How to Get Married in Belgium

Getting Married in Belgium

In order to get married in Belgium, one of the parties must reside in the country. There is no specific period of residence, but several weeks are generally necessary for completion of the required paperwork.

If neither of the parties has a permanent residence in Belgium, one of them may establish a residence for this purpose. Upon arrival in Belgium, the party must register with the communal authorities in the district of residence and request a Bewijs van Woonst voor Huwelijksdoeleinden/Certificat de Domicile pour mariage (Certificate of Residence for Marriage Purposes).

Applications and/or Documents Required: Bring along original copies of the following (and be sure pack these in your hand luggage, never in your checked bags):

• Certified copy of the birth certificate
  
• Certificate of residence showing full name, place and date of birth, last legal residence, nationality and marital status of the individuals. The Belgian communal authorities will issue this certificate to the party registered in Belgium. The party not registered in Belgium must obtain it from the authorities of his or her last place of residence
  
• If previously married, you must provide a certified copy of the final divorce decree or the death certificate of the former spouse. If the divorce decree does not indicate the date on which the divorce became final, a statement from the court which pronounced the divorce must also be produced
  

All official documents issued in a foreign country (e.g. the United States) must be authenticated by means of the Apostille. In the Untied States, the Apostille is issued by the office of the Secretary of state in the state where the document was issued.
If the documents are written in a language other than Dutch, French or German, they must be translated by a sworn translator

Waiting Period: The marriage may be performed ten days after posting of the banns.

~ by Liz Stiglets

Related Pages:

• wedding regulations in other destinations

Note: Lovetripper.com provides the above information for guidance purposes only. Couples should verify all information with the consulate from their respective countries and with the local offices before making any plans.