Changes in marital status, name changes and the birth of children must be notified to the Swiss authorities by law. Failure to provide accurate documentation will cause delays in the issuing of new Swiss documents.

Please note that updating person data entries in Swiss civil registers can take several weeks.

Marriage in Switzerland of a Swiss citizen with residence in South Africa or Namibia
These persons should contact the registry office in Switzerland, which is to perform the marriage. They will be given a list of documents to be sent to the registry office. The application for preparation of marriage and the declaration concerning the conditions for the marriage are both available at the Embassy of Switzerland in Pretoria and the Consulate General in Cape Town. Once the marriage has taken place, the Embassy in Pretoria or the Embassy in Cape Town should be informed accordingly.

In regard to the name after the marriage, please take note of the "fact sheet on married names" in this chapter. 

Marriage of two Swiss citizens with residence in South Africa or Namibia
After the marriage, a Full or Unabridged Marriage Certificate (Form. BI-36, available from the Department of Home Affairs) should be sent to the Embassy or the Consulate General you are registered with.
For Namibia, Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Civic Affairs, Windhoek.

Please take note of the "fact sheet on married names" in this chapter, you may to choose your married name according to Swiss law. 

Marriage of a Swiss citizen to a citizen of South Africa
For the registration of this marriage, the following documents have to be submitted to the Embassy or the Consulate General you are registered with:

- "Unabridged Birth Certificate" (for persons born in South Africa:Form. BI-19)
- "Unabridged Marriage Certificate" (Form. BI-36)
- Passport copy
- Marriage Questionnaire Form (see download on the right hand side)

The official documents are available from the Department of Home Affairs.

If the foreign spouse was married before, an original of the "Final Order of Divorce" or a certified copy thereof, issued by the court which dissolved the former marriage, has to be submitted to the Embassy in Pretoria or Consulate General in Cape Town. Or if widowed, a death certificate of the previous partner is required.

Please take note of the "fact sheet on married names" in this chapter, you may to choose your married or divorced name according to Swiss law.

All mentioned documents will be validated free of charge and forwarded to the relevant Swiss authorities which will retain them for their records.

If you are not South African or Namibian, please contact the competent Swiss representation.

The divorce of a Swiss citizen has to be registered with the Swiss authorities. Please forward an original of the "Final Order of Divorce" or a certified copy thereof to your Consulate General. If there are minor children involved, the deed of settlement mentioning the custody is required.

The "Final Order of Divorce" is issued by the court which dissolved the marriage, will be validated free of charge and forwarded to the relevant Swiss authorities which will retain it for their records.

The woman keeps her surname after the divorce. If she prefers, she may take back the surname she had before the marriage. For the steps to follow, please enquire at the competent Swiss representation you are registered with.

The birth of a child born to a Swiss mother or a Swiss father married to the mother of the child should be registerd with the Swiss authorities. The following document has to be submitted to your Consulate General:

Full Birth Certificate BI-19, mentioning both parents (available from the Department of Home Affairs).

This document will be validated free of charge and forwarded to the relevant Swiss authorities which will retain it for their records.

Please note that a child of a Swiss mother or a Swiss father married to the mother of the child acquires Swiss citizenship by birth under the condition that the birth is registered with the Swiss authorities before the child reaches 22 years of age.

If a Swiss citizen who is legally domiciled in South Africa adopts a South African child, the following documents should be submitted to the Consulate General he/she is registered with: 

1. Adoption Order, issued by the competent Court 
2. Full Birth Certificate BI-19 before adoption, mentioning the biological parents of the adoptee.
3. Full Birth Certificate BI-19 after the adoption, mentioning the adoptive parents as well as the new surname

The birth certificates are available from the Department of Home Affairs.

These documents will be validated free of charge and forwarded to the relevant Swiss authorities which will retain them for their records.

A foreign minor acquires Swiss citizenship through adoption by a Swiss citizen

The death of a Swiss citizen should be registered with the Swiss authorities. For this purpose, please send an original death certificate or a certified copy thereof to the competent Swiss Embassy of Consulate General.

This document will be validated free of charge and forwarded to the relevant Swiss authorities which will retain it for their records.

If the deceased was a recipient of a Swiss Old Age or Invalidity pension, please notify the competent Embassy or Consulate General as soon as possible by phone, fax or e-mail.

Marriage has effects on the property of the spouses. In this respect, the Swiss Civil Code refers to the matrimonial property rights of the spouses. According to its provisions, spouses are subject to general matrimonial property law based on participation in acquisition (accrual system) unless community of property or separation of property has been agreed upon by means of a marriage contract

The spouses may choose between the law of the country in which they both have their domicile and the law of a State of which one of them is a national. The choice of law must be made in writing or result with certainty from the provision of a marriage contract. A choice of law may be made or altered at any time. In view of this right to choose between two legal systems, it is highly recommended that a will should be made in good time.

If no such choice of law is made, the international private law of South Africa states which law is applicable. If complex problems in matrimonial property law arise, it is advisable to contact the following institute:

University of South Africa UNISA
Institute of foreign and comparative law
Pretoria

Since you have decided to get married or have already got married abroad recently, it is now important for you to decide on the surname or names you want to use as a married couple. This fact sheet should acquaint you with the various options you have in selecting married names. The titles and headings in bold will make it easier for you to find the sections that pertain to you.

If you reside in Switzerland, the Swiss legislation on names is applicable. If you are not Swiss, you can choose your own national legislation on names by making a declaration at a civil registry or a Swiss Consulate.

If you reside abroad, your surname is subject to the legislation in force in your country of residence. Further information can be obtained from a Swiss Consulate or a civil registry in Switzerland. Swiss citizens (who are not citizens of the country of residence at the same time) can choose the Swiss legislation on names by making a declaration at a civil registry in Switzerland or a Swiss Consulate.

If a marriage has already taken place abroad: The surname must be selected at the same time as, or soon after, the registration of the marriage in order for it to be entered in the Swiss marriage register; usually no later than six months after the marriage.

Surname declaration if a marriage is planned in the future: For a marriage in Switzerland, the surname declaration must be made at a civil registry in Switzerland or a Swiss Consulate before the marriage ceremony.

1. Marriage under the Swiss Legislation on Names
In declaring your married surname or names, you have the following options:

• The surname of the husband becomes the family name if you do not decide otherwise. Both husband and wife now go by the surname of the husband. For example: "Mr Miller" marries "Ms Weiss." They now use the "family name Miller"; their children will also go by the name of "Miller."
• The surname of the husband becomes the family name. The bride can, however, make a declaration to the civil registrar or the relevant Consulate that she wishes to have the surname she has used until then placed before the family name. For example: "Mr Miller" marries "Ms Weiss." He goes by the surname "Miller"; her surname is "Weiss Miller." Their children will use the surname "Miller".
• The surname of the husband becomes the family name. At the time of the marriage, the bride already uses a double surname. In that case, she can place only the first (that is, the former) surname before the family name. For example: "Mr Miller" marries "Ms Weiss Grau." He goes by the surname "Miller"; her surname is "Weiss Miller." Their children use the surname "Miller."
• The surname of the wife becomes the family name. To select this option, the couple must file an application for a name change under Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Swiss Civil Code to the government of the Swiss canton of residence or-if they do not reside in Switzerland-to the government of the canton of origin. There should be sincere reasons for the application. For example: "Mr Miller" marries "Ms Weiss." The application is granted. The family name is "Weiss" and the children they have together will also go by the surname "Weiss". The husband can make a declaration to have his former surname placed before the new family name; that is, he may call himself "Mr Miller Weiss."
  If the husband already uses a double surname, he, too, may place only the first (that is, the former) surname before the family name. For example: if "Ms Weiss" marries "Mr Miller Grey," the surname "Grey" will be dropped at the time of the marriage.

2. The authorities responsible for entering names in the Marriage Register
Marriage in Switzerland: The cantonal authority is responsible for entering names in the Swiss marriage register.

Marriage abroad: The cantonal supervisory authorities in civil status matters, and not the Swiss representations, are the authorities responsible for entering names in the Swiss marriage register. You can request a confirmation that a name has been entered in the Swiss register from the cantonal supervisory authorities.

If you have further questions about married names, please contact the relevant Swiss representation, where you can also obtain information about the fees involved.

We hope that this fact sheet has made it easier for you to decide on a married name or names.