Sulyk Roman

Head of family law practice

E-mail

sulyk@prikhodko.com.ua

Phone numbers

An attorney with extensive experience specializing in complex family disputes. As Head of Practice, he combines deep legal expertise with a personalized approach to every client. He ensures strategic protection of family interests and delivers impeccable results in the most challenging cases.

Marriage certificate abroad

What is a marriage certificate?

A marriage certificate is an official document confirming the fact of marriage registration between two people. It contains information about the spouses, the date and place of marriage, as well as other legally important data.

This document is issued by the State Civil Status Registration Office (DRACS) and is used to confirm marital status in various legal and administrative situations.

In what cases is a marriage certificate required?

The document may be needed in many life situations, including:

Registration of inheritance — after the death of one of the spouses, the other must prove his or her right to inheritance. A marriage certificate is used to confirm the family relationship between the spouses when registering an inheritance case with a notary.
Official divorce — during the divorce process, this document may be needed for court proceedings, property division, and resolving child support issues.
Registration of property rights — when purchasing real estate or applying for a loan, banks and notaries may require a marriage certificate, since property acquired during marriage is considered the joint property of the spouses.
Obtaining citizenship or residence permit — when applying for citizenship or a residence permit, some countries require proof of marriage, especially if the applicant is receiving a residence permit based on a family relationship.
Change of surname — after marriage or divorce, a marriage certificate may be required to update your passport, identification code, driver’s license, and other official documents.
Registration of social payments and benefits — government programs, such as assistance to low-income families or social benefits for large families, may require proof of marriage to determine eligibility for benefits.

How to get a marriage certificate?

A marriage certificate can be obtained in person or through a proxy.

Personal appeal to the DRACS

To obtain an extract in person, you need to contact the DRACS body where the marriage was registered.

You must have with you:

Passport or identity document.
A completed application for obtaining an extract.
Receipt for payment of state duty.

Receiving through a proxy

If you are unable to obtain the document yourself, a proxy can do so. To do this, you must issue a notarized power of attorney that will allow another person to represent your interests in the DRACS bodies.

It will also be useful: Invalidation of a marriage

What are the deadlines for issuing a marriage certificate?

The cost of the extract depends on the method of obtaining it, the urgency of the processing, and the region.

Regarding the issuance deadlines:

Standard design takes 1 to 5 business days.
Urgent processing possible within 24 hours, but for an additional fee.

Does a marriage certificate have an expiration date?

In most cases, the document does not have an officially defined expiration date, but various institutions may require an extract issued no later than 3-6 months before the date of submission.

What to do if the marriage certificate is lost?

If you have lost your statement, you can obtain it again by contacting the relevant DRACS body or using the online service. The procedure will be similar to the initial receipt, with the same fee paid.

Legal assistance in obtaining a marriage certificate

In such cases, especially when the marriage was registered abroad or there is no information in the archives of the Civil Registry Office, it is necessary to contact a lawyer.

A lawyer will help:

Gather the necessary documents.
Make a request to government agencies.
Get an extract in an expedited manner.
Legalize or apostillize the extract for use abroad.
Appeal the refusal to receive the document in case of problems.

A marriage certificate is an important document required in many legal and administrative situations. Thanks to modern technologies, obtaining a certificate has become much more convenient: you can apply in person, through a proxy.