Family, marriage and partnerships

Swiss-Chilean couples wishing to live in Chile may apply for a permanent visa for the Swiss spouse and children. The application must be submitted in person to the competent consular representation.

Marriages contracted abroad or registered partnerships under civil law are recognised in Switzerland and must be registered with the Swiss civil status authorities. Swiss nationals who get married abroad are required to register their marriage with the competent Swiss representation abroad. The representation translates and authenticates the marriage certificate and forwards it to the civil status authority in Switzerland free of charge. In exceptional cases, you can also notify your cantonal civil status authority, which will forward the marriage certificate and related documents to the representation abroad for translation and authentication. In this case you will be required to pay a fee.

You are advised to consult the relevant Swiss representation before your marriage regarding the rules you need to comply with so that the marriage can be recognised in Switzerland and entered in the civil status register as soon as possible.

The amendment to the Swiss Civil Code, published in the Federal Gazette on 10 December 2021, made it possible for same-sex couples to marry. It also allowed children (acquired through adoption or IVF) to be recognised by both parents. The new law also includes provisions on the matrimonial property regime applying to same-sex couples.