Can two foreigners get married in Slovakia?
Yes. Two foreign nationals can get married in Slovakia, even when neither person is a Slovak or EU citizen.
However, they must first submit the required documents to the competent Registry Office, called matrika in Slovak.
A foreign national should normally submit the documents at least 14 days before the planned wedding date.
The exact requirements can depend on:
- the nationality of both partners,
- their residence status in Slovakia,
- the country that issued their documents,
- their previous marital status,
- and the Registry Office processing the application.
For this reason, it is useful to contact the Registry Office before ordering translations or legalising documents.
Our first visit to the Registry Office
The couple first visited the Registry Office in the Košice–Juh city district.
Their application could not be completed there because some necessary documents were missing. This is a common risk when foreign documents do not contain all the information required by the Slovak authorities.
We then continued the process with the Registry Office in the Košice–Západ city district.
This time, after preparing the missing documents, the application was accepted and sent for further verification.
The experience showed something important: it is not enough to bring only a passport and a Slovak residence card. The Registry Office needs documents proving identity, nationality, residence and civil status.
Documents normally required from a foreign national
Under Slovak law, a foreign national may be asked to submit:
- a birth certificate,
- proof of current civil status,
- proof of residence,
- proof of nationality,
- a valid identity document,
- a death certificate of a former spouse if the person is widowed,
- or a final divorce judgment if the person is divorced.
The document confirming civil status must not be older than six months.
In our clients’ case, we prepared the following documents.
1. Passport copies
The Registry Office required the relevant passport pages, including:
- the page with personal information,
- and the page showing the person’s permanent address abroad, where available.
The passports also served as proof of identity and nationality. The office asked us to submit sworn translations of both pages (with personal information and pernament address).
2. Birth certificates
Both partners needed to submit their birth certificates.
Because the certificates were issued abroad, they had to meet the authentication requirements applicable to the country of issue. Depending on the country, this can mean an apostille, superlegalisation or an exemption based on an international agreement.
The documents also needed certified translations into Slovak. Foreign-language documents submitted to Slovak authorities need to be accompanied by a certified Slovak translation.
3. Proof that they were free to marry
Each partner had to provide an official document confirming that they were not already married.
This document may be called:
- a certificate of no impediment to marriage,
- a certificate of single status,
- a certificate of marital status,
- or a similar name, depending on the country.
It is important to check its date. In Slovakia, proof of civil status submitted for marriage must not be older than six months.
The document require an apostille or superlegalisation and a certified Slovak translation.
4. Additional declarations
Some information required by the Registry Office was not written in the couple’s passports or other documents.
In this case, the couple also submitted signed declarations with information such as:
- the places of birth of their parents,
- the parents’ permanent addresses abroad,
- and other personal details requested by the Registry Office.
These declarations are not necessarily identical in every case. The Registry Office may request additional information when the foreign documents do not contain all details needed for the marriage record.
The marriage application
The couple also completed the official marriage application.
The form includes personal information about both partners and their decision about surnames after the marriage.
For example, the partners may need to state:
- whether they will use one common surname,
- whether one partner will keep their current surname,
- and what surname their future children will have.
It is important that the spelling of every name matches the passports and translated documents exactly.
Even a small difference in a name, date or place of birth can delay the process.
What happened after the documents were submitted?
After the Registry Office accepted the application, the documents were scanned and sent to the relevant District Office for verification (Komenského 52, Košice).
The District Office checked whether the documents were valid and whether the legal requirements had been met.
After the documents were approved, the Registry Office could arrange a wedding date with the couple.
The ceremony could not be confirmed immediately during the first visit. The authorities first needed to verify the foreign documents.
This is why foreign couples should not leave the paperwork until the last moment.
Administrative fee
An administrative fee applies when foreign nationals get married in Slovakia.
The exact amount depends on the partners’ citizenship and residence situation, as well as the place and conditions of the ceremony.
Under the current Slovak administrative fee schedule, the fee is €280 when neither partner has permanent residence in Slovakia. The fee is collected only once from the couple. Additional fees may apply when the ceremony takes place outside the official room or outside the standard ceremony time.
Always confirm the final amount directly with the Registry Office before making a payment.
What should foreign couples prepare for?
The process is possible, but it requires good timing.
The most common problems are:
- missing legalisation or apostille,
- documents issued too long ago,
- translations that are not accepted as certified Slovak translations,
- different spelling of names across documents,
- missing information about parents,
- and applying at the wrong Registry Office.
A document that looks correct in the country where it was issued may still not meet the requirements of a Slovak authority.
It is therefore better to check the documents before paying for translations and before visiting the Registry Office.
Need help getting married in Košice?
At Move to Košice, we help foreigners understand and manage administrative procedures in Slovakia.
We can assist with:
- checking the required documents,
- communicating with the Registry Office,
- arranging certified translations,
- checking apostille or legalisation requirements,
- preparing declarations and application forms,
- accompanying clients to public offices,
- and helping with residence-related procedures before or after the marriage.
Every case is different. The requirements may depend on your nationality, residence status and personal situation.
If you are planning to get married in Košice and you are not sure where to start, contact us before preparing your documents. We will review your situation and help you plan the next steps. We consult each case with advocates or other professionals.
Contact Move to Košice and make the administrative part of your wedding easier.