In order to keep the family registers accurate and up-to-date, the Swiss authorities need to be informed about any changes in the civil status (birth, marriage, death and divorce) of Swiss citizens and dual nationals. When such changes occur, the persons concerned, or their nearest relatives, should send the responsible Swiss representation a complete and certified copy of the appropriate document/s (birth, death, marriage or divorce certificates).

Please note that these requirements are not set by the Swiss representations but by the respective cantonal offices in Switzerland. They make the final decisions about documents that do not meet the requirements or contain the required information. You will find the link to the list of the local and cantonal civil status authorities on the right side of this webpage.

Civil status changes (marital status, birth of children, death, name change, etc.) must be communicated to the Swiss authorities. Failure to provide accurate documentation may impede future administrative procedures with the Swiss authorities and even hinder the issuance of new identity documents, i.e. passports, etc.

• An original or a copy of the birth certificate certified by the issuing authority including the exact place of birth and names of the parents
• The affidavit "Application for Birth Registration"

Important: Please note that birth certificates must be certified by the issuing authority no more than 6 months before they are sent for registration. They will not be returned to you. Please ensure that the exact place of birth (city) is mentioned on the birth certificate since that is not always the case in some U.S. states. If the city of birth is not indicated, you should request that the issuing authority add it to the certificate. Documents certified by a notary public will not be accepted.

• An original or a copy of the birth certificate certified by the issuing authority including the exact place of birth and names of the parents.
• Affidavit concerning legal residence and marital status (umarried parents). This document replaces the certificates of residence and civil status that are usually requested by the Swiss civil status authorities, but that are not available in the U.S.
• Acknowledgment of paternity (copy certified by the issuing authority)
• Birth certificate of the foreign parent
• Copy of passport of the foreign parent
• If the foreign parent is divorced or widowed; either a copy certified by the court of the final divorce decree showing the exact date when the judgment was entered into effect (filing date) and the completed form "Information Necessary for Legalization of Divorce Decrees, Their Transmission To and Registration in Switzerland", or the death certificate of the former spouse

Important: Please note that birth certificates must be certified by the issuing authority no more than 6 months before they are sent for registration. They will not be returned to you. Please ensure that the exact place of birth (city) is mentioned on the birth certificate since that is not always the case in some U.S. states. If the city of birth is not indicated, you should request that the issuing authority add it to the certificate. Documents certified by a notary public will not be accepted.

• An original or a copy certified by the issuing authority of the marriage certificate (no abstract). The document has to show the complete identity of both spouses (dates of birth), the names of their parents and, if possible, the civil status prior to the marriage. 
• If your spouse was born in the U.S., a certified copy of his or her birth certificate, including the exact place of birth (city) and names of the parents. For citizens of other countries, please see the point "Foreign Civil Status Document" or check with the representation for further information. 
• If your spouse was married before, a certified copy of the final divorce decree showing the exact date when the judgment was entered into force (filing date) with the completed form "Information Necessary for Legalizing of Divorce Decrees, Their Transmission To and Registration in Switzerland", or an original or certified copy of the death certificate of the former spouse.
• The affidavit "Application for Marriage Registration with the Authorities in Switzerland". The signatures must be legalized by a notary public.
• Copy of passport of foreign spouse

Important: Please note that marriage and birth certificates as well as divorce decrees must be certified by the issuing authority no more than 6 months before they are sent for registration. They will not be returned to you by the responsible Swiss representation. Documents certified by a notary public will not be accepted. This does not concern the above-mentioned affidavit.

• An original or  copy certified by the issuing authority of the partnership contract (no abstract). The document has to show the complete identity of both partners (dates of birth), the names of their parents and if possible the civil status prior to the partnership.
• If the partner was born in the U.S., a certified copy of his or her birth certificate including the exact place of birth (city) and names of the parents. For citizens of other countries, please see the point "Foreign Civil Status Document" or check with the representation for further information.
• If your partner was previously married, a certified copy of the final divorce decree showing the exact date when the judgment was entered into force (filing date) with the completed form "Information Necessary for Legalization of Divorce Decrees, Their Transmission to and Registration in Switzerland", or an original or certified copy of the death certificate of the former spouse, or a decision of dissolution of the former partnership.
• The affidavit "Application for Registration of a Domestic Partnership for Same-Sex Couples". The signatures must be legalized by a notary public or by the responsible Swiss representation (in which case, a personal appearence will be requested).
• Copy of passport of foreign partner
  
  Important: Please note that marriage/partnership and birth certificates as well as divorce decrees must be certified by the issuing authority no more than 6 months before they are sent for registration. They will not be returned to you by the responsible Swiss representation. Documents certified by a notary public will not be accepted. This does not concern the above-mentioned affidavit.

In the United States, the state laws stipulate who is authorized to perform a marriage: judge, court clerk, justices of the peace, recognized members of the clergy (such as Priest, Minister, Rabbi, Imam, etc.). The required documents may vary from one state to the other. Therefore, people who intend to marry should contact the responsible authority in order to inquire about the procedure and the required documents.

For Swiss citizens, the following documents are usually required: Swiss passport, birth certificate and certificate of civil status for Swiss citizens. To avoid translations, the documents should be ordered on the international CIEC Form (Commission Internationale de l'Etat Civil - Internationale Kommission für das Zivilstandswesen). The birth certificate can be obtained at the place of birth and the certificate of civil status at the place of origin.

Required documents for the registration with the Swiss authorities

Once the marriage is performed, the following documents should be submitted to the responsible Swiss representation for legalization/translation and transmission to the place of origin in Switzerland (there are no fees involved and a personal appearance is not required):

• Original or copy of the marriage certificate certified by the issuing authority (full version, no abstract)
• Copies of the passports
• Copies of the certificates of civil status (if available)
• Form. "Application for Marriage Registration with the Authorities in Switzerland” (found in pdf form on the right side of this webpage), important for the name after the marriage and contact address

• An original or copy of the death certfificate certified by the issuing authority

Please enclose the travel documents of the deceased person (passport, ID), if available, for cancellation. Upon request, they will be returned to the family.

Important: Please note that death certificates must be certified by the issuing authority no more than 6 months before they are sent for registration. They will not be returned to you by the responsible Swiss representation. Documents certified by a notary public will not be accepted.

• Certified copy of the final divorce decree showing the exact date when the judgment was entered into effect (filing date), including, if applicable, the custody order for minor children
• The completed form "Information Necessary for Legalization of Divorce Decrees, Their Transmission to and Registration in Switzerland"

Important: Please note that marriage and birth certificates as well as divorce decrees must be certified by the issuing authority no more than 6 months before they are sent for registration. They will not be returned to you by the responsible Swiss representation. Documents certified by a notary public will not be accepted.

• Certified copy of the final decree showing the exact date when judgment was entered into effect (filing date)
• Copy of a legal document showing the new identy (passport, identity document, etc.)

• Original or certified copy by the competent court of the final decree of adoption, complete version, showing the date when judgment was entered into effect (filing date)
• Birth certificate after the adoption
• Birth certificate before the adoption (if available)
• Copy of the child's passport (if available)

Transcripts of birth and death records are issued by the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the state capital where the birth or death occurred. Certified copies of marriage records may be obtained from the County Clerk who issued the marriage license. Certified copies of divorce decrees may be requested from the court that granted the divorce.
Please send your documents only to the Swiss representation where you are registered.

Further information can be found on the following Web sites:

Foreign civil status documents must be legalized by the Swiss diplomatic or consular representation responsible for that state. The requirements are very different from one country to the other.To find out which documents will have to be submitted, consult the webpage of the responsible Swiss representation or ask your Swiss representation in the United States.

Photocopies are not accepted.