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How To Get A Marriage Certificate In South Africa





A common question many people have is how to get a marriage certificate in South Africa. After all, this is a necessary document for many kinds of legal affairs concerning yourself and your family, such as exercising parental rights or claiming certain benefits.

In this article we bring you all the information you may need to get your marriage certificate. We will also answer questions about what kinds of certificates there are, the requirements to request each of them, the pricing and wait times for them to be issued and more.

Keep reading and discover all information there is to know about how to get a marriage certificate in South Africa!

Example of a South African unabridged marriage certificate

A marriage certificate is a document issued by the South African government that proves a couple is legally married and the relationship is recognized by the state’s legal authority. The certificate also lists information about the members of the married couple and the marriage itself.




All kinds of marriage certificates are issued by the South African Department of Home Affairs. The Department then goes on to update the National Population register after the marriage registration is received and the certificate is applied for by the married couple.

The most common method of how to get a marriage certificate in South Africa is when you and your partner marry or enter into a civil union. During the registration, the officer responsible for the ceremony must issue a handwritten abridged marriage certificate with no price as part of the process.

Another way to get a marriage certificate is to ask for a copy of the certificate, which you can do if you have been married and had the relationship registered in South Africa.

The third possibility to get a marriage certificate is when you were married to a deceased partner and need to provide proof of the marriage for any legal reasons. In this case, you can apply with no price unabridged marriage certificate.

(Source Pexels)

Marriage Certificate Requirements

The first requirement for people applying for marriage certificate in South Africa is that they are not included in one of the categories of forbidden marriages according to South African law.




Some of these categories involve marriage with minors without prescribed consent from their guardians, marriage between parent and child or when one or both partners are already legally married.

If no partner is included in a forbidden marriage category, during the ceremony the couple and two witnesses present at the moment must sign the marriage register. The official responsible for the registration will then fill out a BI-27 form and issue it as a marriage certificate to the couple.

If you wish to apply for a copy of your certificate or an unabridged marriage certificate, specific conditions apply.

Unabridged Marriage Certificate

Unabridged marriage certificates are issued only by the Department of Home Affairs. They contain all information on the abridged certificate and also include full identifying information about the married couple.




These certificates carry apostille stamps and signatures, so they can be used in any legal process. This also makes them very useful for people who intend to live or work abroad.

You can get an unabridged marriage certificate by filling the BI-130 form in black ink and paying the prescribed fee. You will need to submit your request at the nearest Department of Home Affairs office or South African embassy, mission or consulate.

Abridged Marriage Certificate

This is the marriage certificate issued automatically at the moment of marriage. It contains information about the married couple and proves they are legally married in South Africa. It should be enough for people who intend to live and work in the country.

How To Apply For A Copy Of Marriage Certificate?

To get a copy of a marriage certificate, you must fill in the BI-130 form in black ink and submit it to a Department of Home Affairs office or South African consulate, mission or embassy in case you live abroad. You must also pay the associated.

Marriage Certificate Price

The first issue of an abridged marriage certificate is done with no price. Unabridged marriage certificates or copies of the abridged certificate cost 75 South African Rand each.



How Long Does An Unabridged And Abridged Marriage Certificate Take?

Usually, it takes up to three months to issue an unabridged marriage certificate after the request has been made.

Lost Marriage Certificate South Africa. What should I do?

If you lost your marriage certificate, you can apply for a replacement copy at your nearest Department of Home Affairs office or South African embassy, mission or consulate.

Now that you know all there is about how to get a marriage certificate in South Africa, keep reading our blog and discover other useful tips for your daily life!

This article is for information purposes only, that is, it has no link with the company providing
the service, which perhaps may be mentioned in this article.