals joining not just their lives but also properties. Read more about a potential prenup and joint property and the specifics thereof valid in the Czech Republic.

1. In order to get a certified translation of any document (birth certificate etc.) issued by a foreign office, you will first need to get a notary copy of this document and then have it translated. Most translation companies can take care of the whole procedure including the notary copy. They can also provide certified interpreters. Read more in our guide on Translation and interpreting

Civil marriage

Visit the Registry Office (matrika, matřiční úřad) in the area where you want to have your wedding – they are usually located in the City Hall or in the Offices of the Municipal District. See the list of registry offices in Brno.

Both fiancés must come to the Registry Office in person (to prove their identities) and they will be asked to fill in:

• protocol on contracting the marriage
  • The protocol is filled in by both fiancés (or at least one of them) with the help of the registrar in accordance with public deeds and all the documents submitted by both fiancés
• questionnaire for entering into marriage (Dotazník k uzavření manželství).
  • The questionnaire is filled in by both fiancés with the help of the registrar.

The registrar will check whether all of the required documents are submitted. You will then agree on the date and the place of the wedding.

Religious marriage

First, contact the person who is an authorized representative and in charge of the church or religious community of your choice. Then contact the Registry Office in the area where the church or chapel in which your religious wedding should take place is located

You will need a certificate called (Osvědčení o splnění požadavků zákona o rodině pro uzavření církevního sňatku) to confirm that all the statutory conditions under the Czech family Act have been met

• You need to apply for this certificate in writing at the Registry Office.
• Then you have to submit it to the representative of the church / religious organization.
• Please, note that it must not be older than 6 months.

You will be asked to submit the same documents as in the case of a civil marriage.

A document called Record on the Wedding must be delivered to the Registry Office by the representative of the church / religious organization within 3 days after the actual wedding.

Registered partnership (for same-sex couples only)

In order to be able to enter into a registered partnership in the Czech Republic, the couple need to fulfil the following conditions

• at least one of the partners must be Czech
• both partners must be over 18 years old
• none of the partners can be married or in a registered partnership in another country

When registering the partnership, the couple is allowed to pick any of the competent Registry Offices. Only 14 Registry Offices are competent in the Czech Republic, one of them is located in Brno (South Moravian Region) – the District Council of Brno-střed. Please, note that if none of the partners has a permanent address in the Czech Republic, the District Council of Brno-střed represents the relevant authority.

A same sex couple wishing to enter into a registered partnership need to make a declaration that they want to live in a partnership.

• The declaration is made in the presence of a registrar.
• If a translator is needed, he/she will be asked to sign the protocol as well.
• Witnesses are not required.

You will be asked to submit the same documents as in the case of a civil marriage.

Note: When setting up any of the above-mentioned ceremonies, apart from all the required documents, do not forget to bring your passport and a fee stamp (if required in your case) which you can buy directly at the Registry Office.

Yes.

Although, if you plan to have your civil ceremony at an unconventional location (e.i. not in a ceremonial room but outdoors or in a hospital, if necessary) you will need permission from the Registry Office to have your civil wedding or register your partnership there. It is possible but such place needs to be dignified in order to get the permission.

A written application needs to be submitted at the Registry Office competent for the area where your wedding should be held. This application can be filled in by just one partner with a power of attorney from the other partner. The signature does not need to be notarized.

Yes, these are the fees that apply to both civil and religious ceremonies. They depend on the type of your residency in the Czech Republic as well as on the location you choose for the ceremony.

You should pay the fees in cash or by a postal cheque before the wedding ceremony.

If one of you or neither don’t speak or understand Czech (or you are deaf or mute), the Registry office should be informed in advance.

You will need to bring a certified interpreter at your own cost for the preparatory meetings at the Registry as well as for the actual ceremony. (If needed, an interpreter can be recommended at the Registry Office.)

Before the ceremony starts, the interpreter will be asked to prove their identity and sign the Protocol on Contracting a Marriage.

The application form concerning the surname(s) of the spouses / registered partners needs to be filled in and handed in at the registry prior to the ceremony.

It must contain

• the surname you want to use after the wedding
• the surnames of the children born within your marriage

The possible surname alternatives are

• the surname of one of the partners will become a joint surname
• both partners retain their original surnames
• one of the partners will use her/his original surname as a suffix after the joint surname (If the original surname already had a suffix, you can only use one.)

If a person uses two surnames (which is allowed in the Czech Republic), their children can also use two surnames.

Surnames of women are formed in compliance with Czech grammar rules for declination with the –ová suffix (Mr. Novák – Mrs. Nováková). A woman of foreign nationality can apply to have at the Registry to get the –ová suffix ommited. The same applies to a female child of a foreign national.

Please, note that if the partners decide to change their surnames, they are obliged to report this change at various offices. This will also mean that changes will need to be made in some of their documents e.g. passport, residency card etc.

Civil Wedding

When it comes to a civil wedding, the couple, their two witnesses and a certified translator (if needed) arrive at the venue in advance where they are already awaited by a registrar.

Before the actual ceremony, the registrar will ask the fiancés, the witnesses and the interpreter to prove their identities by submitting their valid identity documents. The interpreter will also be asked to sign the Protocol on Contracting a Marriage.

At the start of the ceremony, the registrar introduces the engaged couple to the person officiating the wedding and declares that “the engaged couple” is unaware of any circumstances hindering the marriage that they know each other’s state of health and they have considered future property arrangements, housing and financial arrangements for the family.

At the end of the ceremony, the wedding officiate asks if the engaged couple is entering into the marriage freely and voluntarily. Your answer will be “ano” (literally “yes”; an equivalent to “I do” in Czech) even if a translator is present. With that, you accept all the obligations related to marriage. According to Czech law, a marriage is a lifelong union of a man and a woman, its main purpose is to start a family and raise children in a proper fashion.

A declaration on entering into marriage is made publicly during the wedding Ceremony in the presence of two witnesses. The couple and their witnesses must sign the Wedding Records Book which will contain their first name(s), surname, identity number or date of birth, place and district (country).

Registered Partnership

From the administrative point of view, a registered partnership ceremony is fairly similar to the civil wedding. What is more, in civil ceremonies, couples can agree extra sections such as personal vows.

Religious Wedding

Religious wedding ceremonies are led by a wedding officiant. The course of events varies religion to religion and can be shaped and rearranged according to the agreement of the couple with the church or religious community representative.

Note: if you are a family member of an EU citizen, the same rules as for an EU citizen applies for you. Switch your setting and read the answer for them, instead.

1) Pick up your marriage certificate (oddací list) / registered partnership certificate (doklad o uzavření registrovaného partnerství). The Registry Office will issue it

•       in 30 days.
•       in 33 in case of a religious ceremony.

Carefully keep this document; it is an essential proof of your marital status.

2) Report changes in your marital status and surname at the Ministry of Interior within 3 days.

If you decided to use a joint surname after the wedding, you must apply for a new passport.

Your Embassy will probably require a certified translation of your marriage certificate in the language of your country of origin – inquire at the Embassy. It is up to your Embassy to decide whether to assist you in getting new documents. It is possible that you will have to apply for a new passport in your country of origin.

Please, note that your new passport must be submitted again to the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy. The Department will issue a new residence permit.

3) Pay attention to possible changes of your residence status:

If both you and your nonEU spouse have a long-term stay, you will retain a long-term stay. You can change the purpose of the stay though, to long-term stay with the purpose of a family reunification.

If you have a long-term stay and your nonEU spouse has permanent residence or International protection, you can apply to the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy for a long-term stay with the purpose of family reunification with a foreigner who has a permanent residence. When you have this type of stay, you do not need a work permit, but you can only be enrolled in the public health insurance system if you work in a company which is registered in the Czech Republic.

If you have a long-term stay and your spouse is a Czech or EU citizen, you can apply for a temporary stay for a family member of a Czech/EU citizen. With this status, you can apply for permanent residence in 2 years (if you had a long-term residency for at least a year prior to the wedding, you can apply one year after the wedding).

You have no type of residence and your spouse is a Czech or EU citizen — you can stay in the Czech Republic for up to 90 days without a visa. Apply in the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy for a temporary stay of a family member of the Czech/EU citizen.

You have no type of residence and your nonEU spouse has a long-term stay or permanent residency, you are eligible for a long-term stay status, but you have to apply at the Czech Embassy in your country of origin. Your application will be processed within 270 days.