Kenya - Obtain Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (Single Status Certificate)

ProcedureEdit

These are issued to Kenya citizens wishing to have their marriages, either to Kenya citizens or foreigners performed abroad. The certificate confirms that the applicant is single and has capacity to enter into a marriage.

Apply In-Person

Kenyans living abroad can approach the Kenyan mission abroad in the country in which they are living in, to make the application of a certificate of no impediment to marriage. Certificates of No Impediment are issued to KENYAN CITIZENS wishing to have their marriages, either to Kenyan citizens or foreigners (Non-Kenyans) performed abroad. The Certificate conforms that the applicant is SINGLE and has the capacity to enter into marriage. Every Kenyan wishing to marry abroad has to apply for a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage from the nearest Kenyan Mission.
You will be given an application for certificate of no Impediment to Marriage- Form No. 7 Impediment to Marriage- Form No. 7 to complete.
After completion of form 7, you are required to pay the application fees and attach the following documents for submission:

i. Two (2) photocopies of the applicant’s current Kenyan passport-pages 30-32 & the Bio-Data page (certified by a notary public).

ii. Application Letter requesting for a certificate of No impediment to marriage.

iii. Two (2) photocopies of Kenyan birth certificate (certified by a notary public).

iv. Two (2) photocopies of the Fiancée’s (spouse to be) passport (certified by a notary public).

v. Application fee of paid by Money Order or bank cheque payable to the Kenya High Commission, (if applying from abroad).

vi. If you were previously married, two photocopies of A Divorce Decree Absolute or the late spouse’s Death Certificate for divorced or widowed Kenyans (certified by a notary public). These must be in English & if not, a translation provided.

vii. A self-addressed registered post or express platinum post return envelope. (if applying from abroad)

Note: All photocopies must be certified by a notary public. Scanned documents will not be accepted.

The application is then forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General (State Law Office) in Nairobi, Kenya for processing. Though the following address

Office of the Attorney-General and the Department of Justice

P.O. Box 40112 - 00100

Nairobi

Marriages conducted without issuance of this Certificate will neither be recognized by the Mission nor by the Authorities in Kenya.

After one to three months of processing the certificate will be sent to the return address.

Required DocumentsEdit

Two (2) photocopies of the applicant’s current Kenyan passport-pages 30-32 & the Bio-Data page (certified by a notary public).
Application Letter.
Two (2) photocopies of Kenyan birth certificate (certified by a notary public).
Two (2) photocopies of the Fiancée’s (spouse to be) passport (certified by a notary public).
Application fee of paid by Money Order or bank cheque payable to the Kenya High Commission;( if applying from abroad)
If you were previously married, two photocopies of A Divorce Decree Absolute or the late spouse’s Death Certificate for divorced or widowed Kenyans (certified by a notary public). These must be in English & if not, a translation provided.
A self-addressed registered post or express platinum post return envelope. (if applying from abroad)

Office Locations & ContactsEdit

The Registrar Of Marriages - Head Office
Sheria House, Harambee Avenue
P.O. Box 40112-00100,
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 020-2227461-9 / 020-2251355 / 0732 529995 / 0700 072929
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: Link

Registrar of Marriages Desk - Huduma Center
Huduma Center Locations

E- Citizen Protal - Office of the Attoney General
E- Citizen Link

EligibilityEdit

A citizen of Kenya intending to get married

FeesEdit

A fee of Ksh. 5,000 is payable.

ValidityEdit

The certificate is valid for six months.
The certificate loses its validity when the holder gets married.

Documents to UseEdit

Application for Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage- FORM NO. 7 : FORM NO. 7

Sample DocumentsEdit

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.

Processing TimeEdit

The processing time for a certificate is approximately one month or approximately 3 months if applying from abroad.

InstructionsEdit

Applicants living abroad may channel their applications through Kenya's missions in their countries of residence. The fee is paid there and the form completed. The mission then forwards to the Registrar of Marriages in Nairobi, the receipt confirming payment, a duly completed form and an authenticated copy of the applicant's passport.
Where the applicant's home district is Nairobi, notice of the application is displayed for 10 days, giving anyone with an objection to the intended marriage opportunity to raise his or her objection. After 10 days, the certificate is prepared and collected by the applicant or forwarded to the mission through whom the certificate was applied.
Where the applicant's home district is not Nairobi, a letter is sent to the District Commissioner (DC) of the applicant's home district, requesting them to display the notice of the intended marriage on their notice board or do investigations through the Chief of the applicant's location on the marital status of the applicant.
The DC then writes to the registrar and, if no legal objection has been raised, the certificate is prepared in the usual way and dispatched through the usual channels.

Required InformationEdit

Full names of applicant
Full name of intended spouse
Name of country of marriage
Address of applicant
Address of intended spouse
Confirmation of age of consent
Name of witness.
Sex of applicant
Race
Religion
Last residence in Kenya
Occupation

Need for the DocumentEdit

These are issued to Kenya citizens wishing to have their marriages, either to Kenya citizens or foreigners performed abroad.
The certificate confirms that the applicant is single and has capacity to enter into a marriage.

Information which might helpEdit

The standard Single Status Certificate or Certificate of No Impediment may be insufficient on its own to allow a marriage to take place in a foreign country. You may be required by the foreign authorities to comply with the following, so please ensure that you allow sufficient time for processing.

a) Certificates may need to be translated.

b) Certificates may need to be endorsed or exchanged for a locally acceptable version issued by your Embassy or Consulate in the country where you will marry.

c) Certificates may need to be legalized

d) Certificates may require that witnesses swear an Affidavit stating that you are free to marry and that this is appended.

External LinksEdit

Marriage Requirements for a Marriage : Marriage Requirements for a Marriage

OthersEdit

When planning to get married overseas it is common that the authorities in that country will request a Certificate of No Impediment. This document is a way of proving that there is no Impediment/Obstruction in allowing you to be married and shows that there has been no objection to your proposed marriage.