How to Get Married in Norway as a Foreigner

Who can get married in Norway?

In Norway, anyone, regardless of race, gender, or religion, can get married if they meet the legal requirements. You might not have to apply for a residence permit or be a citizen to get married in Norway as a foreigner. However, you must be able to prove that your stay is legal. This includes having an existing residence permit, an EU/EEA national residence, a visitor visa, or a valid visa-free stay.

In addition to having proof of legal stay, the couple must be at least 18 years old and fully consenting to the marriage. 

You must apply for the Certificate of No Impediment (prøvingsattest) to marry from the Norwegian Tax Administration. This certificate shows that you fulfil all the conditions of getting married in Norway for a foreigner and is valid for four months. You must present this certificate to the person officiating the marriage. 

Legal requirements for foreigners to marry in Norway

Before you marry in Norway, you must be at least 18 years old, have a legal stay permit, and receive a Certificate of No Impediment from the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten). Here is a breakdown of the legal requirements;

• You are entering the marriage voluntarily, without coercion.
• You have a legal stay permit in Norway, including a residence permit or a Norwegian visa.
• Provide a certificate of no impediment from your home country to show that there is no reason you can't get married. 
• Must complete the form declaring you meet the condition according to Norway marriage laws.
• Submit a statement by the sponsor (forlovere) / witnesses. 
• Provide proof of identity, like a passport or birth certificate. 
• You aren't already married or in a legal partnership with someone. 
• You cannot marry family members, including parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings. 
• All documents must be in Norwegian. If they aren't, they must be translated, legalised, or apostilled to be recognised by the authorities. 

Note: You will need two sponsors/witnesses - one from each side - for the marriage application process. They must be at least 18 years old and know both parties.  Their citizenship isn’t relevant, but the statement helps verify the legitimacy of your relationship and other relevant information. 

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Step-by-step guide on how to get married in Norway

Now that we've covered the requirements for getting married in Norway, here are the steps. 

Arrive in Norway 

To get married in Norway, you must be legally in the country. If you are outside the country, you must travel back to Norway before the wedding date. You must also be in the country legally through a residence permit, a visitor visa, or visa-free entry options. 

Apply for Certificate of No Impediment (Prøvingsattest) 

Before getting married, you must get approval from the Norwegian Tax Administration that there are no legal reasons why your wedding cannot be held. This approval is called the Certificate of No Impediment of Marriage, which will require you to submit some documents like 

• Personal declaration forms.
• Witness declarations 
• Valid passport or national ID
• Certificate of No Impediment from your home country. 
• Divorce or death certificate, if previously married (approved by the County Governor if foreign).
• Birth certificate. You must apply for it by filling out the form online or in person. The processing time often takes 4–6 weeks, depending on your circumstances. 

Additionally, you, your partner, and sponsor/witness must be able to log in to the platform with a BankID or something similar to it to complete the application process. You should also have the relevant national identity numbers – your own and, in most cases, your future spouse and sponsor. All foreign documents must be translated, legalised, or endorsed by an apostille stamp. 

Receive approval 

The Tax Administration in Norway will review all documents. If you meet all requirements, you will be issued a Certificate of No Impediment to marry in Norway. This certificate is valid for 4 months and will be delivered to you and your partner in Altinn. If you opt out of digital communication, you will receive it in the post. 

Choose an authorised wedding officiant

For a marriage to be valid in Norway, it must be done by an authorised wedding officiant. This often includes officiants from 

• The Church of Norway
• The Norwegian Humanist Association
• The District Court / a city judge

The officiant you choose depends on the type of wedding ceremony. Typically, if you choose a civil ceremony, it must be officiated by a district judge or a city judge. A religious marriage ceremony is officiated by a priest from the Church of Norway or a representative of another religious organisation. 

Once you have an authorised officiant, you must present them with the Certificate of No Impediment. This is an essential step in the marriage process. We provide in-depth information on this later in the article. 

Recommended Reading 

How to Get a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) in the UK

Plan the wedding ceremony

Now that you have your authorised officiant, you can plan your wedding ceremony. The plan will depend on whether it's a civil or church ceremony. You must budget for catering, entertainment, venue, guest invites, and other relevant parts of the ceremony. The planning process can be a hassle; you can hire a professional to make things seamless. Once everything is in place, you can get married. Norway offers many unique wedding locations, from majestic mountains and tranquil fjords to stunning glaciers and secluded beaches. You can adapt the ceremony to any situation, like choosing to have a private ceremony or invite guests.

Receive confirmation of registered marriage 

After the wedding ceremony, the authorised officiant will send the marriage notification to the Tax Administration within three days. Once received, the tax office will review and process the marriage certificate. Depending on your communication options, you will receive a confirmation in your Altinn inbox or by post. 

Note: The National Population Register will send you a marriage certificate by post if you are not registered with a national identity number. This only applies if you're marrying according to Norway marriage laws. 

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Essential documents needed to marry in Norway as a foreigner

There are documents you must submit to marry in Norway as a foreigner. They include; 

• Personal declarations from both parties.
• Valid passports or national ID cards.
• Certificate of no impediment to marriage (prøvingsattest).
• Birth certificates and, if applicable, 
• divorce decrees or death certificates of former spouses.
• Statements from two witnesses over 18 years old.

Note: The legalisation of documents from group 2 countries like Burkina Faso, Burundi, and Iraq must be confirmed by a Norwegian foreign mission. 

How can Translayte help with your documents?

According to the Norway marriage laws, you must provide all documents in Norwegian. If you have a document issued in a foreign language, you must translate it into Norwegian. You also have to get them notarised or apostilled to be valid. However, this translation must be done by a certified translator authorised to provide translation services for Norwegian documents. Translayte offers Norwegian certified translation services for marriage documents accepted by the authorities to ensure a smooth process. 

We also provide notarized translation and apostille services for documents that require extra legalisation. With Translayte, you get high-quality translations from certified translators authorised by the Ministry of Education and Research in Norway. Our document translation services cost is from $25 per page, with a delivery timeline of 12 to 24 hours. 

Recommended Reading 

How Much Does Document Translation Cost in Norway?

Choosing an authorised wedding officiant

If you are getting married in Norway, one of the important steps is finding an authorised officiant recognised by the Norwegian authorities. The list of authorised officiants includes 

Church of Norway (Den Norske Kirke)

As the country's national church, this option is ideal for couples who want a Christian wedding ceremony. The priest officiates the wedding, and at least one partner should usually be a member. These types of wedding ceremonies are conducted in churches following Lutheran customs.

Norwegian Humanist Association (Human-Etisk Forbund)

These wedding ceremonies are officiated by ceremonial leaders who are certified volunteers in the association. This type of authorised officiant is ideal for couples seeking a non-religious but meaningful ceremony. The Humanist Association offers personalised, secular weddings focused on human values and equality.

Civil authorities (City Hall or Municipality)

Civil weddings are often conducted by authorised officiants from Municipalities, Norwegian foreign service missions, or the Governor of Svalbard.

Other approved religious or belief communities

The officiant of other religious bodies, such as Catholic, Muslim, Orthodox, Buddhist, and other registered faith-based groups, that are legally recognised to conduct marriages in Norway.

How to book your officiant

Booking the right officiant ensures your wedding is memorable and legally binding. Here are the steps to book

1. Secure your Certificate of No Impediment from the Norwegian Tax Administration. The Norwegian marriage rules require you to provide the officiants with a copy to confirm your marriage eligibility.
2. To book a spot, contact your preferred officiant when you have a target wedding date.
3. Confirm their requirements
   • The Church of Norway requires church membership or baptism for at least one partner.
   • The Humanist Association is open to all as it focuses on equality and shared values.
   • Civil Authorities require valid documents.
4. Pay the authorised officiant fees, if any. For example, if you are getting married at the Oslo City Hall, you pay around NOK 1000 - NOK 2200 (around $96 - $225), depending on the day and other requirements. 

After the Marriage: What to do next?

After the marriage ceremony, the officiant will send a confirmation to the Tax Administration within 3 days, after which you will receive a marriage certificate. This process is automatic and doesn't require any input from you. 

Applying for a residence permit (if needed)

If you want to remain in the country after getting married in Norway, you must apply for a residence permit through the family immigration office with your spouse. You must fulfil some requirements to get the residence permit. They include ;

Requirements for both

• Pay an application fee.
• Valid marriage/partnership
• Marriage is recognised in Norway if you enter into marriage while abroad
• Plans to live together in Norway. 
• Entered the marriage voluntarily
• Marriage must not be a circumvention marriage.
• You must be at least 24 years old.

Requirements for the applicant

• You must provide a valid passport as proof of identity. 
• You aren't subject to a prohibition against entry to Norway or Schengen.

Change of name

In Norway, you can change your name electronically through the Tax Administration or submit a paper form to the tax office in the relevant municipality. It's important to note that changing your name requires updating your passport and other official documents to reflect the new name. 

Special cases and considerations

While most marriages in Norway follow the same procedures, some might have unique requirements or extra documentation 

Marrying a Norwegian citizen

If you marry a Norwegian citizen as a foreigner, your spouse must have a stable income and suitable housing. You can also apply for a family immigration permit to live in Norway as a citizen of a non-EEA country.

Previously married applicants

You must provide a divorce decree or death certificate. If the divorce occurs abroad, these documents must be translated and legalised or apostilled. Sometimes, the foreign documents must be approved by the County Governor (Statsforvalteren) before they are valid in Norway. 

Marriages abroad and recognition in Norway

For marriages abroad to be recognised in Norway, you must

• Submit the original marriage certificate to the Norwegian Tax Administration.
• The certificate must be translated into Norwegian, legalised, or apostilled.
• Once accepted, the marriage will be registered in the National Registry, and you may request a Norwegian marriage certificate.

You can visit the Norwegian Tax Administration website for more information about specific circumstances. 

Recommended Reading 

What is a Notarized Translation? | A Complete Guide

Common mistakes to avoid

Marriage in Norway is a legal process that can be denied for many reasons; here are some mistakes to avoid

• Providing incomplete documentation 
• Providing translated documents without an apostille or legalisation
• Applying late for a Certificate of No Impediment (prøvingsattest), aim to apply 4–6 weeks before the marriage 
• Using an unauthorised officiant 
• Providing forged, damaged, or expired documents 

Conclusion

Getting married in Norway as a foreigner requires more paperwork than a typical local wedding. This includes getting a certified translation of foreign documents, submitting them to the tax office, and getting approval to get married. The right preparation can make getting married a smooth and truly memorable experience.

Need certified translation services for documents to get married in Norway? Request for a quote to get started.