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For troops who wanted to get hitched while avoiding Germany’s red tape, Denmark used to be the place to go.

“When I was here from 1986-89 with the 2nd Armored Division, north of Bremen, we had a lot of soldiers go to Denmark to get married,” said Army Col. Sherrill Munn, chaplain of the Stuttgart-based 6th Area Support Group.

“They still had to get married through the civil process, but they could do it quickly up there. So Denmark sort of became the Las Vegas” for servicemembers who wanted to get married fast without a lot of red tape.

It’s now a longer trip for American troops, but couples can still get married in Denmark in just a few days, provided they have never been married before and are at least 18 years old. All that is needed are passports; birth certificates; a residence permit, if required; and, for military members, leave orders for Denmark and permission from their commander.

Generally, once the paperwork is approved, couples can get married in a civil ceremony as quickly as a service can be scheduled. Some Danish towns require that a couple reside in the town for a short period of time — two to three days — before they can be married there. Different towns, though, have different rules.

The cost is 500 Danish kroner, or about $90. There are travel agents that book special wedding trips to Denmark.

For persons who are divorced, widowed or under 18, there would be additional paperwork. Check with base legal offices or U.S. embassies for the latest details. There is also plenty of information on marrying in Denmark on the Internet.

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