What are the legal requirements to get married in Belgium?
One of you must be a Belgian national or resident in Belgium for at least 3 months
Only civil ceremonies are valid under Belgian law
Legal age for marriage is 18 years for both men and women.
Bride and Groom may not be closely related by blood.
Two witnesses are required who must show ID.
Same sex marriages are legal in Belgium
You may wish to bring a translator to your ceremony
How long do I have to be resident in Belgium before I can get married?
One of you must have been resident there for at least 3 months in order to marry in Belgium.
Getting a marriage licence
You must give notice to marry at least 14 days before the ceremony takes place,
at the municipal authority of Civil Affairs where one of you lives. The notice to marriage is then posted for everyone to see. If nobody objects then your marriage can go ahead after 14 days, and up to 6 months
and 14 days later.
What legal papers do I need to take with me?
Passports or ID.
Copies of your birth certificates issued within the last 6 months
Proof that you are not married (civil status), issued in the last 6 months
Proof of your address issued in the last 6 months. In Belgium the authorities will issue a certificate which the registrar will accept as proof of your address. You can get this by showing your local authority your rental agreement. If one of you does not live in Belgium then you will need to check which documents they will accept as proof.
If you have been divorced then the final divorce papers must be shown.
If you are widowed then the death certificate of your previous spouse must be shown.
All documents must be translated by an official translator and stamped with an apostille.
You must both register your intent to marry in person at your local Civil Affairs office, and hold your ceremony in an approved venue.
Brussels City Hall
Hotel de Ville
Grand Place
1000 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)2 279 22 11
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