Planning a wedding in another country can feel confusing at first. When I was preparing for our civil wedding in Hungary, I often felt unsure about what to expect, what documents I needed, and how long everything would take.
Now that I’ve gone through the process myself, I wanted to share our experience. This isn’t a guide or official advice. It’s simply our story, in case it helps you understand what the journey can look like.
Disclaimer: This post is based on my personal experience as a Filipina who got married in Hungary. Requirements and processes may vary depending on the city, the officers involved, and any changes in regulations over time. For the most accurate and updated information, it’s always best to contact your local civil registry office (Anyakönyvi hivatal) or consult a qualified professional.
A Quick Look at Our Wedding Journey
– Our marriage type: Civil Wedding
– Our Preparation to Wedding timeline: Approximately 5 months
We had a civil wedding in Hungary, and from the time we formally started the process until our wedding day, it took about five months.
There were a few things that stood out right away:
- I needed several documents from the Philippines
- Most of them had to be apostilled before I left
- Everything had to be translated into Hungarian once I arrived
- An interpreter was required during the process
At first, it felt like a lot. But step by step, it became manageable.
Groom
My partner (now my husband) prepared the following documents:
– His original Birth Certificate
– His National (Hungarian) ID
– And his address Card (Lakcím kártya)
They all accepted his documents and they asked few questions.
Our Interpreter & Witnesses
A really close friend of my husband is an Interpreter (Tolmács). He translates English to Hungarian (and vice versa), which was a very big help for our process. He prepared his:
– National (Hungarian) ID
– And his Diploma or Certificate of eligibility to interpret Hungarian to English
Until now, we are so thankful of him! Because without him, we won’t be able to meet the target date of our wedding day.
The Two Witnesses (Tanú) of our wedding were very close to us too. For the groom’s witness, he is a dear friend of my husband. They travelled places together, and glad to be part of our lives. For the bride’s witness, it was my sister! Yes, my biological sister who lives in Europe. She became my kind of maid of honor in this wedding. For both of them, we only presented a copy of their National IDs and Address Card, which the office accepted and no questions asked
Bride
Before flying to Hungary, I made sure to request my birth certificate and certificate of no marriage from the Philippine Statistics Authority. I also processed their apostille at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. I made 3 copies of each, even a digital copy, just in case things go south.
Looking back, doing this early helped a lot. It saved us time later on.
Once I arrived, one of the first things we did was go to
Országos Fordító és Fordításhitelesítő Iroda.
This is where my documents were translated into Hungarian. The process took around two weeks. They first gave us an estimate, then called us when everything was ready.
It wasn’t the fastest step, but it was straightforward.
After getting the translations, we contacted the local civil registry office (Anyakönyvi hivatal) to begin the application.
We had to wait about a month for our appointment because they were fully booked. That was one of the first moments I realized how important timing is when planning a wedding abroad.
On the day of our appointment, I was bringing an envelope full of important documents like I was bringing my whole life in that envelope heading for submitting our marriage application. The documents I prepared were:
– My PSA Birth Certificate (apostilled and translated to Hungarian)
– My PSA Certificate of No Marriage CeNoMar (apostilled and translated to Hungarian)
– My Philippine Passport
– My Residence Permit Card which has my Visa
– My Address Card/Accomodation Reporting Form
– My NBI Clearance (not necessary, but they checked)
– My Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage (CLCCM)
Our Marriage Application Fee
FREE OF CHARGE! We married on the same city where my husband was born, so they did not ask for any fee for their service which excludes the accessories in the wedding (e.g. music, candles, champagne, marriage certificate holder). We were told that other cities/municipalities may require fee ranges from 5.000 to 30.000 HUF, so they are glad we decided to get married in the same city my husband grew up.
Once I gathered my PSA Birth Certificate and CENOMAR while I was still in the Philippines, I immediately set an appointment to the DFA Apostille website for apostille documents before I applied for visa.
The Interpreter and Pre-Signing
An official interpreter was required since I don’t speak Hungarian fluently. They helped translate everything clearly, especially during the pre-signing of documents.
That step was actually reassuring. It gave me confidence that I understood everything before signing.
Our Wedding Day
We got married in February 2022. It was a small and simple celebration, with fewer than 30 guests.
Honestly, that’s what made it meaningful for us. It felt relaxed, personal, and focused on what really mattered.
If I could describe the whole experience in one sentence, I’d say it was detailed but doable.
There were moments where I felt overwhelmed, especially with documents and appointments. But once we understood the steps, everything started to fall into place.
Every couple’s situation will be different, and requirements can change over time. That’s why it’s always important to check directly with the local offices involved.
Timeline of Our Marriage
June 2021 – Officially engaged 💍
July 2021 – I applied for visa and requested the documents CENOMAR and NBI Clearance. My husband inquired the Anyakönyvezető for the requirements. I also apostilled my documents in DFA Manila.
August 2021 – Visa approved! ✈️ And arrived in Hungary 🇭🇺
September 2021 – Translated all the documents at OFFI
October 2021 – Visited the Anyakönyvezető hivatal (Registry office) and started our marriage application with interview
December 2021 – Marriage Application approved and Wedding Announcement to our family
January 2022 – Wedding gown hunting and made appointments for all the wedding preparations
February 2022 – Wedding Day!!! 💒👰♀🤵♂️
A Few Snaps from Our Wedding Day
This was just our experience as a Filipina–Hungarian couple getting married in Hungary. I’m sharing it in the hope that it gives a clearer picture of what the process can feel like from a personal point of view.
At the end of the day, beyond the paperwork and preparation, what stays with me most is the joy of finally standing there together and starting our life as husband and wife.
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