Civil Marriages in South Africa
Civil marriages in South Africa can take place at any location provided the marriage is carried out by a person designated by a Marriage Officer. The following people are marriage officers:
- magistrates
- special justices of the peace
- commissioners
- ministers of religion designated by the Minister of Home Affairs.
Many hotels, lodges and other locations regularly arrange weddings for their guests and they will be happy to book a Marriage Officer for you. There is no requirement for you to meet with or speak with the Marriage Officer beforehand.
Applications
Theoretically you do not need to make any application or submit any documentation in advance, but can simply present the documentation to the Marriage Officer prior to your wedding.
However in practice it is recommended that you make contact with the Marriage Officer or with the local Office of Home Affairs and submit your documentation before travelling to South Africa. This prevents the possibility of any last minute hitches that might spoil the actual wedding day.
Documentation Required
South Africa requires only a minimum of documentation from overseas couples before their wedding can go ahead and gathering it should present little difficulty.
The following documents should be submitted to the Marriage Officer:
- A copy of your passports including the first 6 pages of the passport. Your passport should have at least 6 months to run following the date you enter South Africa.
- Birth certificates, the originals in their long form.
- In the case of divorced or widowed persons divorce papers/death certificate confirmed by oath.
You will also need to present your original passports to the Marriage Officer prior to the celebration of you wedding.
Registration & Certification
After the marriage, the bride and groom, both witnesses and the Marriage Officer sign the marriage register. The Marriage Officer will immediately issue the parties with a Marriage Certificate (Form BI-27) free of charge.
The Marriage Officer will return a copy of this certificate to to the nearest Home Affairs Office who will record the marriage in the National Population Register.
If you need copies of your Marriage Certificate subsequently you can obtain them by making a request in writing to the South African Embassy in your country. There is a fee for the issuing of copies.
Minimum Age
Legally any male over the age of 18 years and any female over the age of 15 years can get married, however those under the age of 21 must have parental consent.