Officers at American embassies and consulates have no authority to perform marriages in foreign countries. It is usually the laws and regulations of the country that prevail.
For marriage and civil partnership under Luxembourg law, please refer to the citizen’s portal, guichet.lu or contact the city hall /“commune” where the marriage will be held in order to get detailed information.
Among the required documents, you will have to provide a proof of single status – certificate of legal capacity to marry.
The United States does not have an equivalent. In the United States, marriage laws are enacted by the governments of the individual states and there is neither a national marriage law, nor a national record of marriages. Although the government of Luxembourg recognizes that some countries do not issue these certificates, they still require a document issued by the relevant authorities in their country, confirming that there are no impediments to the planned marriage.
Instructions
For U.S. citizens overseas:
- Complete and print the appropriate affidavit. Do not sign it!
- At the time of your appointment submit a valid, signed U.S. passport and the form completed legibly in black ink without mistakes or erasures.
- If you have been previously married please bring a copy of your divorce decree/s.
- Only the U.S. citizen signing the document should appear at the time of this appointment. You do not need to come with a witness for this document.
- The fee is $50 or the Euro equivalent payable in cash or by credit card only.
- Schedule a notarial appointment here.
For U.S. citizens residing in the United States:
- It is our understanding that a statement where you attest that you are free to contract a marriage with an Apostille would be accepted.
Affidavits and Documents
- Affidavit for Partnership (PDF 66 KB) – English Version
- Affidavit for Partnership (PDF 66 KB) – French Version
- Affidavit for Marriage (PDF 66 KB) – English Version
- Affidavit for Marriage (PDF 66 KB) – French Version
- Affidavit for Marriage (Divorced) – (PDF 66 KB) – English Version
- Affidavit for Marriage (Divorced) – (PDF 66 KB) – French Version
Documents requiring an Apostille
Official documents that are issued in a country and must be used abroad (e.g. an American birth certificate to be used in Luxembourg) need to be legalized or “authenticated” by the appropriate authorities in the originating Country to prove that the document was issued by a competent official and that is genuine and not fraudulent.
Since the U.S. and Luxembourg are part of the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961, both Countries will accept an Apostille stamp on the certificate or official document concerned, as proof of legalization.
Apostille stamps on documents originating in a U.S. State will be placed by the respective Secretary of State. To find the addresses of Secretaries of State and more detailed instructions on the procedure to follow, please click on the following useful links:
- What is an Apostille
- Where to get an Apostille stamp in the U.S.
- Where to get an Apostille from the Department of State
Apostille stamps on documents originating in Luxembourg will be placed by:
Passport, Visa and Legalization Office (MAE) 43, boulevard Roosevelt L-2450 Luxembourg, Luxembourg Phone : (+352) 247 – 88300
More information available here.