Marriage Overseas

Australian citizens resident in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Kosovo, Slovak Republic, and Slovenia

Australian citizens who are resident in one of the above countries and wish to marry should first contact the registrar’s office in the country/district where they wish to get married. The registrar will advise you of which documents their office requires and what time frame you can expect the process to take.

Certificate of No Impediment (CNI)

The laws of some countries require that, before a foreigner may marry within their jurisdiction, he or she must produce a certificate issued by the authorities of the country to which he or she belongs, stating that those authorities do not know of any impediment to the marriage. Such a certificate is known as a Certificate of No Impediment.

If you are resident in Austria or one of the above countries you can obtain a CNI from the Consular Section at the Australian Embassy. The CNI is required by authorities as proof that you are eligible to marry under Australian law. As an initial step, an Application for Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage  must be completed by the intending bride and groom. The form contains a declaration to the effect that there is no legal impediment to the proposed marriage.

The signature(s) of the Australian partner(s) to the proposed marriage must be witnessed by a Consular Officer at the Embassy, a Notary Public or a Court Official. On the basis of this declaration, the Embassy will issue a "Certificate of No Impediment" in English. Passports must be submitted with the application when lodged in person, or certified copies of the passports when lodged by mail.

The Certificate of No Impediment is a general statement of the law in Australia concerning the recognition of foreign marriages. The CNI makes no warranty as to the capacity of a particular couple to marry.

See also Marriages Overseas for more information, including on recognition of overseas marriages.

Information regarding fees and payment information, can be found here.