Who can have a marriage registered in Hungary and how?
All Hungarian citizens are required to have their marriages concluded abroad registered in Hungary.
The application may only be submitted in person. The Hungarian applicant must attend the appointment. If the spouses adopted different surnames after the marriage, both spouses must appear in person for the registration procedure.
The application may be submitted at the Embassy of Hungary in Pretoria.
Required documents:
- Original marriage certificate with Apostille certification issued by DIRCO. Only full/unabridged marriage certificates are accepted. (Further informations: https://dirco.gov.za/consular-notarial-services/)
- Please note that Apostille attestations issued by a Notary Public are not sufficient to initiate the procedure.
- Identity documents of the applicants. If one of the parties is not a Hungarian citizen, he or she must present a valid passport or a certificate of citizenship proving nationality. The Hungarian party must present proof of Hungarian citizenship.
- If the marital status of the bride or groom at the time of the marriage was divorced or widowed, the relevant documents must be presented (previous marriage certificate, death certificate of the deceased spouse, or a final divorce decree with Hungarian translation). If these life events of the Hungarian citizen have not yet been registered in Hungary, the documents must bear the proper Apostille certification issued by the competent authority.
- Completed application form.
Is a translation of the documents required?
No translation is required if the marriage certificate is issued in English, German, or French.
No translation is required if the marriage certificate is issued in multiple languages and one of them is English, German, or French.
If the marriage certificate is issued in another language, an official translation must be submitted.
- The translation may be prepared by the Hungarian National Office for Translation and Attestation; in this case no additional legalization is required. (Further informations: https://www.offi.hu/en)
- Alternatively, the translation must be authenticated by the competent Hungarian consulate.
Please note that final divorce decrees must always be submitted with a Hungarian translation. The translation may be prepared by a Hungarian translator, the consul, or even the applicants themselves; in such cases an additional authentication fee may apply.
How can I schedule an appointment?
Appointments can be booked at the following website:
