MARRIAGE REGISTRATION

Under the Marriages Act, 1884-1985, the couple must give notice in writing to the Registrar of Marriage of the district in which the marriage will take place of their intention to marry within three months. .

This notice must include the names of the parties and their marital status (e.g. spinster/widow, bachelor/widower), their occupations, age, and places of residence.

The registrar will then issue a Marriage Certificate within three months of receiving the notice, provided that he or she is satisfied that :

  • (a) one of the parties has lived in the district where the marriage is intended to take place for 15 days before the Certificate is granted,
  • (b) that either party is under twenty-one years old they have obtained the required consent to be married,
  • (c)that there is no lawful hindrance to the marriage, and that neither party is married by customary law to another individual. The marriage must take place within three months of receipt of the notice, or else a fresh notice must be given before the couple can be married.