Get married: marriage preparation and ceremony
Couples wishing to marry in the City of Zurich first go through the marriage-preparation procedure at the civil registry office: they submit an application with the required documents, and the office checks their capacity to marry. After preparation is complete, the ceremony takes place before two witnesses of legal age; finally the office issues the marriage certificate.
Übersetzung ausstehend — Voraussetzungen
- Both persons are eligible to marry (of legal age and capable of judgement) and not already married or in a registered partnership.
Common concerns that lead here
Digital maturity & simplification
Online maturity:Partly digitalStatus: ObservedMedia breaks
- In-person visit
- Postal mail
Data already on file (once-only)
Residence and civil-status data are already held by the authorities. With full register linkage, the proof of residence and civil-status document would not need to be obtained separately.
Pain points
- The application and the ceremony require appearing in person at the counter.
Improvement ideas
- Online pre-registration of the marriage preparation with automatic reuse of register data.
Impact & metrics
- Share online: Information online, Verfahren am Schalter
User groups
Couples who are Swiss citizens · Couples with foreign nationality
Steps (textual)
- Decision to marryStartCouple to be married
- Submit the marriage-preparation request to the registry officeInputCouple to be married
The couple files the request at the place of residence of one partner. Foreign nationals need additional proofs.
Fees for marriage preparation and the ceremony ↗Übersetzung ausstehend — Belegstelle noch nicht wörtlich übernommen The registry office checks whether both persons are eligible to marry and whether the documents are complete.
Requirements for capacity to marry (minimum age, capacity of judgement) ↗Übersetzung ausstehend — Belegstelle noch nicht wörtlich übernommen
Übersetzung ausstehend — Verbindliche Werte (Fristen & Gebühren)
Übersetzung ausstehend — Verbindliche Zahlen stehen bewusst nicht im Diagramm — sie gelten nur so, wie sie in der amtlichen Quelle stehen. Jeder Eintrag verlinkt auf die exakte Stelle.
- Requirements for capacity to marry (minimum age, capacity of judgement)(retrieved 2026-06-18)Übersetzung ausstehend — Belegstelle noch nicht wörtlich übernommen
- Validity period of the marriage-preparation procedure (window for the ceremony)(retrieved 2026-06-18)Übersetzung ausstehend — Belegstelle noch nicht wörtlich übernommen
- Fees for marriage preparation and the ceremony(retrieved 2026-06-18)Übersetzung ausstehend — Belegstelle noch nicht wörtlich übernommen
Legal basis
Sources
- Stadt Zürich – Zivilstandsamt / Heirat(retrieved 2026-06-18)