Planning a wedding is an exciting and fun time. Remember that along with the celebration there is also the legal aspect of your marriage. On this page we list the important documents you must have to get married in South Africa.
The marriage laws state that you need to present these documents to the marriage officer conducting your marriage, and that copies of these documents are attached to the marriage register when it is submitted to the Department of Home Affairs. Once the register and the documents have been presented to the Department of Home Affairs your marriage will be noted in the Population Register.
Get all the documents together well before your wedding. It is not an arduous task, but easily forgotten among all the other preparation, so best get it seen to sooner rather than later:
* Your South African Identity documents (either the card or book type). Driver’s licenses and passports are not accepted as valid ID documents.
* The Identity Documents of your two Witnesses (they may present a passport only if they are foreign nationals)
* A Letter from your Attorney Regarding your Ante-Nuptial Contract – if you are signing an ante-nuptial contract your attorney will give you a letter to present to the marriage officer stating that this has been done. An ante-nuptial contract must be signed before the marriage is solemnized. It is strongly advised that you consult an attorney regarding the various marriage regimes and their implications before you get married.
* Two ID sized photographs of each of you – these will be included in the marriage register.
* Divorce or Death Certificates – if you have been previously married, the relevant evidence of divorce or death of the previous spouse must be presented to the marriage officer as proof that you are no longer married. It is also worthwhile checking with the Department of Home Affairs that your current marital status is recorded as either divorced or widowed.
If you are a South African citizen and the person you are marrying is a non-South African or does not have permanent residence in South Africa, then the information you need is on this page.
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