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Can you marry a member of your family?

Verified 07 June 2021 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice

Many ties prohibit marriage to a family member. These are either direct or alliance relationships.

Direct family is the family bond that exists between 2 people with a common ancestor.

Marriage is strictly forbidden between:

  • Between ascending and downhill
  • Between a brother and a sister, between 2 brothers, between 2 sisters
  • Between half brother and half sister, between 2 half-brothers, between 2 half sisters

Marriage is also strictly forbidden between uncle or aunt and a niece or a nephew. In this case, the parents of the former are the grandparents of the latter.

Marriage

Alliance is the bond resulting from marriage. He makes each married spouse an ally of all those who are directly related to his or her husband. It applies even after divorce or widowhood.

Divorced or widowed persons may not marry:

  • Child of their ex-husband
  • Parent of their ex-husband

Marriage is prohibited in the following situations:

  • Between a child and the ex-husband/wife of a parent
  • Between a parent and the child's ex-husband/wife (ex-son-in-law or ex-wife)

Please note

if the person who created the alliance has died, a waiver may, in some cases, be granted by the President of the Republic. In practice, it is exceptional.

Civil partnerships

The Civil partnerships: titleContent does not create an alliance that prevents a marriage.

For example, a child may marry the Civil partnership partner of a parent.

Plenary

In case ofplenary, the prohibitions are the same as for any direct relationship.

Marriage is therefore strictly prohibited between the following persons:

  • Between ascending and downhill adopted
  • Between a brother and a sister, between 2 brothers, between 2 sisters
  • Between half brother and half sister, between 2 half-brothers, between 2 half sisters

Marriage is also strictly forbidden between uncle or aunt and a niece or a nephew. In this case, the parents of the former are the grandparents of the latter.

Simple adoption

In case simple adoption, marriage shall be prohibited between:

  • Between the adopter and the adopted
  • Between adoptive children of the same person
  • Between the adopted and the descendants of the adopted
  • Between the adopter and the descendants of the adopted
  • Between the adopter and the former spouse of the adopted
  • Between the former spouse of the adopter and the adopted

Please note

marriage is permitted between the adopted person and the adopted person's brother or sister.

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