Couples who decide to get married outside of Romania, and who will wish to have their civil union recognized, will need to follow the step for the registration of a marriage concluded abroad in Romania.
This process is mandatory, and not voluntary, in all cases in which the couple (consisting of one or both Romanian citizens) wishes to have their marriage recognized by law in Romania.
Failure to observe the registration of a marriage concluded abroad in Romania will result in the couple’s inability to enjoy their matrimonial rights in the country, nor will they have access to the matrimonial regime.
Our Romanian lawyers briefly highlight the steps for the registration of a marriage concluded abroad. If needed, we can assist the newly wedded couple with additional information according to their particular situation.
For couples consisting of a Romanian citizen and a foreign national, our team is also able to answer questions about immigration, or the process to obtain a residence permit in Romania.
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How to register a marriage concluded abroad in Romania
The couple is required to submit a request to the Romanian Civil Registry. This is not a voluntary step for Romanian citizens, and our team emphasizes the importance of registering the marriage within 6 months, as prescribed by law.
For example, a couple consisting of a Romanian citizen and a US citizen will need to register the marriage certificate issued by the United States authorities within six months of its receipt. The couple is required to make this submission in person, or, in some cases, through a power of attorney (only applicable in limited cases).
For couples consisting of two Romanian citizens, the registration of the marriage concluded abroad in Romania (also called the transcription of the marriage) is performed with the city hall, in the city where the husbands share the same domicile, or the city where only one of them has the domicile stated on his or her identity card.
In those cases, in which the couple is permitted to perform the registration (transcription of the marriage) through a power of attorney, the document must bear the seal of a public notary office in Romania. If you would like to know if you can assign a third party for this purpose, our lawyers in Romania will analyze your case and will provide you with accurate information.
The documents needed for the registration of the marriage in Romania
The following documents are required for registering a marriage concluded abroad with the Romanian authorities:
- The filled-in application form;
- The original marriage certificate, original and photocopy;
- The certified translation of the marriage certificate, which also needs to be apostilled;
- The identity cards of the Romanian citizens (or their passports, if the Romanian citizens reside in a foreign country); for a foreign spouse, the valid passport is presented;
- Any divorce/death certificates, as applicable in case of widowed or divorced individuals;
- Certificate showing the last place of residence;
- Notarized statements from both spouses concerning the name they chose after marriage;
- Other justificative documents, as the case may be.
Some facts that are useful to remember for spouses who wish to register their marriage concluded abroad include the following:
- in most cases, the transcription of the marriage needs to be performed within 6 months of receiving the marriage certificate from the foreign country;
- the processing time can be 30 days;
- once the process is completed, the couple will have 2 marriage certificates, one issued by the foreign authorities, and one issued by the Romanian ones.
Our team can provide complete assistance for the registration of the marriage concluded abroad in Romania. We can also answer any questions concerning Family Law, including divorce in Romania.
Contact our law firm in Romania for complete legal services.