Marriage

A religious marriage ceremony may be performed by a minister of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church, a minister of the Greek Orthodox Church and a person who has the right to perform marriage ceremonies in a registered religious community.

Who can conclude marriage?

Marriage can be concluded by anyone

• who is 18 years old
• who is not married or whose registered partnership is not in force.

Who can conclude marriage with whom?

Marriage is not allowed between close relatives. Therefore marriage is forbidden:

• between a child and his/her parent as well as between siblings and half siblings
• when one of those intending to marry is a descendant of the other’s brother or sister (e.g. uncle and niece), unless the Ministry of Justice gives permission for special reasons.

Examination of impediments to marriage

Before the ceremony, those intending to marry must together request an examination of impediments to marriage. The request is presented to the Digital and population data services agency. When requesting an examination of impediments to marriage, those intending to marry have to sign an assurance stating that there is no impediment to the intended marriage.

The impediments to marriage may also be examined by the parish of the Evangelical Lutheran Church or the Orthodox Church of which the engaged partners are or one of them is a member.

Certificate of the examination of impediments to marriage

When the examiner of the impediments to marriage has established that no impediments exists for the marriage, he shall issue a certificate thereof to those intending to marry. The certificate may not be issued earlier than on the seventh day after the request for an examination of impediments to marriage.

The certificate on the examination of impediments to marriage is valid for four months after its issue. After this period, a marriage cannot be concluded until the impediments have been re-examined.

The preconditions of a civil marriage ceremony

A civil marriage ceremony can always be performed when the impediments to marriage have been examined and a certificate thereof has been issued to those intending to marry.

The marriage ceremony may, upon agreement, be performed also outside office hours and in a place other than the courthouse.

You can read more about the fees for conducting of the marriage ceremony here.

Who performs the ceremony?

Civil marriage ceremony shall be performed by:

• a Chief Judge of a District Court, a District Judge and a Trainee District Judge
  
• a District Registrar or a Notary Public working at the Digital and population data services agency or at the State Department of Åland

The rights and obligations of the spouses in marriage

The Marriage Act defines the rights and obligations of spouses in marriage.

If necessary, the court may also confirm the spouse's maintenance obligation to the other spouse during marriage, as well as the amount and method of payment of maintenance.

Further information on marriage is also available on the website of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.

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