Published on 31 August 2026

Marriage to be performed in Switzerland

A preparatory procedure is mandatory for having your marriage performed in Switzerland. This procedure is usually carried out with the Swiss registry office where the ceremony is to be held or, if you live abroad, with your Swiss representation abroad. Please find out well in advance what formalities you will need to comply with.

If one of you is domiciled in Switzerland, the civil status office of their domicile is in charge of conducting this procedure. Please contact this office for information on the conditions, the documents required and the formalities to be respected.

The fiancés may attend to the administrative matters separately at different places. Your presence in person is required in all cases.

Since 1 January 2000, there is no longer a compulsory procedure for the publication of marriage announcements in Switzerland before the marriage can be celebrated by the competent civil status authority.

• Procedure with a Swiss representation

  Please ask the representation in advance if an interpreter is required. Any additional costs for the interpreter are at your expense.

  The following documents must be submitted in person to your Swiss representation:

  • Form: Request to have a marriage performed

    (German)

    PDF167.85 kB5 February 2026

  as well as

  For Swiss citizens:

  • original certificate of current residence
  • valid passport or identity card

  For citizens of other countries:

  • original birth certificate establishing who the parents are
  • original current civil status record:
    a) certificate establishing that they are unmarried
    b) divorce decree that specifies when it entered into force
    c) registered partnership dissolution decision that specifies when it entered into force
    d) death certificate of deceased spouse/partner
  • original certificate of current residence
  • valid passport or identity card

  Certain documents may no longer be required if the person is already registered in the Swiss civil status register.

  For Ecuador:

  • Original birth certificate with the parents’ origin ("Inscripción de nacimiento"), certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with apostille.
  • Original of the certificate of civil status ("Certificado de identidad y estado civil" Civil Status Register), certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with apostille.
  • Affidavit of marital status, residence and nationality (personal appearance before a notary public who notarizes the declaration of marital status, residence and nationality), certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with apostille.
  • Divorce certificate with legal annotation ("Sentencia de divorcio") and ("Inscripción de matrimonio con marginación"), certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with apostille.
  • Death certificate of the deceased spouse ("Certificado de defunción"), certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with apostille.
  • Necessity of translation of the documents.
  • Necessity of certification, local competent authority if applicable.

  All foreign civil status documents must be certified with an apostille before being transmitted to the Swiss representation.

  Responsible local authority:
  

  Apostilles are issued at the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana with prior appointment. Appointment
  

  Zones: Quito, Guayaquil, Azogues, Esmeraldas, Ibarra, Machala, Manta, Tulcan.

  If the second person is domiciled in Switzerland:

  • copy of their certificate of current residence in Switzerland
  • copy of their valid passport or identity card

  For any joint children who are not yet entered in the Swiss civil status register:

  • original birth certificate establishing who the parents are
  • original official decree establishing filiation or recognition of paternity
  • original certificate of current residence
  • valid passport or identity card

  For any joint children who are entered in the Swiss civil status register:

  • copy of their birth certificate
  • copy of their valid passport or identity card

  Fees

  The fees for this preparatory procedure amount to:

  CHF 300.- + postage

  The original documents are submitted to the civil status authority concerned in Switzerland and must not be older than six months. They will not be returned. Photocopies are not accepted. Additional documents may be required if necessary.

  The costs of a thorough verification, should it be necessary, of the foreign civil status documents by a lawyer approved by the Swiss representation are at your expense.

• Surnames

  After a marriage performed in Switzerland, each of the spouses retains their own surname(s) if they do not file a declaration that they have chosen to take a common surname.

  Non-Swiss citizens must find out from the authority concerned in their country of origin whether they can choose to bear the surname(s) of their Swiss spouse.

  • Guidelines on names under Swiss law (Germand, French, Italian)
  • FAQ on the subject of the new legal provisions concerning surnames (German, French, Italian)

• Authorisation to enter and to reside in Switzerland

  In some cases, entering Switzerland to have a marriage performed requires a visa. Please note the following information:

  Schengen visa for a stay of up to 90 days

  If you plan to take up residence in Switzerland right after your marriage is performed and your spouse (male or female) is not a Swiss citizen, they may need a visa to enter Switzerland and a residence permit. The application for the visa and residence permit can be submitted as part of the marriage preparation procedure. The cantonal migration authority is in charge of accepting or rejecting this application.

  National visa for a stay for more than 90 days

• After getting married

  Please note the following information:

  After your marriage performed in Switzerland