First look over this website with the latest from DHA

1. GATHER ALL YOUR PAPERWORK

See “Paperwork Needed to Get Married” tab - keep in mind that this can take a while to gather so have this in order prior to making your DHA Interview appointment.

2. Hire a Marriage Officer (eg. a Pastor / Priest that is registered to be a Marriage Officer)

More information under the “Hiring a Marriage Officer” tab

3. MAKE YOUR DHA INTERVIEW APPOINTMENT

This is the appointment where you get permission to get married - so pray!

Your Marriage Officer should be able to help you with this. It usually takes a week to get an interview

4. pick a wedding date with your marriage officer

It usually takes a week to get an interview and after you can call a private marriage lawyer, who will get you married anytime and any place you want.

5. PREPARE TO GET MARRIED!

On your wedding day make sure that you get your Marriage Register signed with two witnesses:

  • The marriage register which you sign on the day of your wedding should be completed in triplicate (with three copies).

  • Two witnesses and the marriage officer must sign the marriage register after the solemnisation of a marriage. Sometimes DHA want the witnesses to be South African - so its worth just doing this to avoid later complications.

  • Then the marriage officer must issue the parties with a handwritten marriage certificate (BI-27) free of charge.

  • Make sure to ask for a copy of the form the witnesses sign - this can really help speed up the process for getting your unabridged marriage certificate

  • The marriage officer must then submit the marriage register to the nearest office of the Home Affairs Offices, where the marriage details will be recorded in the National Population Register (NPR) within a week of your wedding.

  • Home Affairs will stamp and sign the marriage register and the second copy will be mailed to you as proof of registration. In many countries this is sufficient to prove your SA marriage.

6. APPLY FOR UNABRIDGED MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE

If an abridged Marriage Certificate is not sufficient to prove your South African marriage in your passport nation - then you will want to apply or an Unabridged Marriage Certificate

Go to your local Home Affairs office and apply for an unabridged marriage certificate

If you want to speed it up, you can use DocAssist company, or any other company that assist with speeding up the doc process. This can be the difference of months - (many report that when they hire a company, it can take 5 days, versus the 7-11 months otherwise by waiting for Home Affairs).

MARRIAGE CEREMONY NOT AT HOME AFFAIRS :