Marriage/Partnership to be performed abroad
If your marriage/partnership is to be performed abroad, it will be subject to the law of the country in question.
The Swiss representation is not in charge of civil status procedures with foreign authorities. For information on the conditions, documents required and formalities to be respected, please directly contact the civil status authorities of the place where you are planning to get married or partnered. Only these authorities can give you authoritative information.
In particular, please enquire as to whether a Swiss certificate of capacity to marry is required or whether an individual Swiss civil status certificate is sufficient, whether other Swiss civil status documents are required and whether the documents need to be legalised.
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.
Some countries require a certificate of capacity to marry, which certifies under Swiss law that there are no impediments to marriage. This certificate is issued by the marital status authority concerned in Switzerland.
Both fiancés must order it. The order can be placed in parallel in different places if the couple is not living in the same country.
Presence in person is required in all cases.
If you are ordering the certificate via the 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:
Form: Order of a certificate of capacity to marry (PDF, 2 Pages, 167.9 kB, German)
Form: Order of a certificate of capacity to marry (PDF, 2 Pages, 156.1 kB, French)
Form: Order of a certificate of capacity to marry (PDF, 2 Pages, 159.7 kB, Italian)
as well as
Marriage to be performed in Thailand (PDF, 3 Pages, 457.5 kB, English)
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.
For the Thai partner:
- House register(Tabienban)for the last six months
- Thai passportor Thai identity card–if not holding a passport
- Birth certificate containing the full names of the parents (given/first names and familynames)
*Certificate of civil status(single, divorced, widowed), not olderthan 6 months - Extract of the family register(Central registar, Thanon Nakhon Sawan, Khet Dusit, Bangkok 10300, Tel. 02 356 96 58)–required only if the*Certificate of civil status does not clearly mention the civil status
- Extract of the register of divorce–if divorced
- Certificate of deathof the deceased partner–if widowed
- Certificates regarding changes of given name or first names
For common children:
- Birth certificate
- Thai passport
- Recognition of paternity (if possible)