Meldebescheinigung familienstand says "unbekannt"

I would think you just have to tell the registration office that you are single and they have to accept it if there is no documentation to prove otherwise. But this doesn't hurt or help when getting married. You still have to fulfill the requirements at the Standesamt. For this you will most likely need an official document from your home country's consulate or embassy stating that to the best of their knowledge you are single. Just being listed as single to register your address doesn't actually prove it, but one could imagine they would be even more scrutinizing if you had been listed as married rather than unknown. And with taxes, again, if you were listed with the Finazamt as married and claiming a combined return then it would look contradictory. But just claiming to be single and filing taxes as such is not really a proof – and many German government agencies don't really share information. I recently got German citizenship and was required to give in certain documents that I had already provided to other offices when I got married and got residency. They don't just contact another agency, one has to get the documents from one German agency and give it to another – and of course pay.

Hi TominStuttgart

Many thanks for your kind and thoughtful reply. I find it fascinating to hear that the government departments arent talking in such a bureaucratic country.
I should have explained that we will be getting married in Denmark (much less paperwork and the marriage certificate is also in English). For this I only need the Meldebescheinigung to say that Im single single. Denmark then accepts this as proof that I am not married in my country of residence.

Isnt it crazy that our marriage now depends on the willingness of a local official here in Radolfzell? I will take my tax return from last year along with me on Thursday to show then my tax status and hopefully that should be enough.

Basically my argument will be that I cant be "unknown". Im already a bit nervous! :-)

You are correct that “unknown” is not really an acceptable status but I don't see that there is anything to worry about. It is usually the wish of the gov. officials to have such things clarified as well. And I have heard it is less bureaucratic in Denmark but I would double check that you don't need an official statement from your consulate about your marital status since this is pretty much standard in most countries. And even if they don't require it, maybe the Germans will ask for this as proof for their documentation since they obviously haven't felt it is properly proven until now. But people often ask for advice here worrying about how an official might decide something to which one can really only say; "ask and you'll know". Anything else is a bit speculative. And even if one shares their own experience it doesn't mean that a different official in a different city might not do things differently. But one should cross their bridges when they come to them.

Like Tom, I am surprized that a “certificate of no impediment to marry” from your home country isn't required in Denmark, as this is the standard set by international treaties that probably Denmark is also member of (otherwise such marriages would not be recognised elsewhere).
In any case, you are asking about how to convince the German authorities that you are single - and I would assume the exact same document would do the trick. So get it from your home country authorities and you are out of worries!

Hi beppi

I hear what you are saying but here is the list of required documents - from the website of the central processing unit in Denmark:

1    Your passport
2   Documentation of the right to enter and stay in Denmark
3   Certificate of marital status (if applicable) from your current country of residence
4    Residence certificate or other documentation if you cohabit abroad
5    If you have one or more children together - birth certificate(s) of your child/children
6    If you have previously been married, you must enclose documentation that the marriage has been dissolved by divorce, death or annulment:
   
Its no 3 on the list that we are trying to achieve. We have checked and the meldebescheinigung is accepted for No 3 and No 4.

Thank you for your thoughts on this TominStuttgart

The thing that's a little frustrating about this for me is that if I had answered differently when they asked at the anmeldung, the status would have then said "single". A simple verbal answer was all that was required then, but now its starting to sound like I may need to contact New Zealand!

I guess we will see what happens on Thursday :-)

I don't know the rules in Denmark (you may ask this on the Denmark forum), but I know that buerocratic procedures can be illogical, frustrating and are rarely ever customer-friendly.

Hi @johnpark
I just signed up to ask you this. I am in same situation. Were you able to change your status to single? Were you able to register your marriage?

Kindly tell me if you could and how did you do it.
Thanks.