Marriage registration

In order to conclude a marriage, you need to submit:

• a joint written application;
• identity documents;
• birth document, in case the birth details of a prospective spouse are not in the population register;
• in case one of you has been married before: divorce certificate or evidence, divorce judgement from a court, spouse’s death certificate (or evidence) or judgement that repeals the marriage, if there is no data in the population register;
• certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage in case the prospective spouse’s place of residence is in a foreign country or he/she has lived in Estonia less than six months;
• document proving the legality of a foreigner staying in Estonia in case he/she is not an European Union citizen;
• document evidencing payment of the state fee;
• if required, a court ruling regarding the expansion of active legal capacity of a prospective spouse who is a minor;
• if required, a document certifying the elimination of other hindrances to the contraction of marriage.

A foreign document must be legalised or confirmed with an apostille, unless the international agreement states otherwise.

A document in a foreign language must be translated into Estonian, Russian or English, except when the document is in Russian or English. If the documents have been translated, the evidence shall be submitted with a translation confirmed by a notary authority, consular officer or sworn translator.

According to the regulation 2016/1191 of the European Parliament and of the Council from 16 February 2019, several public documents are no longer required to be submitted in the European Union with an apostille.

This Regulation applies to public documents issued by the authorities of a Member State in accordance with its national law which have to be presented to the authorities of another Member State and the primary purpose of which is to establish one or more of the following facts: birth, death, name, marriage (including capacity to marry and marital status), divorce, adoption, parenthood, domicile and/or residence.

Estonian authorities accept the mentioned documents in Estonian, Russian and English, so translation of the documents in these languages is not required. If the document is in another language, the document must be translated (unless a multilingual standard form is attached to it).

About documents

Certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage

A certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage is required from a person whose place of residence is in a foreign country or who has immediately before submitting the application for marriage lived in Estonia for a period of less than six months. Pursuant to subsection 9 (5¹) of the Vital Statistics Registration Act the residence of a person shall be the residence entered in the population register.

A person who has lived in Estonia for more than six months before submitting the marriage application, and whose marital status information is included in the population register, does not have to submit a certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage (Vital Statistics Registration Act §39 [6]).

A certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage is a document issued by the prospective spouse’s country of residence or nationality, which a competent institution of the country of residence or nationality uses to confirm that the person has no circumstances that would present obstacles to marriage pursuant to the legislation of the country of residence or nationality.

This evidence is valid until the deadline stated on it, but no longer than seven months after being issued. The evidence must be valid when the marriage is concluded.

This evidence must be legalised or confirmed with an apostille, unless the international agreement states otherwise. A document in a foreign language must be translated into Estonian, Russian or English, except when the document is in Russian or English. If the documents have been translated, the evidence shall be submitted with a translation confirmed by a notary authority, consular officer or sworn translator.

Such a document which only includes the person’s marital status or states that there is no data about the person’s marriage for some period or a hand-written declaration of the lack of obstacles, confirmed by a notary, shall not be considered a certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage.

Please note! If a certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage is not issued in a foreign country, you shall have the right to go to court (Harju County Court in Tallinn, Lubja 4), pursuant to subsection 39 (5) of the Vital Statistics Registration Act, and apply for permission to get married without evidence of marriage capability. As subsection 39 (5) of the Vital Statistics Registration Act establishes: “An alien whose place of residence is in a foreign country or who has lived in Estonia for a period of less than six months before submitting the application of marriage and who for some good reason cannot submit a certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage, may receive permission to contract marriage without the certificate from the court in whose jurisdiction the marriage shall be contracted. The permit is valid for six months.”

Birth certificate

A prospective spouse whose birth records are not in the population register must submit a birth document (§38 of the Vital Statistics Registration Act).

In order to enter the details into the population register of Estonia you need to submit birth records which include details of the parents.

A foreign document must be legalised or confirmed with an apostille, unless the international agreement states otherwise.

A document in a foreign language must be translated into Estonian, Russian or English, except when the document is in Russian or English. If the documents have been translated, the evidence shall be submitted with a translation confirmed by a notary authority, consular officer or sworn translator.

A person who has previously been married

A person who has previously been married must submit a certificate evidencing the termination or revocation of marriage (divorce document, death certificate with a marriage document).

A foreign divorce document must include the personal details of the people divorcing, details of the authority who made the decision on divorce, the time of the decision and the date on which it entered into force as well as, if possible, the time and place of concluding the marriage that was dissolved.

Please note! It is essential that statements of judgements made in foreign countries include all the above details.

If it is a court decision on dissolution of marriage from a European Union Member State, made after 1 March 2005, it must include the evidence established under European Council Regulation 2201/2003EC (Annex I). Regulation in English. Including the evidence ensures full information about dissolution of the marriage and also that the judgement has entered into force. In this case, the judgement does not have to be confirmed with an apostille.

A judgement of an EU Member State court made before 1 March 2005 must have an apostille. A judgement made by a court that is not an EU Member State court must have an apostille or be legalised.

A document in a foreign language must be translated into Estonian, Russian or English, except when the document is in Russian or English. If the documents have been translated, the evidence shall be submitted with a translation confirmed by a notary authority, consular officer or sworn translator.

If the previous marriage was terminated with the death of a spouse, the spouse’s death certificate (or evidence) must be submitted in addition also the marriage certificate (or evidence). These documents must be legalised or confirmed with an apostille, unless the international agreement states otherwise.

A document in a foreign language must be translated into Estonian, Russian or English, except when the document is in Russian or English. If the documents have been translated, the evidence shall be submitted with a translation confirmed by a notary authority, consular officer or sworn translator.

Economic rights

When entering into a contract of marriage the prospective spouses must, upon the submission of the application, choose whether the proprietary relations between them shall be subject to the jointness of property, the set-off of assets increment or separateness of property regulation. In case the prospective spouses do not indicate their option, it is regarded that they have chosen the jointness of property regulation.

In case the prospective spouses select the set-off of assets increment or separateness of property regulation, the Vital Statistics Department shall forward the relevant application to the marital property register with the application for entry. Afterwards, a marital property registry card shall be opened and the marital property register shall send a relevant notification to the spouses.

Marital property register: https://abieluvararegister.rik.ee/

How quickly can one get married?

Pursuant to subsection 41 (1) of the Vital Statistics Registration Act marriage shall not be contracted earlier than one month and later than six months from the date on which the prospective spouses submitted an application for marriage to a Vital Statistics Department.

How old do you need to be to get married?

A person who is at least 18 years old is considered to be of age to marry. A person who is at least 15 years old must submit a court ruling regarding his/her expanding of active legal capacity in order to perform the actions required for contracting a marriage and to perform the rights and obligations related to marriage.

Name after entering into a contract of marriage

Upon contracting a marriage, the person may pick a new surname or keep the old one.

The new surname can be:

o   the same as that of the spouse (the last surname one of the spouses had immediately before getting married);

o   consist of the previous surname and be followed by the spouse’s surname, separated with a hyphen.

You must pay a state fee for contracting a marriage 30,00 euro. I shall pay the state fee.

For the official ceremony at the Tallinn Vital Statistics Office you need to pay (includes 20% VAT):

official ceremony on Wednesday 60,00 €

official ceremony on Thursday 60,00 €

official ceremony on Friday 200,00 €

official ceremony on Saturday 250,00 €

Please note! Please add the official ceremony weekday to the explanation

You can also order an official marriage registration ceremony outside the rooms of the Vital Statistics Department, in a place of your own choosing.

When you have found the suitable place and reserved a time, please notify us as soon as possible via e-mail abielu@tallinnlv.ee. This way you help to better plan the work of our officials during summer months and help to consider your wishes when you come to submit the application of marriage.

Official ceremony outside the rooms of the Vital Statistics Department (price includes 20% VAT):

In Tallinn, outside the official rooms 400,00 €

Outside Tallinn, in Harju County 500,00 €

Outside Harju County 700,00 €

How to pay?

You can pay for the official ceremony:

You can pay the state fee and all other fees on the spot by using your bank card (except American Express) and also in the Internet bank.

The closest possibility to thank your guests for participating at the marriage ceremony is at the banquet hall of the Vital Statistics Department that could be rented for 200,00 € (for 2 hours including preparation and cleanup). Our banquet rooms offer you an excellent opportunity to thank your guests immediately after the ceremony when the emotions are the highest and there seems to be no end to the warm congratulations.
You have a choice between two banquet rooms of different size and capacity, the larger one is suitable for up to 70 guests and the smaller one for up to 30 guests.
In summer, the festively decorated courtyard of the Vital Statistics Department can be used as an alternative to the banquet rooms. The price includes the rental of the banquet room and drinking glasses! Additional information 645 7482, 645 7484 or e-mail: Irina.Serova@tallinnlv.ee, Katrin.Kommer@tallinnlv.ee

Rental of premises of city's representative institutions for official receiptions, festive events, trainings and meetings. Detailed information about the representative institutions: Roosikrantsi Residence, E.Särgava guest house, Jaan Poska house, Tallinn Town Hall.

Your marriage shall be contracted on the agreed date and, if you wish, you shall be issued a marriage certificate.

Tallinn Vital Statistics Department does not advise on documents over the phone. Consultation is based on the submitted application that allows Tallinn Vital Statistics Department to process personal data.