Getting married in Prague

There is an important question for many couples who decided to get married in Prague: 

Is the paperwork for a civil wedding ceremony in Prague difficult?

Compared to other countries, getting ready legal documents for a wedding in Prague is not difficult.

What are the main documents required by the registry offices for a civil wedding ceremony in the Czech Republic?

There are two main documents that are required by all registries across Czech Republic:

• Birth certificate
• Certificate of No Impediment to Marry

If one of you is divorced or had your last name changed, in addition to your birth certificate and certificate of No Impediment to Marry you will need to prepare:

• Divorce certificate (divorce decree)
• Last name change certificate 

A birth certificate is a very simple document to prepare.

How about a Certificate of No Impediment to Marry?

We are often asked the question: “Can I get married without a Certificate of No Impediment to Marry?”

The general answer is No. The Certificate of No Impediment to Marry will be always required for a civil wedding ceremony in Czech Republic. But, the ways how you can obtain it will depend on two main conditions: your citizenship and the country where you permanently/long term reside.

How difficult is it to obtain the Certificate of No Impediment? It will greatly depend on your citizenship and country of your residence. There are usually a few scenarios:

• You request Certificate of No Impediment to Marry at your registry office in your home country. There is a number of countries that issue a Certificate of No Impediment to Marry that fully corresponds to the requirements of the Czech registries.
• You request your Certificate of No Impediment to Marry from your Embassy in Prague. This can be the case if you live in Czech Republic- on a long term or permanent basis
• You will have to only sign an Affidavit at the public notary in your home country
• We will request Certificate of No Impediment from your Embassy in Prague- without your presence.

Here’s a brief overview of how a Certificate of No Impediment to Marry can be requested for a few countries:

• If you are a citizen of one of these countries, you will need to request a Certificate of No Impediment to Marry at the registry office in your home country:

– Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Australia, Germany, Poland, Italy, Israel, Greece, Austria, Romania, Brazil

• If you are a citizen of these countries, we can request a Certificate of No Impediment to Marry at your embassy in Prague – without your presence.

– Russia, Belarus, Iran, Philippines, Holland, France

• If you are a citizen of these countries, you will need to sign an Affidavit (Honest Statement) at the notary in your home country:

– Ukraine, USA, Canada