Marriage in Germany vs Georgia: which one is a better option?

Is difficult enough to find two countries more dissimilar to each other than Germany and Georgia. Therefore, a couple deciding to get married abroad and considering these two directions is definitely not like most lovers we have worked with.

For sure, the partners are guided by an individual number of parameters when choosing the country for a wedding, but in most cases, the selection criteria include:

• Ability to easily enter the country (remoteness, travel cost and visa requirements). 
• Number of documents required for marriage registration.
• Bureaucratic processes terms.
• The picturesque landscapes.
• Price range for the wedding and related services.
• Possibility to combine the marriage registration with honeymoon trip.
• General feedback about the country and its citizens.

For most of the points listed above, Georgia and Germany have really different characteristics. To verify the veracity of these words, let’s partially consider a number of requirements for the process of marriage registering for foreigners in each particular country.

Requirements for the process of marriage registering for foreigners in Germany

The requirements for foreigners wishing to marry in Germany will depend on their nationality and residence status in the country. The following are general provisions regarding the marriage registration process in this country:

• Applicattion for the marriage registration. A foreign couple have to apply for marriage registration at the local registration office (Standesamt) in Germany. The application can be submitted in person, by mail or online.
• Documentation. The partners have to provide the documents proving their identity (passport or travel document) The documents in any language except German require notarized translation into German
• Residence Permit. If you are in Germany with a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis), you have to provide a relevant copy of it. In case of entering the country by visa, you will need to obtain the appropriate residence permit in order to register a marriage.
• Certificate of no valid marriage. A foreign citizen must provide the certificate of non-marriage or a certificate of divorce (if one or both partners were previously married or were in a registered partnership).
• Age. The legal age for marriage in Germany is 18 years old. If a foreign citizen is under the legal age, obtaining a marriage license (Ehefähigkeitszeugnis) through the consulate of mother country is a must.
• Lack of consanguinity. Marriage between people who are closely related by blood is prohibited by German law.
• Health status. Before marriage, both partners must undergo a medical examination and provide a medical certificate confirming the absence of infectious diseases that may be dangerous for the partner.
• Language. In some cases, language proficiency is required to get married in Germany. If the partners do not speak German, they may need an interpreter.
• The cost of marriage registration. The cost of registering a marriage at the local authorities varies from $50 to $160. It depends on the legislation of the region (land), the specifics of the procedure and other nuances.

It should be noted that the list of requirements for marriage in Germany may differ in each particular case. Therefore, before applying for marriage registration, you should clarify all the details by contacting the local registration office.

Visa requirement for Germany

Germany is part of the Schengen Area, which means that foreign nationals are required to have a visa in order to register a marriage – either a short-term Schengen visa or a long-term national visa. In recent years, however, the visa issue has increasingly become one of the main risk factors when planning a wedding, especially for citizens of Russia and Belarus.

Let us start with the basics:

• Schengen Visa. If a foreign national plans to enter Germany for a short period (generally up to 90 days), for example to get married and complete the necessary paperwork, a short-stay visa is required. This visa allows a stay of up to 90 days in Germany for any purpose, including marriage registration.
• National Visa. If a foreign national intends to stay in Germany for more than 90 days, a long-term visa is required. This type of visa may be issued for employment, studies, family reunification, or other long-term purposes. If the intention is to get married and remain in Germany on a permanent basis, the appropriate residence permit must be obtained.

In practice, however, the situation is far more complex than it may appear at first glance. According to data from the European Commission, the refusal rate for Schengen visas for Russian citizens in recent years has reached approximately 11%, affecting several thousand applicants. In 2024 alone, Russian couples received 44,885 visa refusals, losing millions of euros in non-refundable visa fees and document preparation costs.

Germany itself also remains a country with a relatively high refusal rate: around 14% of short-stay visa applications were rejected. And even if a visa is ultimately approved, processing times can be significantly delayed – by 2025, waiting times for tourist visas in Germany had reached 4-6 months due to high demand and enhanced scrutiny.

An additional source of uncertainty is political. Germany supports a stricter visa policy toward citizens of the Russian Federation and Belarus, and the number of visas issued has already declined markedly compared to the pre-pandemic period.

What does this mean for a couple planning a wedding in Germany?

When choosing Germany as the country for marriage registration, it is important to understand that even a perfectly planned wedding can be jeopardized by a single consular decision.

The risks are very real:

• one of the partners may be denied a visa at the last moment;
• application processing may take longer than the wedding timeline allows;
• guests may simply not receive entry permission in time.

If you dream of a wedding surrounded by family, there is another factor to consider: some relatives are highly likely to be unable to attend, either due to a visa refusal or prolonged processing times.

Formally, Germany remains open to foreigners wishing to marry. In reality, however, the visa stage has become a complex and unpredictable process that cannot be fully controlled – even with impeccably prepared documents.

This is precisely why more and more international couples, when choosing a country for their wedding, are paying attention not only to the beauty of the location but also to the ease of entry. When the mere act of arriving – whether for guests or for the bride and groom – does not cause stress, wedding preparations become far calmer, just as they should be.

Requirements for the process of marriage registering for foreigners in Georgia

The requirements must be met by foreigners to marry in Georgia:

• Applicattion for the marriage registratio. Partners must contact the Civil Registry Office and apply for marriage. The application can be submitted either in person or through a representative.
• Documentation. In most of cases only the passports are needed.
• Age. If partners are under the age of 18, they need to get consent from their parents or legal caregivers.
• The cost of marriage registering. Marriage fees are set by the goverment and may vary depending on the registration procedure from $28 to $84.
• Process of marriage registration. After application reviewing and documents submiting, the partners are allowed to choose the date and time of the wedding ceremony. Please note that two witnesses are required to get married. The shortest term of processing the registration takes 24 hours.

Without a doubt, choosing a place for a future wedding is a serious matter that requires a sensible approach, taking all the circumstances and nuances into account. This is the key to the absence of stress and getting the positive emotions from one of the most important days in your life.

If you are considering Georgia as a place to register your marriage, for sure, you may need the help of professionals who will take care of all the hassle of the wedding planning. Turning to «Shu Wedding» Agency you are guaranteed to get the best services for organizing your perfect wedding.