Marrying in Denmark as a US couple.

Denmark is one of the most accessible European destinations for US couples to marry. There is no residency requirement, no waiting period beyond the application processing time, and US citizens enter under Schengen rules for short stays. The main administrative friction is the apostille on US-issued documents.

The apostille on US documents

Divorce decrees, civil-status records, and death certificates issued in the US generally need an apostille from the Secretary of State of the issuing state. Federal documents require apostille from the US Department of State. Processing time varies by state, typically 1–6 weeks. Budget more for states with current backlogs.

The documents US couples usually need

• US passports of both partners.
• Apostilled divorce decree or death certificate if previously married.
• Authorised translation into Danish, English, or German for any non-English documents.
• Proof of legal entry to Denmark (Schengen entry is generally sufficient for short stays).

Recognition back in the US

US states recognise legal marriages performed abroad. The Danish marriage certificate is accepted by US authorities for most purposes. For uses that involve federal benefits (e.g. green card applications), you may want to obtain an apostille on the Danish marriage certificate, this is straightforward to arrange in Denmark.

How we help

We map your situation against the apostille and translation requirements, flag state-specific timing, and review your application before it goes to Familieretshuset. Run the Document Checker first, then contact us.