Getting married in Switzerland: the civil registry process, step by step

In Switzerland, only the civil marriage has legal force. A religious ceremony, if you want one, comes afterwards and replaces nothing. Before the big day, there is an administrative procedure at the civil registry office: not complicated, but worth planning ahead — especially if one of the future spouses is a foreign national. Here is how it works.

At a glance

• Civil marriage first. It is the act that creates a marriage in the eyes of the law. The religious ceremony is optional and comes later.
• Everything starts with the marriage preparation procedure at the civil registry office of the domicile of one of the two partners.
• Allow time: between submitting the application and the ceremony, documents need to be gathered — and even more so if papers are coming from abroad.
• Two adult witnesses with capacity of judgement are required on the day of the ceremony.
• Indicative cost: CHF 300 to 400 (documents and civil ceremony), more for certain special requests.

What you need to understand

The civil marriage is performed by the civil registry office (Zivilstandsamt / office de l'état civil), a cantonal or regional authority — not the residents' registration office. The procedure has two stages: a preparatory phase (verifying that conditions are met and the dossier is complete), then the ceremony itself.

The basic conditions for getting married:

• be 18 years of age and have capacity of judgement,
• not already be married or in a registered partnership,
• not be related in a direct line (ancestors, descendants) or be siblings.

Since 1 July 2022, marriage is open to same-sex couples.

The marriage preparation procedure at the civil registry office

1. Submit the application to open the marriage preparation procedure at the civil registry office of the domicile of one of you.
2. The office verifies the conditions and the completeness of the dossier.
3. Once the procedure is approved, you agree on a date for the ceremony.

The office will tell you exactly which documents are required based on your situation. It is best to contact them early: they issue the precise list, which varies depending on whether you are Swiss, a foreign national, or resident abroad.

Documents to gather

The list depends on your situation, but generally includes:

• a valid identity document for each partner,
• proof of domicile or residency,
• civil status documents (birth certificate, and depending on circumstances the certificate of origin for Swiss nationals).

If one of the partners is a foreign national or if documents come from abroad, plan for:

• a valid residence permit,
• translated and legalised documents (apostille or legalisation depending on the country).

This part takes the most time. Start requesting foreign documents as early as possible.

The day of the ceremony

• The civil ceremony takes place in the presence of two adult witnesses.
• At the end, you receive a marriage certificate showing names before and after the marriage, the venue and the date.
• A ceremony on a Saturday or with special requests may cost more.

After the marriage

Marriage changes several things on the administrative side:

• Name: you can each keep your own name, or adopt a joint family name. This choice is made as part of the procedure.
• Matrimonial property regime: without a marriage contract, the participation in acquisitions regime applies by default.
• Taxes: married couples are taxed jointly, which affects your tax return from the year of marriage onwards.

Common mistakes

• Assuming a religious ceremony is enough. In Switzerland, without a civil marriage there is no marriage in the eyes of the law.
• Starting too late. Preparation takes weeks, especially when foreign documents need to be translated and legalised.
• Submitting untreated foreign documents, without translation or legalisation: they will be rejected.
• Overlooking the tax impact. Joint taxation can noticeably change your tax burden from the very first year.
• Neglecting the name choice, which must be settled during the procedure, not afterwards.

Useful official links

• ch.ch · Marriage in Switzerland: conditions, procedure, process.
• ch.ch · Order civil status documents: birth certificate, family record book and other documents.
• ch.ch · Matrimonial property regimes and taxation: what marriage changes regarding wealth and taxes.
• The civil registry office of your canton or region: for the exact document list and to book an appointment.

How Admini can help

A marriage means a small pile of official documents circulating between two people, sometimes two countries. Admini helps you:

• Bring together identity documents, birth certificates, residence permits and certified translations in one place.
• Share a clean dossier with your future spouse, without emailing ten different versions back and forth.
• Keep the marriage certificate and name choice on hand, useful afterwards for taxes, insurance and the bank.

The goal: make sure the paperwork isn't the bad memory of the year.