It had to happen sooner or later. I, too, have gone through the process and done some Nordic and Scandinavian tourism to get married. Why Denmark, you ask? Because of its minimal bureaucracy and paperwork for international citizens. I’ll tell you all about it in this post on how to get married in Denmark.
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Getting Married in Europe Between People of Different Nationalities
I honestly don’t know what the process is like for two nationals in your country getting in your own country, but even in Denmark, it could be done faster—in just a couple of weeks. That might be interesting for you.
As for me, currently living in Berlin, I married someone of German nationality. Initially, we wanted to get married in Berlin for convenience. If that’s your case, here are the instructions from the Spanish embassy. [13]
But when we saw that the paperwork would take a long time and that there was no way to speed up the process, we made a Plan B—Denmark.
Paperwork in Germany and Finland
In a future post, I’ll go into detail about getting married in Finland, but for now, here are the instructions provided by the Spanish embassy in Finland [14] (you have to, of course, check your own embassy website). They’re slightly different from those in Berlin and always subject to change depending on the spouses’ nationalities. It’s easier if both are from the EU and harder if not.
Some common requirements in both countries:
- A literal and/or multilingual birth certificate (they are two different things). You can request it here, but it takes several weeks.
- A certificate of residence covering the last two years.
- Patience: The Spanish embassy is the bottleneck, so it’s best to start the process about three months in advance.
Paperwork in Denmark
Why do I mention the previous point? Because of the patience required and the long timeframe involved.
We barely made it, but in the end, the German administration rejected my international birth certificate because Spain hadn’t filled in all the required fields.
If you have to request the same document, make sure to ask for all fields to be filled in. If you receive it missing any optional fields, insist that they complete them. Otherwise, you’ll waste time and money, as I did.
And in Denmark? You don’t even need it. You basically only need the following for both spouses:
- A sworn declaration that you are legally eligible to marry (e.g., single/widowed/divorced, with proof for the latter two cases—if single, a simple sworn statement in plain language and signed is enough).
- Identification documents (EU/EEA ID or passport).
- Proof of residence for the last two years.
And that’s it. With these documents, the form, and the fees, you’re all set. The paperwork takes five business days, and you’ll know whether you’re approved or not.
How to Get Married in Denmark: The Steps
Besides reading what I’ve written here, I recommend checking the official government source, just in case anything has changed since I published this. You can find it on the International Marriage page of the Familieretshuset [15] (something like Denmark’s family affairs office).
Step 1: Deciding Where to Get Married in Denmark
The first step is to decide where—in which municipality or Kommune—you want to get married. Below, I’ve compiled a table with (I believe) all the ones I found, in no particular order. You can contact them (I used email when available or the contact form on their website) to check if they have availability for your preferred date and reserve it.
In Denmark, as in Finland, people speak good English, so there’s no problem calling or writing.
Table with all the Dannish Kommune where you can get married (Click on the traingle)
| Kommune | Información de contacto |
| Kolding | E-mail: bs@kolding.dk [16] Tel: +45 79 79 90 90 |
| Aabenraa | E-mail: vielser@aabenraa.dk [17] Página sobre matrimonios. [18] |
| Sonderborg | E-mail: vielser@sonderborg.dk [19] Tel: +45 88 72 51 84 [20] |
| Tonder | E-mail: vielse@toender.dk [21] Tel: +45 74 92 97 09 |
| Svendborg | |
| Vojens | |
| Haderslev | |
| Ribe | E-mail: raadhuset@esbjergkommune.dk [22] Tel: +45 76 16 16 16 |
| Esbjerg | E-mail: vielse@esbjerg.dk [23] |
| Middelfart | |
| Federicia | E-mail: kommunen@fredericia.dk [24] |
| Odense | E-mail: vielse@odense.dk [25] |
| Velje | E-mail: vielse@vejle.dk [26] |
| Aarhus | Tel: +45 89 40 22 22 |
| Copenhagen | Link a sección de matrimonios [27]. Formulario de contacto [28] |
The most common option—if you don’t live in northern Germany or can’t drive there—is to fly to Copenhagen and get married there.
This is what they replied when I asked about available dates:
At the moment, there is high demand for weddings at Copenhagen City Hall. The earliest available appointment in our system is currently (two months after I wrote to them).
E-mail from the Wedding’s section
Appointments booked through this system are free of charge.
However, we also offer weddings outside of regular working hours on Mondays and Fridays at City Hall for a fee of 1,500 DKK (€201.10).
If you change your mind about the Kommune, you can always write to Familieretshuset and request that they send the marriage certificate to a different Kommune. That’s what we did—we initially chose one that was convenient for driving, but once our application was approved, we couldn’t find a suitable date.
It’s better to do the opposite of what we did: book your date first, or start the process earlier (the certificate is valid for 4–6 months after approval).
Important Notes:
- Vacations: In Denmark, people take vacations in July and early August (weeks 28–32 of the year), so securing a date during these weeks will be extra difficult. Start early!
- Witnesses: Some Kommunes require one or two witnesses, while others don’t. In some cases, the witnesses can be municipal employees, but in others, you’ll need to bring a friend as a witness. Check the requirements of your chosen Kommune.
Step 2: Paperwork and Application
Before anything else: Documents must be translated into English or German.
The required documents vary depending on three scenarios:
- Both spouses are from Nordic countries.
- Both spouses are from the EU and/or Switzerland.
- Other cases.
I’m focusing on EU/Swiss citizens. If your case is different, check the Familieretshuset website for guidance. [15]
To apply, you’ll need to register with your email and phone number and complete the necessary information, including details about how you met and your relationship. As a fun fact, one of the questions asked is: “How did you meet?” The two options given are “online” and “other.” A sign of the times.
By the way, can you imagine meeting on Tinder and getting married at the Kommune of Tønder? And if the idea of Tindering in Finland intrigues you, here are some guys and girls you might find on Tinder in Finland [30].
The form can be completed over a week, so there’s no need to block too much time for it. If you’re missing a document or need to discuss something with your future spouse, you can always save your progress and continue later. If you can’t provide a required document, you must clearly explain why. They will review your reasons and may call you during processing to clarify.
Remember, all documents and responses must be translated into English, Danish, or German. For example: the original + a translated copy. If in doubt, it’s best to re-read their website, call them (expect a 20-minute wait), or email them.
At the end of the process, you’ll receive a version to print, which must be printed and signed by hand (NO digital signatures). You then send them scanned copies or photos of the signed pages. Interestingly, they prefer photos over scans.
Once the form is completed, you can pay the fee by card or bank transfer. The cost is 1,900 Danish kroner (about €255).
Five business days later, you’ll receive your response and the certificate. Once issued, the certificate is valid for 4–6 months.
Step 3: Going to the Kommune
Some Kommunes require you to visit a day before or in the morning (if your appointment is in the afternoon) to show your original documents. This takes five minutes.
We traveled by train from Berlin to Velje, Denmark, arriving at 2 AM due to Deutsche Bahn delays (planned arrival time was 22h).
The next morning, we went to the municipal office, where they checked our documents and gave us our appointment for the ceremony. The ceremony took place that afternoon in a beautiful old town hall.
The whole process was quick—just a couple of formal questions to make it feel more like a real wedding than just signing paperwork. Five minutes later, we had our international marriage certificates and a small gift from the city.
We opened up some champagne and after finishing the bottle we took the Tesla (of course, the driver didn’t have a drink) and we made our way back to Germany. Some weeks later we celebrated with friends and family in Berlin.
Paperwork Upon Returning
Unfortunately, the paperwork doesn’t end there and the guide on how to get married in Denmark needs to address it too.
Remember to update your legal status with all the necessary authorities: civil registry, employer, tax office, insurance companies, etc.
At the time of writing, I still need to submit the form for registering our marriage at the Spanish Civil Registry, but there’s no rush—the important part is done!
Seems Complicated. Should I Use One of the Many Agencies Advertising This?
Many agencies promise to handle the paperwork for you and increase your chances of a positive resolution due to their experience.
Once I moved from research to actually doing it, I found the process straightforward and clear.
If you’re nervous, have 300–500 EUR to spare, or don’t have time to handle everything yourself, using an agency is an option. They might be particularly useful if one or both of you are non-European, to ensure everything goes smoothly. However, as an EU citizen, I found it simple. You’ll have to give the agency power of attorney. Here is the formulary to do so [33].
Budget for Getting Married in Denmark
One important question: How much does it cost?
Here’s what we spent:
- Application fee (Familieretshuset): 254.75 EUR
- Hotels: 184.00 EUR
- Transport (ours and witnesses’): 223.70 EUR
- Food: 135.00 EUR
- Miscellaneous expenses: 100.00 EUR
- Total: Just under 1,000 EUR
By the way, was there a surname change?
This is something that interests a lot of people, and the answer for us was: no.
The Spanish embassy advised us against it, giving a long and thoughtful explanation—including reasons related to the surnames of potential offspring—in plain terms: children. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the details very well, but in any case, neither of us wanted to change our surnames, so we were both happy that it was also the recommended option.
Of course, if you get married in Finland and want your surname to end in -nen, that’s pretty cool.
That’s it for this guide on how to get married in Denmark, including the steps and requirements.
Have you ever considered getting married in a Nordic country? What do you think of Denmark’s fast, simple, and low-bureaucracy process?
If you’ve gotten married in Finland and want to share your experience in a first-person post, get in touch with us, and we’ll arrange it for a future article.