Agencies advertise getting married in Tønder or another Danish city. Weddings in the neighbouring country involve less bureaucracy and appointments can be arranged more quickly. The fact that no birth certificate is required makes Denmark an attractive wedding destination even for people without a British passport. This document is often very difficult to obtain, especially for refugees. But Denmark also has formalities.
More than 20,000 international couples marry in Denmark every year, including same-sex couples. If the couple is neither divorced nor widowed, everything is simple: all that is required is a passport and residence permit and, in some cases, an extended registration certificate. An “approval” from the Familieretshuuset, a state agency for family law, is also required. This agency issues a Danish certificate of no impediment to marriage. In addition, both parties must sign to confirm that their information is true. Anyone who lies is liable to prosecution. No so-called banns of marriage are required—unlike in Germany, however, two witnesses are required. Agencies advertise online that they will take care of the formalities. However, this can be expensive. Because the Danish state does not accept marriages of convenience, the authorities often require proof that the couple really are in love and that the relationship is not fake. Details can be found on the website of the German Embassy in Copenhagen: kopenhagen.diplo.de
Marriages concluded in Denmark are valid in Germany without further formalities.
It becomes more difficult if one of the partners has been married before. In this case, a divorce or death certificate must be presented. If this comes from a country outside the EU or the USA, Canada and Australia, legal certification is often required. (see tun24060502)
For some refugees, however, the biggest hurdle is the Danish border. Asylum seekers living in Germany are not allowed to leave the country. This means that they cannot normally travel to Denmark. In individual cases, the relevant immigration authority may issue a special permit. Even those with temporary leave to remain cannot travel to Denmark. However, it is possible with other types of residence permits. However, Denmark has a stricter asylum system than Germany and also carries out more checks.
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