Getting Married in Denmark as a Foreigner — The Document Mistake That Cost Us 2 Months

I have photographed over a hundred weddings.

I know how to read light. I know how to find the angle. I know that the difference between a good photo and a great one is often just — where you're standing when you take it.

What I apparently did not know, in the year I was planning my own wedding, was how to photograph a passport.

My husband is Danish. I'm Chinese. We applied to AFL — Familieretshuset, the Danish Agency of Family Law — like every other international couple does. We filled out the digital form. We paid the DKK 2,100 fee (non-refundable, by the way). We uploaded our documents.

And then we waited.

And waited.

And then got a letter asking us to resubmit.

The passport photo was wrong. Not blurry, exactly. Just — one page. One slightly cropped, slightly dark, distinctly incomplete page with a bit of reflection.

And what AFL requires is every single page, in colour, including the ones with nothing on them.

Processing restarted from zero.

We waited two months.

Two months, because of a passport photo. Taken by a professional photographer. Who photographs things for a living.

(I would like to state, for the record, that I know exactly where those photos are. And I will not be sharing them.)

What the AFL Application Actually Requires

Here's what I've learned since then, from my own application and from helping the couples I work with navigate this process:

The AFL document requirements are not complicated. But they are specific. And the gap between "I think I have everything" and "AFL agrees I have everything" is exactly where most couples lose weeks — sometimes months — of their timeline.

So I put together the document kit I wish had existed when I was sitting in our Copenhagen apartment. It could have helped us to accelerate the process so much more!

The Internationals Get Married in Denmark Document Kit

The kit covers everything you need to submit a complete, correct application to AFL the first time:

The full document checklist — what everyone needs, what only some people need, and what you absolutely do not need (single status certificate, I'm looking at you — not required since 2019). Plus the Declaration of Truth, the Section 11b Declaration, and a Power of Attorney template if you need a third party to submit on your behalf.

Bilingual in English and Chinese. Sourced from Familieretshuset's 2026 guidelines.

Get the Document Kit

It is pure free! Buy me a coffee when you are in town. ;P Hope this can save you more than two months of your wedding timeline.

What Documents You Actually Need

The AFL checklist breaks down into three categories:

Everyone needs:

• Valid passport (every page, in colour)
• Birth certificate with apostille or legalization
• Proof of address in Denmark or abroad
• Completed AFL digital application form
• Payment confirmation (DKK 2,100)

Some people need:

• Divorce decree (if previously married) with apostille
• Death certificate (if widowed) with apostille
• Custody documentation (if you have children from a previous relationship)

Nobody needs:

• Single status certificate (removed from requirements in 2019)
• Police clearance certificate
• Proof of residence longer than 3 months

The confusion happens because different countries have different marriage requirements, and couples assume Denmark works the same way. It doesn't. AFL's list is the only list that matters.

The Passport Photo Mistake (And How to Avoid It)

This is the one that cost us two months.

AFL requires a scan or photo of every single page of your passport. Not just the ID page. Not just the pages with stamps. Every page. Including the blank ones.

The file must be:

• In colour (even if your passport pages are black and white)
• Clear and readable
• Without glare or shadows
• Showing the full page, not cropped

One incomplete page = rejected application = processing restarts from zero.

Use your phone. Take the photo in natural light. Make sure every page is flat and in frame. It doesn't need to be professionally scanned — it just needs to be complete.

How Long Does AFL Processing Actually Take?

AFL states 4-6 weeks for processing after they receive a complete application.

In practice:

• If your application is complete and correct: 4-5 weeks
• If they request additional documents: add 2-4 weeks per round of resubmission
• During summer (June-August): add 1-2 weeks due to holiday schedules

The timeline starts when AFL confirms they have received your complete application — not when you submit it. Check your email. If you don't receive an acknowledgment within 3-5 business days, follow up.

Once Your Documents Are Approved: Your Wedding Day

The AFL approval is the legal requirement. But you still need to figure out what your actual wedding day looks like — timeline, photography, whether you're doing portraits after the ceremony or keeping it short.

I photograph Copenhagen city hall weddings and coordinate the full day for international couples. If you want to see what that looks like: Browse real Copenhagen weddings →

Common AFL Application Mistakes

From working with international couples and going through this myself, here are the mistakes I see most often:

Passport scans are incomplete. One missing page restarts the clock.

Birth certificates aren't apostilled. If your country is part of the Hague Convention, your birth certificate needs an apostille. If not, it needs legalization from the Danish embassy in your country. A standard certified copy is not enough.

Previous marriage documents are missing. If either of you was married before, AFL needs proof that marriage legally ended — divorce decree or death certificate, apostilled.

The application form has typos. Your name must match your passport exactly. Middle names, hyphens, spacing — everything. One character off = rejected.

They don't follow up. If you haven't heard from AFL within 5 business days of submitting, email them. Sometimes applications sit in a queue because one small thing is unclear.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be in Denmark to apply to AFL?

No. You can submit your AFL application from anywhere. You only need to be in Denmark for the wedding ceremony itself.

Can I get married in Denmark if I'm on a tourist visa?

Yes. Denmark does not require you to be a resident. You can enter on a tourist visa (or visa-free if your nationality allows) and get married during your visit.

How much does it cost to get married in Denmark?

The AFL application fee is DKK 2,100 (non-refundable). The civil ceremony fee is DKK 1,350 if you marry at Copenhagen City Hall, or varies by location if you choose a different venue. Apostille and document translation costs depend on your home country.

Do I need a Danish address to apply?

No. You can provide an address abroad. AFL will send correspondence to whatever address you list on the application.

What if my documents are not in English or Danish?

Documents in languages other than English, Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish must be translated by an authorized translator and apostilled or legalized.

How long is the AFL approval valid?

Your AFL approval (the "prøvelsesattest") is valid for 4 months from the date of issue. You must get married within that window.

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