Legal requirements for foreigners to marry in Sweden
Before planning your wedding, you should confirm if you meet the marriage requirements in Sweden. According to Sweden marriage laws for foreigners, two adults can get married regardless of sex. The requirements fall into two groups:
Eligibility criteria
Both partners must:
Be at least 18 years old and enter the marriage voluntarily.
Not currently married or in a registered civil partnership.
Not be closely related by blood, for example, parent and child, or siblings (brothers and sisters).
What you'll need to do
Before the wedding, you must:
Apply for a certificate of no impediment (hinderspövning) from the Swedish Tax Agency.
Receive the accompanying wedding certificate form.
Provide proof of identity, and proof your previous marriage has ended if applicable.
Provide certified translations of any documents not issued in Swedish or English
Important: If you are not registered in the Swedish Population Register, any marital status certificate you provide from your home country should have been issued within the past four months, older certificates may not be accepted. Plan to request this document close to your application date, not months in advance.
Exceptions and unique cases
If both partners are related in a direct ascending or descending line through adoption, they are also permitted to marry.
Adopted siblings or an adopted child and a child in common with the adoptive parents may be granted permission to marry by the county administrative board.
Half-brothers and half-sisters may be granted permission to marry after applying to the county administrative board (länsstyrelsen).
If you are not registered as living in Sweden, you must also obtain documentation proving there is no impediment to your marriage under Swedish law. For example, British citizens must apply for a certificate of no impediment in the UK.
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Step-by-step guide on how to get married in Sweden
If you meet the age and sibling requirements for marriage in Sweden, you can start planning your wedding. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Obtain a certificate of no impediment (hindersprövning) to marry
The first step to marrying in Sweden as a foreigner is applying for consideration if there is no impediment to marriage. This application is submitted to the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket), after which you will receive a Certificate of No Impediment.
Applying is free of charge, there is no government fee for this step, regardless of your nationality or residency status. The document confirms there are no legal barriers to your marriage, such as being under 18, a blood relative, or currently married.
How to apply
You can apply for the Certificate of No Impediment by filling out the form SKV 7880 (which is in Swedish). Once it's filled out, you can submit it by post to the address stated on the form or in person at the Swedish State Service Centre. If you are both registered in the Swedish Population Register, are over 18, and can sign using Swedish eID, you can apply through Skatteverket’s online Hinderspövning e-service. If no impediments are found, the decision can be sent straight to your digital mailbox. This is the fastest available route.
Document required
Depending on your circumstances, you will provide supporting documents. They include
Processing times
Processing time depends on your registration status:
Both partners registered in Sweden: approximately 1 week (or potentially instant via the e-service if there are no impediments).
Only one partner registered in Sweden: approximately 3 weeks.
Neither partner is a Swedish citizen or resident: approximately 3 weeks.
These are estimates for a case to be assigned to an administrator, not guaranteed completion dates. Apply at least 2–3 months before your planned wedding date, especially if you live outside Sweden.
Note that validity cannot be extended: The certificate of no impediment is valid for four months from the date of issue, and this period cannot be extended. If your wedding date falls outside that window, you will need to apply again from scratch. Once approved, you will receive two documents: the certificate of no impediment and a wedding certificate form.
Step 2: Choose the type of ceremony
In Sweden, couples can choose to have civil or religious wedding ceremonies. Here's an overview of each type of wedding ceremony in Sweden
Civil ceremony
Civil ceremonies are conducted by officiants appointed by the County Administrative Board. They are held in town halls, municipal venues, or other approved public venues. You can also choose between a solemn or basic civil wedding. Apply through the municipal office where you plan to marry.
Choose a civil ceremony if you:
Want a straightforward, low-cost wedding without elaborate planning.
Are non-religious or prefer a secular ceremony.
Want a wedding at a city hall or municipal office.
Prefer fewer ceremony-specific document requirements.
Religious ceremony
Religious ceremonies are performed within a religious community, including Christian, Muslim, or any other recognised religion in Sweden. The religious community must have permission from the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency (Kammarkollegiet) to perform marriages.
Choose a religious ceremony if you:
Are religious and want faith or cultural traditions woven into your wedding.
Want the ceremony held in a church, mosque, or registered religious venue.
Want a more personalised or intimate experience.
Can provide additional documents if required by the religious community.
Don’t mind attending any pre-wedding counselling or meetings required by the institution.
Contact the community to get their marriage requirements in Sweden if you want a religious wedding. This helps you make proper preparations and avoid issues.
Witnesses
Both civil and religious ceremonies require two witnesses aged 18 or over, these can be friends or family. If you do not have your own witnesses available, many municipalities can provide them for ceremonies held during office hours at the town hall.
Note: You must submit the certificate of no impediment and the wedding certificate form to the marriage officiant before the wedding. After the wedding, they will fill out the form and send it to the Swedish Tax Office.
Step 3: Book the ceremony
You can schedule your wedding ceremony when the certificate of no impediment (hindersprövning) is obtained. Contact the local municipality or religious institution to book a date and officiant. You will have to pay the required officiant fee and choose your location. Also, ensure all the required documents are provided to the wedding officiant early to avoid delays in your marriage application in Sweden.
Step 4: Attend the ceremony
Sweden marriage laws require both parties to be present on the wedding day. You will also need two witnesses for the marriage to be legal in Sweden. After the ceremony, the officiant will fill out the marriage certificate form and send it to the Swedish Tax Agency.
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Costs of getting married in Sweden as a foreigner
Getting married in Sweden as a foreigner does not have to be expensive. Here is what to budget for:
Cost Item | Approximate Cost | Notes |
|---|
Certificate of no impediment (hinderspövning) | Free | No government fee, regardless of nationality or residency. |
Civil ceremony | Often free – SEK 300–1,200 (~$30–$115) | Varies by municipality. Stockholm City Hall charges SEK 1,200 due to high demand; Sandviken charges SEK 500; Boden is free (officiant travel costs may apply if held outside the town hall). |
Religious ceremony (Church of Sweden) | Usually free (member) | Free when at least one partner is a Church of Sweden member. Other religious organisations set their own fees. |
Officiant travel costs | Varies | May apply if the ceremony takes place outside a registered venue or town hall. |
Certified document translation | From $25 per page | Required if your documents are not in Swedish or English. Cost varies by language and document length. |
Witnesses | Free | Free if provided by friends or family. Many municipalities can provide witnesses at no charge during office hours. |
Certified translation for documents to marry in Sweden
You will need certified translation services in Sweden if your documents are not in Swedish or English. Submitting translated documents ensures you meet all requirements of the Sweden marriage process. It also removes the language barrier, allowing authorities to verify your information easily. However, you cannot translate the document yourself or use online tools like DeepL.
All documents must be translated by a certified translator recognised by Swedish authorities to ensure validity. The certified translation includes a translated document and a certificate of accuracy attesting to the authenticity.
How can Translayte help with your documents?
At Translayte, we've helped thousands get certified translation services for official and legal documents. With a 4.6-star rating on Trustpilot from over 9000 customer reviews, we help you by providing:
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Request a free quote to get certified translation services in Sweden for the marriage process.
Best wedding locations in Sweden
If you are planning your destination wedding in Sweden, there are many spots to consider. Here are some of the best places to marry in Sweden:
Stockholm City Hall: This is an Iconic venue for civil ceremonies.
Gothenburg's Archipelago: Ideal for couples who want a peaceful island vibe and sea views
Lapland: This venue is great if you want a magical-themed wedding under the Northern lights
Gotland: It's a great location if you want your wedding to have a historic and medieval feeling
You can explore other wedding venues in Sweden or contact a professional wedding planner for recommendations if you aren't in Sweden.
Visa and residence requirements for foreign spouses
Getting married in Sweden does not, by itself, require a visa or residence permit. Foreigners can travel to Sweden, marry, and leave again as visitors. However, if you plan to live in Sweden with your spouse afterwards, that is a separate and much longer process.
EU/EEA/Swiss citizens
You and your family members generally have the right to live in Sweden under EU freedom-of-movement rules. If you plan to stay longer than three months, non-EU family members may need to register a residence right with the Swedish Migration Agency.
Non-EU/EEA citizens marrying a Swedish resident
You will need to apply for a residence permit through the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) to live with your partner. This usually means starting the application from your home country before travelling. The process requires:
Proof of the relationship (marriage certificate or equivalent).
Evidence that you can support yourselves financially.
In some cases, an interview at a Swedish embassy or consulate.
Processing times: Residence permit applications for spouses can take anywhere from several months to over a year, depending on the embassy and case complexity. If relocating together is your goal, start this process well before, or alongside, your wedding planning, not after.
Registering your marriage with Skatteverket after relocation
Once married, the Swedish-resident partner should register the marriage with the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). This is commonly required as supporting evidence for the residence permit application.
Post-wedding formalities
After your marriage in Sweden, there are a few things you should do or confirm
Registration of the marriage with Skatteverket
You don't have to register the marriage yourself in Sweden. The officiant will fill out the marriage certificate form and send it to the Swedish Tax Agency. This serves as the final step in the marriage registration process. Sweden doesn't have a standard marriage certificate like in other countries. The closest equivalent is a document extract of the population register. The closest equivalent is a personbevis (extract of the population register), available from Skatteverket.
Using your personbevis with foreign authorities
Because Sweden does not issue a single-page marriage certificate, you may need to provide a personbevis to foreign authorities as proof of your marriage. If your home country requires an apostille or legalisation, you’ll need to arrange this separately. The Tax Agency does not provide these.
You will then need a certified translation of the personbevis into the language required by your home country’s authorities. Translayte provides certified translations of your Swedish personbevis and other marriage-related documents into the language required by your home country, helping you register your Swedish marriage abroad without delays.
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Changing your name
In Sweden, you can change your surname to your spouse's or use a double-barrelled surname (both surnames) after marriage. To do so, you must apply to the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) by submitting the form SKV 7502 before or during the marriage.
The processing time is mostly within 2 weeks. If you intend to travel immediately after your wedding, you should start the change of name application process earlier to avoid delays.
You must also update your identity documents, passport, and visa to reflect the new name.
Updating marital status in home country records
If you aren't a Swedish citizen, you might have to notify your home country of your marriage status. The requirements vary between countries. You might have to provide proof of marriage and other details at your embassy in Sweden or the relevant authorities in your country.
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Tips for a smooth Sweden wedding experience
Here are some tips to help you have a seamless wedding process in Sweden
Start planning early to allow yourself enough time for application and other documentation.
Verify the country-specific requirements for marriage in Sweden. This will ensure that you have all the relevant documents and can marry in Sweden.
Get a certified translation from an authorised translator or company to avoid rejection.
Get help from a local marriage consultant or event planner to ensure a smooth and memorable experience.
Verify the validity of your immigration document, especially if you are travelling to Sweden for the wedding.
Inform the marriage officiant early and submit any documents to avoid delays.
Conclusion
Getting married in Sweden as a foreigner isn't impossible. However, you must follow the legal requirements for Sweden's marriage process and provide the necessary documents. If you follow the steps in this article, you should have a seamless destination wedding in Sweden.
Get a certified translation of a Sweden marriage registration document. Request a quote for accurate and fast document translation services.
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