The U.S. Embassy in Tallinn assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the entities or individuals whose names appear on the following lists. Inclusion on this list is in no way an endorsement by the Department or the U.S. government. Names are listed alphabetically, and the order in which they appear has no other significance. The information on the list is provided directly by the local service providers; the Department is not in a position to vouch for such information.

Documentary Requirements For U.S. Citizens Marrying in Estonia

(This information obtained from Estonian authorities, is provided as basic guidance only to U.S. citizens. For further information regarding the application of Estonian national or local laws, please contact the relevant Estonian authority.)

1. U.S. Passport
2. Evidence you are free to marry. In the past, the U.S. Embassy would notarize sworn affidavits from U.S. citizens stating that an individual had attested that they were free to marry. The Estonian government is no longer accepting such notarized affidavits. Under Estonian law, non-Estonians who marry here must provide evidence from their home government that they are legally free to marry. This creates a difficulty for U.S. citizens, since marriage records in the United States are kept by state and local governments, not by the federal government. The U.S. Embassy does not have the ability to verify that there is no legal impediment to your marriage and, as such, is not able to provide the documentation the Estonian government requires. However, the Estonian Vital Statistics Office is aware of the challenge U.S. citizens face in this regard and has designated a process by which Americans may seek an exemption. Please be aware that this may significantly increase the total processing time. Contact the Estonian Vital Statistics Office for instructions on how to proceed with seeking the exemption.  Contraction of Marriage

1. Original Birth Certificate with Apostille.  Please visit our page on how to obtain an apostille in the U.S. for use in Estonia.
2. If the U.S. citizen has been married before he/she must obtain an Apostille on their Divorce Decree from the Secretary of the State from which the Decree was issued. It must then be translated into Estonian, utilizing a certified translation.The U.S. citizen must then make a written request to Tallinn City Court asking the Estonian Government to acknowledge the Divorce Decree. The letter should be typed rather than hand written. The process may take up to 2-3 months if not the expedited procedure is requested. There is no fee for having the Divorce Decree acknowledged. The U.S. Embassy does not issue apostilles. Please read the U.S. Department of State’s explanation of apostilles.

Applications for marriage can be obtained at the Vital Statistics Office, (in Estonian – Perekonnaseisuamet). Address is Pärnu maantee 67, phone: 645-7483 and 645-7480). It is open from Tuesday to Thursday from 8:15am-5:00pm, Monday 8:15am- 6:00pm and Friday 8:15am-1:00pm. The filled out applications should be submitted to the same address.  There is fee for filing this application.

The waiting period after you have submitted the application is one month. The fee for the ceremony starts at 20 Euros and up, depending on the day the ceremony will be performed and the music (live or recording).