Marriage

If you or your partner live abroad, you cannot use the digital declaration of marriage. You’ll need to use the PDF version instead.

Find the PDF-format declaration of marriage in English

A marriage conducted abroad can be recognised in Denmark if it is valid in the country where it took place.

However, the following conditions always apply:

• Both parties were present at the wedding
• Both parties were 18 years of age or over at the time of the marriage
• The marriage must not be in conflict with Danish law

The marriage must not have been entered into for the purpose of obtaining a residence permit in Denmark.

You can complete the declaration of marriage online on The Agency of Family Law’s website, familieretshuset.dk. Otherwise, you can complete the declaration as a PDF file.

Complete the Agency of Family Law declaration of marriage (in Danish)

The earliest you can complete the declaration of marriage is four months before you intend to get married.

Note: You must apply for a marital licence and a Certificate of Marital Status from the Agency of Family Law if one of you:

• Is not a Danish or Nordic citizen
• Does not have a permanent residence permit for Denmark
• Is not entitled to permanent residence in Denmark under the Danish Order concerning EU residence regulations.

How to fill in and submit your declaration of marriage as a PDF

• Fill in the PDF and hand it in at Borgerservice in the Town Hall.

How to fill in and submit a declaration of marriage digitally

• One of you must start by logging on.
• The CPR (civil registration) number of the other party must then be provided.
• Once one of you has completed and signed the declaration, a link will be sent to the other person’s digital mailbox via Digital Post.
• By following the link, the other party can log on, complete and sign his/her section.

If you are in doubt about any information you need to provide when filling in the declaration of marriage, or are missing a document that you need to attach, you can also save the part of the declaration that you have completed as a draft and resume filling it in later.

In addition to the declaration of marriage, it may be necessary to attach special documentation such as baptismal certificates, divorce decrees and probate court certificates. You can see from the declaration of marriage what other documentation might also be needed.

When you get married, you can take each other’s middle and last-names (you should be aware that in Denmark, as in some other countries, middle names are a kind of surname too). You must use self-service to apply for the name change

Visit “Wedding Day Name Change” in self-service (Danish page)

You must apply for the name change no later than 15 working days before your wedding date. When you complete the marriage declaration, it is important to state whether you have applied for a name change.

In other words, you must fill in both the marriage declaration and the “Wedding Day Name Change” in self-service.

You can change your name after you get married, but doing so is only free of charge within three months after your wedding date. After that, it costs DKK 500.

Find out more about changing your name at borger.dk (Danish page)

If you want to get married in a civil ceremony in the Town Hall, you must first fill in and submit a declaration of marriage to the municipality. You need to state in your declaration of marriage that you would like to be married in the Town Hall. Gentofte Kommune will then contact you for further information.

You can also write to Gentofte Kommune by digital post if you have a Certificate of Marital Status. You can send a message by logging on to borger.dk using your MitID. Click on “Digital Post” at the top of the page. Select Gentofte Kommune as the recipient. Send your message and remember to write “marriage” in the subject line. 

A civil marriage takes place in the Town Hall. You will be married by the mayor or other authorised officiant.

At least two witnesses must attend your wedding. If your wedding is on a Saturday, you must provide one or both witnesses yourself. On other days, Gentofte Kommune provide both witnesses.

Your marriage certificate will be issued immediately after the wedding.

Gentofte Town Hall is available for weddings at the following times:

• Monday – Thursday: 11 am or 3 pm
• Friday: 11 am or 1 pm
• Saturday: 11 am.

If you intend to marry in a church or other religious community, Gentofte Kommune issues a Certificate of Marital Status based on the declaration of marriage, and sends it to you.

If you are Danish or Nordic citizens, you must contact the church office of the church where you want to get married.

If your citizenship is outside the Nordic countries, please contact the Agency of Family Law.

Visit the Agency of Family Law’s website

If you’re marrying abroad, you must contact the Agency of Family Law to obtain a certificate of marriage before you get married.

The must be submitted to the marriage authorities in the country in question.

When you return home to Denmark, you must present the original marriage certificate to the national register (“Folkeregistret”) in the municipality where you live.

If you would like a civil wedding at a venue other than the Town Hall, you can e-mail your request and contact details to the mayor’s office: Borgmestersekretariat@gentofte.dk  

A Certificate of Marital Status shows that you meet the conditions for getting married.

You will receive your Certificate of Marital Status from Gentofte Kommune once you have completed and submitted your declaration of marriage. 

If one or both of you are foreign nationals without permanent residence in Denmark, you must submit your declaration of marriage to the Agency of Family Law. Then they prepare your Certificate of Marital Status for you.

The Certificate of Marital Status is valid for four months from the date of issue. However, if you are legally resident in Denmark, the certificate may be valid for a shorter period, depending on the length of your lawful residency.

You must hand in the Certificate of Marital Status to the authority that will be conducting the wedding.

If one or both of you have been married before, the previous marriage must have ended before you can enter into another marriage.

Your divorce must be registered in the Central Office of Personal Registration (CPR) and documented.

If one of you is a widow or widower, community property from your previous marriage must have be divided or be in probate with an executor or personal representative of the deceased before you can remarry. This means the certificate of probate from your previous marriage must be submitted together with the joint declaration of marriage from you and your new partner.

To enter into marriage in Denmark, you must both be over 18 and unmarried.

If one of you has been married before, the previous marriage must have ended before you can enter into another marriage.

Gentofte Kommune does not grant divorces. If you live in Gentofte Kommune, please contact the Agency of Family Law.

Visit the Agency of Family Law’s website