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Marriage In Germany as a Non-EU Citizen

by Family and RelationshipsLegal and Administrative Processes

If you want to get married in Germany, your application for marriage may become more complicated if you or your partner is not from within the EU, or if you have been previously married. As everything else, getting married in Germany can require lots of paperwork. Learn more about the requirements of marriage in Germany as a non-EU citizen in this blog post!

Requirements for marriage in Germany

Before applying for anything, you must first make sure that:

  • You’re not already married.
  • You’re at least 18 years old (16 with parental consent)
  • You don’t want to marry someone who is related by blood.
  • You’ve been living in Germany for at least three weeks.

Application to registry office (Standesamt)

Your marriage application should be submitted to the registry office in your area where either you or your partner is registered. You need to make an appointment with the registry office and attend the meeting there. Here, they will explain the process, and you’ll get the documentation you need to submit for approval. It would be best if you arranged for this meeting several months before you plan to get married, so that you have plenty of time to gather and submit the required documents. Once the registry office approves the application, you should get married within 6 months or might have to go through the application process all over again.

You may also be required to have your documents translated into German by a certified translator if you are a non-EU citizen. The total cost, depending on the complexity of your case ranges from 60 to 600 euros. The required documents might include:

  • Valid ID (passport/identity card)
  • Official Statement of Residency (Meldebescheinigung)
  • Original birth certificate with parents’ names.
  • Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) (Befreiung vom Ehefähigkeitszeugnis), which can be obtained from embassy.
  • Income certificate (Einkommensbescheinigung)
  • Registration certificate proving you have been resident in Germany longer than three weeks.
  • If you are not a German or EU citizen, a valid residence permit/visa
  • Birth certificates of any children you have had together
  • Affidavit confirming both parties are single (Ledigkeitsbescheinigung)
  • Marriage questionnaire (from the registry office)
  • Certificate of finality of divorce (if applicable)
  • Marriage certificates from any previous marriages
  • Death certificate of the previous spouse (if applicable)
  • Confirmation of name change (if applicable)

Gay marriage in Germany

Same-sex marriage was made legal in Germany in October of 2017. Since then, more that 10,000 same-gender couples have gotten married. The same documents as mentioned above might be required. Find more about the details of the paperwork here!

Wedding ceremony

The wedding ceremony takes place at the registry office. If you want to go ahead with a religious ceremony or wedding reception, you can do so, but this will not have any legal effect. German law considers marriage to be a legally binding contract. Therefore, there is a high degree of importance placed on both parties understanding the legal implications of the event. If either one of you doesn’t speak fluent German, you’ll need to have a certified interpreter there for the wedding.

You can book a certified German translator with us using this link!

German citizenship after marriage

If you marry a German citizen, you aren’t automatically granted German citizenship. However, spouses of Germans may apply for citizenship by naturalization much earlier than others: usually after just two years of marriage. Find more about how to apply for the German citizenship here!

German language | Translation

How is the German parenting style like?

by Education and StudiesFamily and Relationships

Are German parents strict and controlling? Do they often set rules and restrictions for their children? Learn how the German parenting style is like in this blog post!

The German culture has long been associated with strict discipline and control. In recent years, however, the country has seen a rise in parenting styles that are less rigid. Today, German parents tend to be more open-minded and flexible. This shift began during the 1970s, when the government started promoting a new approach to raising children called “positive parenting.”

If you want to raise a happy and well-adjusted child, perhaps you can take a lesson from the German parents.

1. Don’t be afraid to let them take risks

Risk taking is something we all do at some point in our lives. It’s part of being a kid and it’s important to teach them how to manage risks (when it is age-appropriate). German parents generally let their children experience real life situations where they could fail. For example, if you want to teach your child to ride a bike, don’t just give him a helmet and send him out to ride. Instead, let him fall off a few times before he gets his balance. This will teach him not only how to stay safe but also how to deal with failure.

2. Let them enjoy freedom and independence

It’s important for parents to encourage their kids to be independent. This is one of the things that struck the international parents the most when they visited kindergartens in Germany.

They often feel surprised at how free the kids are when they visited the kindergartens for the first time. Rules are put into place before children can play in certain places without much supervision. Children learn the rules and once the care-takers feel they are ready, they can enjoy their freedom! They lose their right if they break the rules. Their rights are restored after a specified time has passed, and that the children learn to play by the rules again. You might be surprised at just how well it works out.

Learn more about how parenting in Germany can be different from the rest of the world in this blog post where a mom shares her own experiences!

3. Connect with nature every day

Germans love being outside in any kind of weather. They enjoy going to parks and playing sports. Therefore, German parents also appreciate taking their children out into nature. They don’t want to be stuck inside because of the weather, but they do dress warmly when they go outside. “When I told my doctor that I haven’t been jogging much lately because of the weather, I was told ‘there is no such thing as bad weather, just unsuitable clothing. Go wear something warm!'” said the founder of Booka Local, Mei Chi Lo.

The same logic goes for the kids. They have outdoor recess at school. Even it is rainy or windy, they still enjoy the fresh air outside. No excuses.

4. Respect boundaries and privacy

Yes, you read it right. German parents do respect the privacy of their children. Children are not born with any sense of privacy; they learn about personal spaces from observing adults. 

Over the world, many parents and kids fight over the issue of boundaries. A lot of German parents know where to draw the line when it comes to the relationship with their children. If their teenager is responsible and trustworthy, they have earned the trust of their parents, and respecting their space should not be difficult. Therefore, if you ask around, you will be surprised that German parents rarely spy on their kids. “My 18-year-old son is open with me about his sex life and relationships. I am happy to have earned his trust that he feels comfortable to talk to me about these things.” said Tim, a 47-year-old father.

Are you a parent living in a foreign land with your children? If yes, you might want to check this article about “How to raise kids in a multilingual family“.

German language

How to raise kids in a multilingual family?

by Cultural Insights and EtiquetteFamily and Relationships

As a parent, you want to raise your children in a multicultural environment. How can you do this without creating too much stress? In this blog post we talk about how to raise kids in a multilingual family!


The global population is growing rapidly. As a result, there has been a rise in the number of families who speak multiple languages at home. According to the United Nations, over half of the world’s population now lives in countries where two or more languages are spoken.


Multiculturalism is becoming the norm today. Parents from around the globe are bringing their children up speaking multiple languages. This means that they should also learn to communicate with each other. If you’re thinking of having children, then you should consider learning a language before they arrive.

Why do you want to raise your kids to be multilingual?

First of all, many believe that multilingual children are better prepared for school and work. They also learn how to communicate with people from different cultures.
However, in today’s world, a lot of parents do not raise their kids to be multilingual out of a choice – they could be immigrants in a new country themselves. It means that, the parents speak another language (or several different languages) at home which is not the native language in the country they live in. Their kids have no choice but to be exposed to different languages at the same time.

Don’t children get confused when they hear two languages spoken around them?

Children are extremely sensitive to the different ways adults speak. Even when they understand only one language, they learn quickly about the differences between how men and women talk, and other differences. Bilingual situations aren’t always a disadvantage. Sometimes it’s an advantage!
Bilingual children may take a bit longer to learn how to speak two languages. Their brains have to work harder to understand both languages. However, bilingual children do develop faster than those who speak only one language.

Raising a multilingual family is hard – what makes it work?

Many books and articles aimed at parents who want their kids to learn languages claim that the best way for them to learn a new language is through OPOL, which stands for “one person, one language.” In this case, both parents speak two languages. One parent speaks English and Spanish; the other parent speaks French and German. In fact, for several reasons, this method isn’t ideal. It is actually found that most children who speak two languages end up using one language exclusively for communication purposes. The success rate was especially high when both parents spoke the home language while the children learned the other language at school. Furthermore, even if the parents were able to speak several different languages, their children would only learn the one they actually use at home. It makes perfect sense because there’s a direct relationship between the amount of time children spend interacting with their parents and the rate at which they learn new words. However, the exact amount of time needed is not known. There is no scientific evidence to back up claims that children need to be exposed to a language for at least thirty percent of their waking hours before they begin to learn it easily (aeon.co).


‘The earlier the better’? Children learn languages best after the age of 12. The current trend in Europe for teaching children English earlier than usual isn’t working well. A child can lose the motivation to learn if starting a language too early – especially if the child is already learning a language at home from one of his or her parents (aeon.co).

How to raise kids in a multilingual family comes with many challenges. If you are a parent living in a foreign land and have to bring up your children with a mixture of languages, make sure you do not put pressure on them to learn different languages or stress yourself about not speaking the foreign language, because they eventually catch up with them by being exposed to them.

Do you have to visit your children’s Kindergarten but do not speak German? We‘ve got your back. Simply book a local now!

Make New Friends In Germany

5 Ways To Make New Friends In Germany

by Cultural Insights and EtiquetteFamily and Relationships

Germany is a wonderful country to live in but it can sometimes be hard to make new friends. Here are some tips on how you can get started and find new people who share your interests:

  1. Learn the German Language

The Germans are one of the most well known groups in Europe and many foreigners find themselves attracted to their culture. However, you might be surprised by how some German people can be reluctant when it comes to communicating with other internationals who don’t speak fluent German yet. This is because they say that no matter what language we’re speaking, communication requires a certain level of understanding on both sides which isn’t possible if only one person speaks fluently.

So make sure before coming over here you learn at least enough basics for your stay or join a language class after arriving as this will undoubtedly increase your chances of meeting locals while also meeting other internationals who are learning the German language as well.

2. Join a local sports club

Joining a local sports club is a great way to make friends with locals and other internationals in Germany. Sports clubs are the perfect opportunity to share an interest, which will help you expand your circle of social connections while fostering new friendships as well! These sports teams generally have annual membership fees available for roughly €50, making it affordable for almost anyone who wants some friendly company on the field or court.

This could be just what you need if you are looking for more ways to meet like-minded people from your area; join one now before they fill up their roster! You can also join your university’s sports clubs which are normally cheaper and also free sometimes. This will help you meet other fellow students from your university.

3. Attend events in your area

As COVID-19 restrictions are slowly being removed from Germany, there will hopefully soon be a resurgence in cultural activities as seen pre-pandemic when they would attract large groups of curious foreigners wanting an inside look into authentic German life. If you haven’t already joined one or two campus organizations we recommend doing so because it provides a great opportunity to meet new friends while also gaining exposure about what goes on outside your school.

You can find the Germany’s most popular cultural festivals here.

Having an international experience in a new city can be hard, but luckily many platforms exist for you to meet and connect with other people. MeetUp is app-based while InterNations has more of a website feel and both offer various events that members organize themselves. The popular activities include drinking, cooking classes or hikes depending on the season (or year!). If meeting up isn’t your thing then creating your own event will let others know about it too!

4. Volunteer

If you want to meet new people and explore your interests, there are plenty of volunteering opportunities in Germany. For example, Sports clubs, charities or animal rescue organizations can all be great ways to make friends with similar hobbies. It is always recommended that if you’re interested in joining these groups it would help a lot if you speak German as most volunteers will also be fluent.

If you want to volunteer for a company and don’t speak German yet, try Booka Local’s Student Ambassador Program. We provide translation services (such as attending appointments, phone calls in German, etc) to those who have difficulties with the German language. This program allows you to be flexible, build your resume and expand your network which is what you want to do. We plan to organize as well as sponsor more events soon as Germany removes it’s COVID-19 restrictions. You will be able to meet more internationals as well as our local helpers. This program can help you make new friends in Germany and increase your skills at the same time.

5. Join Facebook Groups and online forums

Last but not the least, there are hundreds of groups for internationals on Facebook with thousands of members. You often find members posting about events or plans to meet new people. There are normally major groups for each city and town. For example, if you’re new in Berlin, you can join ‘berlin EXPATS’ and ‘International Friends in Berlin’ with members from more than 50 countries. You can post something yourself, asking to meet new people and maybe go for a drink. You can even just connect through group chat features such as WhatsApp messenger.

You can also join online forums like Booka Local’s Quick Question Community, if ever you have questions and want advice on various things.