Gay marriage in austria

Spousal residence permits for same-sex couples in Austria?

Vienna, Austria’s capital city hosts pride celebrations annually with a plethora of events for the LGBTQ community. Let’s take this opportunity to review which immigration rights are available to international same-sex couples &#; with a focus on spousal visa.

1. Marriage

Since 1 January , Austria allows same-sex couples to get married. From 1 January up until this date, identical sex couples were only permitted to get a registered partnership (“eingetragene Partneschaft”). This form of partnership still exists. But couples can now decide between the two.

The country now also recognizes same-sex marriages formalized in another jurisdiction. International couples can also get married in Vienna. Since 1 August , there are also no further barriers to marriage in Austria if one of the partners holds the citizenship of a country which does not permit same-sex couples to marry there.

2. Residence rights

A foreign person who wants to spend a period of more than six months in Austria, needs a valid residence authorize. People wh

Wedding in Vienna

Registered partnerships include been available in Austria since January 1, , and marriage for all since January 1, Both registered partnerships and marriages can be entered into at the city's most beautiful locations: in Schönbrunn Palace and in the Imperial Palace a skillfully as, for example, at the Albertina, the Kunst Haus Wien or even at lofty heights on the Giant Ferris Wheel. As you'd expect, all register offices are on hand for registered partnerships and marriages.

Everyone who'd like to say "I do" in Vienna can approach any Austrian registry office. Couples who have never lived in Austria and would like to say "I do" in Vienna should get in contact with the department for tourist weddings by email at: touristenhochzeit@ (please indicate the full name, preferred date of the wedding or partnership ceremony, country of birth, nationality, home address and civil status)

PS: Those who get married in Vienna should also verb their honeymoon here. After all, there's hardly a more romantic city in the world

Information on getting married in Vienna



Austria to legalize gay marriage

Same-sex couples will be allowed to marry in Austria from , according to a ruling by the country's Constitutional Court announced on Tuesday.

Same-sex couples in Austria have been capable to enter only into "registered partnerships" since , with nearly the alike rights of married couples. But the court ruled that "the distinction between marriage and registered partnership  cannot be upheld in this noun and age without discriminating against same-sex couples."

Read more: Germans celebrate first gay marriages

"The resulting discriminatory effect is seen in the noun that through the adj title of the family status, people living in same-sex partnerships have to disclose their sexual orientation even in situations in which it is not, and must not be, relevant and are highly likely to be discriminated against," the court said in its ruling.

Decision will maintain civil partnerships

It said that restrictions on same-sex marriage would be lifted at the end of unless the government did so itself earlier. The ruling will

Requirements for legal marriage in Austria

Legal age for marriage

There is certainly a legal age to get married in Austria but if you’re over the age of 18 there won’t be an issue with that. Persons at least 16 years of age may also marry upon presentation of written, notarized consent from both parents and if the other spouse is at least 18 years old. So, if at least one of you is over the age of 18 and the other one is at least 16, then you can receive married in Austria. Since the legal age for drinking beer and wine is also 16, you can even toast with champagne on your wedding day.

Required wedding documents

There is certainly some paperwork required and we won’t be able to spare you at least one trip to the authorities before getting legally married in Austria. However, most of these documents should be fairly easy to obtain, if you don’t already have them at dwelling. Here is a list of documents most frequently asked for by Austrian authorities:

  • Passports – since you’re getting married in a foreign country, this should be a no-brainer.
  • Birth Certificates (original or certifi