Embassy and Consulates of Belgium in Norway and Iceland

Marriage

Overview

  • General guidelines
  • Certificate of no-marriage impedement (NL: AGHB / FR: CNEM)
  • AGHB/CNEM - Legal basis
  • AGHB/CNEM - General conditions and guidelines
  • AGHB/CNEM - Procedure
  • Rates
  • Delay of delivery
  • Registering the marriage in Belgium

General guidelines

If you wish to engage into marriage within the jurisdiction of the embassy (Norway/Iceland), you are to contact the local authorities for the required procedures: 

  • Norway (Information available in English)
  • Iceland (Information available in English)

(!) These procedures are foreign legal procedures, thus the Embassy cannot provide any assistance within these procedures with the exception of establishing a certificate of no-marriage impediment, if required.

(!) If you wish to conclude a marriage at a diplomatic/consular mission, be informed: Not all countries acknowledge marriages concluded at diplomatic/consular missions. Inform yourself properly beforehand! If the host country does not acknowledge the marriage, neither does Belgium.

Certificate of no-marriage impedement (AGHB/CNEM)

As a rule both Norway and Iceland require a certificate of no-marriage impediment, established by the the applicant's national authorities, confirming there are, to their knowledge, no legal objections against the conclusion of a marriage of the named individual(s) within their territory. In Belgium this document is called "Attest Geen Huwelijksbeletsel/Certificat de non-empêchement".

IMPORTANT(!): A certificate of no-marriage impediment is not the same as a certificate of civil status.

A certificate of civil status only confirms your civil status as it is currently registered in the Belgian national registry. It does not state however whether or not there are legal objections against the marriage of or with a speficic individual. Within the context of a concluding a marriage on foreign territory only a certificate of no-marriage impediment can be presented to the demanding authorities.

AGHB/CNEM – Legal basis

21 DECEMBER 2013. - Law containing the Consular Lawbook
(BS 21 january 2014), in effect on 15 june 2014. 

Art. 69. The head of a consular mission delivers to Belgian citizens wishing to engage into a marriage within the jurisdiction of his consular resort, at their request, a certificate of no-marriage impediment, out of which appears that according to Belgian law no legal objection against the marriage exists, if the foreign authority demands such a certificate.

Art. 70. The certificate is delivered only when, after proper investigation, it appears that the petitioner, according Belgian law, fulfills all the capacities and conditions to engage into marriage. When applying for the certificate the petitioner, him-/herself resident abroad, must select a residence in Belgium for all written communication and notifications. The head of the consular mission forwards, should all capacities and conditions to engage into marriage not be fullfilled or provide severe doubt, the application to the Public Attorney and informs the petitioner accordingly.

AGHB/CNEM – General conditions and guidelines

  • The AGHB/CNEM is delivered only to Belgian citizens.
  • Foreign nationals, even if (formerly) resident in Belgium, need to address their respective authorities.
  • The AGHB/CNEM is requested and provided per pertitioner. The AGHB/CNEM cannot be combined.
  • Your information in the national registry needs to be up to date before the AGHB/CNEM can de delivered.
  • You need to provide a temporary address in Belgium for communication purposes. The address is free of choice (family, friends, notary, ...) and expires upon conclusion of the application.
  • The AGHB/CNEM is delivered at the Belgian embassy appointed for the territory on which the marriage will take place. Consequently, the embassy in Oslo only delivers AGHB's/CNEM's for marriages to be concluded within the Norwegian/Icelandic territory.
    Exception: If the marriage is to be concluded at a Norwegian/Icelandic diplomatic/consular mission in a foreign country, the Belgian embassy appointed for the host country of said mission delivers the document. 
  • The AGHB/CNEM is valid 6 months after delivery.
  • The AGHB/CNEM is a legal document and therefore bound to the Belgian language legislation. As a consequence, the AGHB/CNEM is only delivered in dutch, french or german, according your own preference. Translations, if required, are your own responsibility.
  • The AGHB/CNEM is a tool in the struggle against fake/forced marriages. The Embassy is therefore legally obligated to investigate if concerns/doubt regarding the authenticity of the marriage arise. If doubt persists after the investigation, the application is forwarded to the Public Attorney for a decision. 
  • As the AGHB/CNEM is delivered by the Consulate in Oslo and following the convention of London of 1963, the AGHB/CNEM does not require an apostille for use in Norway and Iceland.
  • The AGHB/CNEM is delivered at a consular tax. See rates.

AGHB/CNEM – Procedure/Required evidence

You forward us by post, e-mail or in person the following:

  • Application form (available in NL / FR)
  • Copy of the passport/ID of your fiancée
  • Proof of payment (see rates)
  • Make sure to indicate in which language you wish to receive the AGHB/CNEM: Dutch, French or German.

Rates

An overview of the consular rates and payment options is available here.

Delay of delivery

If the application is considered "standard" and no further investigations are required, an AGHB/CNEM takes a few office days, depending on the availability of the head of mission or his/her replacement. If your application is to be forwarded to the Public Attorney, it may take a few weeks or months before a decision is made.

The certificate is delivered by post or in person, according your own preference. 

Registering the marriage in Belgium

A marriage concluded abroad is not automatically notified to the Belgian authorities. This is always your own responsibility.

  • Are you registered in the consular registers of the Embassy and the marriage was concluded in Norway/Iceland? 

    Please forward by post: 

  • You are registered in the consular registers of the Embassy in Oslo but the marriage was concluded outside our jurisdiction? Please forward us a scan of the marriage certificate. We'll communicate specific instructions accordingly.
  • You are registered in the population registers of a Belgian commune?
    Please contact the service of civil status of your respective commune.