Marriage: conversion of a registered civil partnership into a marriage

On 01.10.2017, the law introducing the right to marry for persons of the same sex came into force.

Existing civil partnerships can be converted into marriages if the civil partners declare in person and with simultaneous presence in the registry office that they want to conduct a marriage with each other. The conversion is therefore a marriage.

Requirements

The conversion must be registered with the registry office (comparable with the "Registration for marriage", see under "i Where can I find out more?").

The registered civil partnership must still exist.

The registrar's office in whose district one of the spouses is registered with their main or secondary residence is responsible for registering the conversion. The marriage itself can take place at any registry office.

The marriage itself can take place at any registry office.

What documents do I need?

• Valid identity cards or passports
• the extended registration certificate, if a person is not registered in Bremen or an information block has been set up in the register of residents
• the current (not older than six months) certified copy of the civil partnership register or the current civil partnership certificate and the current certified copies of the birth register/birth certificates
  

  if the registered civil partnership was not established at the registry office where the conversion is carried out