Getting married in South Africa (Part 2)

Last week we started talking about you need to get married in South Africa. Here's part 2:

Conducting a marriage:

Only marriage officers authorised in terms of Act No. 25 of 1961 to perform marriages, may do so. Presently civil marriages are solemnised at offices of the Department of Home Affairs and at churches by authorised marriage officers.  Marriage officers are easy to find, just contact the church of your choice or have your lawyer or wedding planner suggest one.

A marriage must be conducted in the presence of at least two witnesses in:

•                       A church or another building used for religious services

•                       In a public office or private house, with open doors

•                       In the case of serious illness or injuries, the marriage may take place in a hospital or any concerned facility.

Marriage certificates:

Two witnesses and the marriage officer must sign the marriage register after the solemnization of a marriage. Then the marriage officer must issue the parties with a handwritten marriage certificate (BI-27) free of charge.

The marriage officer must then submit the marriage register to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs, where the marriage details will be recorded in the National Population Register (NPR).

Any additional abridged copies or unabridged copies of the marriage certificate can be requested by:

•                       Completing Form BI-130 and submitting it to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs or to the nearest South African embassy, mission or consulate abroad.

•                       Paying the prescribed fee

The first issue of an abridged marriage certificate is free, and a re-issue is R15.00 (approx. $2 US)

In addition to abridged or unabridged copies of a marriage certificate, you may also request the following documents after completing Form BI-130 and paying the prescribed fees:

•                       A vault copy of the register

•                       An abridged marriage certificate that is either computer printed or handwritten 

That’s about it! I know it seems like a mountain of paperwork but lifelong commitments do not come easily. Think of it as slaying the paper dragon to get to your beloved!

For more information you can go to:

http://www.home-affairs.gov.za/Marriage%20certificates.html

or

http://www.celebration.co.za/related/wedding-articles/miscellaneous/marrying-as-a-foreigner-in-south-africa/

Hope that helps!

Happy planning!

Getting married in South Africa (part 1)

South Africa is one of the most amazing places to get married because you can find a bit of everything in one country. We've got beaches, lakes, mountains, wild bush reserves, historic buildings, rural villages, opulent hotels, cosmopolitan cities and open savanna plains.

We've also got a very favorable exchange rate at the moment and a lot of international couples find that they get way more bang for their buck here, at the Southern tip of Africa.

So, if you’re considering an exotic wedding in a faraway land, here’s what you’ll need to get the paperwork done!

First off, find out what your country of origin needs in order to register the marriage. While anyone can legally get married in SA, you still need to register your new marital status once you get home! If the bride and groom are from different homelands, then it is advisable to find out what the requirements are from the groom’s side first. The requirements will differ from country to country, so I’m afraid you’re going to have to do some legwork here yourself.

Once you've established the requirements from your country of origin, you need to get the following together:

·         Letter of No Impediment - This is a legal document issued by the country of birth stating, according to the records, what your present marital status is and whether or not you have any outstanding warrants, etc. This is very important. The South African Department of Home Affairs have gotten really strict on this in an effort to stop human trafficking.

·         Passport and Visa permit – Make sure you can be in the country for a few days before and after the ceremony, just to make sure you give yourself enough time to get the paperwork done.

·         3 Certified ID photos (of both the groom and the bride) plus 1 certified copy of each of the 2 witnesses – you will need two witnesses to sign the wedding register with you.

·         If either of you is divorced or widowed, you’ll need the final divorce decree or deceased spouse’s death certificate (preferably translated into English if that is not your native language)

·         Its also advisable to get you Ante nuptial contract drawn up as soon as possible. Depending on how you want to get married - community of property, ANC or ANC with accrual - the last two need a lawyer to draw it up.

We'll look at the rest of the process next week.

Happy planning!