Kenya - Obtain a Marriage Certificate

ProcedureEdit

One needs to get married to obtain a marriage certificate in Kenya. There are three legal ways to get married in Kenya; a traditional customary union, a religious wedding or a civil wedding.

MARRIAGE BETWEEN KENYANS
Apply In-Person :

The first step to obtaining a marriage certificate in Kenya is filling a Notice of Marriage with the Office of the Registrar General and waiting for up to 21 days. A fee of 600 Kenya Shillings is charged for filling the notice.
Upon the expiry of the 21-day waiting period, the couple can proceed to the next step.If the ceremony is to take place in a:

Registrar of Marriages office (Civil marriage by notice)
1. You will be required to pay Ksh 3,300, and after which you will be given a marriage date according to the official diary.
2. Upon picking the date, the marriage ceremony can either take place in the Registrar of Marriages, Deputy County Commissioners or Assistant County Commissioners offices.
3. During the ceremony before the couple repeats the vows after the registrar, they are asked to confirm their intention to get married.
4. After the vows have been exchanged three hard copies of the Marriage Certificate are given to the couple and their witnesses to sign.
5. The registrar signs all the copies of the marriage certificate as well and issues two of them to the couple. One of the certificates is retained by at the Attorney General’s Office. The total cost of this process is Ksh 3900
Licensed place of worship
1. You will be required to pay Ksh 800 after the 21day notice to obtain a Registrar certificate.
2. The registrar certificate is then taken to the religious official who shall preside over the marriage ceremony. The couple should marry within three months.
3. During the ceremony they are asked to confirm their intention to get married.
4. After the vows have been exchanged three hard copies of the Marriage Certificate are given to the couple and their witnesses to sign.
5. The religious official also signs all the copies of the marriage certificate and issues one copy to the couple. One of the certificates is retained by the official and the other is sent to Office of the Registrar of Marriages together with a copy of the registrar certificate. The total cost of this process is Ksh 1400.
Where the ceremony shall take place other than licenced place of worship or Registrar’s Office e.g. A Garden, hotel etc. a Special License is also needed to License the venue for a wedding even if notice is properly given at a total fee of Ksh. 7200.

In the event that you cannot give a notice for 21 days and you want the wedding to be done immediately, the following documents will be required.

Birth Certificates (Copies & Original)
Identification cards or passports (Copies & Original)
Prove that there is no impediment to marriage e.g.
1. Affidavits
2. Death Certificate (In the case of widowed persons)-Copy & original
3. Divorce Decree Absolute. (In the case of divorced persons)-Copy & original
Colour Passport size photos
A documented reason to show (prove that you do not have time to give a 21-day notice)
Copy Pastor’s License- if the marriage is conducted by a church minister & Serial No
Wedding invitation( in case of Christian /Hindu wedding)

In the case of a civil marriage by special license. BOTH parties are to appear before the Registrar when applying. A Fee of is Kshs. 9,700 is charged, if wedding is being conducted in the Registrar’s office and Kshs. 16,700.00 if the wedding will take place in a garden.
In the case of a Christian/Hindu marriage by special license. BOTH parties are to appear before the Registrar when applying. A Fee of is Kshs. 7,200 Is charged if wedding is being conducted in a licensed place of worship and Kshs. 14,200 if the wedding takes places in a garden
In the case of a Christian/Hindu marriage by special license involving foreign nationals. A Fee of Kshs. 14,200 is charged if wedding is being conducted in a licensed place of worship and Kshs. 21,200 if the wedding takes place in a garden.
In the case of customary marriage

Both parties must be present at the Office of the Registrar of Marriages;
They should Avail a valid I.D’s/passports (original and copy);
1 colour passport photo each;
At the time of registration, the parties MUST NOT have entered into either a CIVIL or a CHRISTIAN marriage;
The registration of a customary marriage is ONLY APPLICABLE to Kenyans who have contracted African customary marriage rites;
Fee payable is Kshs. 3,900.00.

Registration of Customary marriages started on 1st August 2017 and is being piloted in Nairobi ONLY before being rolled out to our regional offices.

Apply Online(Appointment Booking):

To Obtain a Marriage Certificate, the applicant has to make the application online via – link
The applicant has to click the “Appointment” option.
If the applicant is a new user, the applicant has to click the “REGISTER” button.
Enter all the following details and click the “Register” button.
After registering click the “Goto login page”
The applicant has to National ID number and password and click the “Login” option.
Now, the applicant has to select the category and place.
Also, select the timing and date from the optional menu.
Once completed with all the details, the applicant has to click the “Confirm” button.
There is no fee for an appointment.
The processing time is complete within a few minutes.

Required DocumentsEdit

Required Documents for Marriage by Notice (for civil and religious marriage where both parties are Kenyan nationals)

Both parties to appear before the Registrar’s to fill a Notice form;
Valid I.D’s/Passports are required (Copy and original);
Colour Passport size photos;
Death certificate if widowed or divorce decree absolute if divorced;
In the event the Divorce decree is more than a year old or a death certificate is more than 2 years old, an Affidavit to confirm marital status;

Required documents for Marriage by Special License (both civil and religious marriage

Where both parties are Kenyan nationals
1. Valid I.D’s or Passports (Copy and original)
2. Birth certificates (Copy and original)
3. Proof of no impediment to marriage through:
  - Affidavits to state marital status: Separate Affidavits if single or joint affidavit if married under customary law;
  - Death Certificate (In the case of widowed persons): Copy and original;
  - Divorce Decree Absolute. (In the case of divorced persons indicating current status): Copy and original;
  - In the event the Divorce decree is more than a year old or a death certificate is more than 2 years old, an Affidavit to confirm marital status.
4. A documented reason to show proof that you do not have time to give a 21-day notice;
5. Colour passport size photos;
6. Copy of license of the Minister of Faith to officiate and serial number of the marriage book to be used;( in case of Christian or Hindu marriage)
7. Wedding invitation card( in case of Christian or Hindu marriage)
Where One Party is a Kenyan National and the Other a Foreign National
1. Kenyan National
  1. Valid I.D’s or Passports (Copy and original)
  2. Birth certificates (Copy and original)
  3. Letter from chief of the hometown were the Kenyan person orginally comes from. 1.000 KES
  4. Proof of no impediment to marriage through:
    - Affidavits to state marital status: Separate Affidavits if single or joint affidavit if married under customary law;
    - Death Certificate (In the case of widowed persons): Copy and original;
    - Divorce Decree Absolute. (In the case of divorced persons indicating current status): Copy and original;
    - In the event the Divorce decree is more than a year old or a death certificate is more than 2 years old, an Affidavit to confirm marital status.
  5. A documented reason to show proof that you do not have time to give a 21-day notice;
  6. Colour passport size photos;
2. Foreign National
  1. Valid passport (Copies and Original)
  2. Copy of your online application
  3. Passport size photo (Coloured)
  4. Registration of Marriage by Special License (S. 33 of the Marriage Act, 2014) 7.000 KES
  5. Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage 3.300 KES
  6. Certified letter Foreign Office (when person is a Kenyan who marries a foreigner to proof being married with foreigner when visiting his or her country) 20.000 KES
  7. Cyber charges 3.000 KES
  8. Proof of no impediment to marriage through:
    - A Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage.
    - Death Certificate. (In the case of widowed person)- or
    - Divorce Decree Absolute. (In the case of divorce person indicating current status)- Copy and original
    - In the event the Divorce certificate is more than a year old or a death certificate that is more than 2 years old, a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage
  9. Return air ticket/visa/work permit.
  10. Copy of license of the Minister of Faith to officiate and serial number of the marriage book to be used;( in case of Christian or Hindu marriage)
  11. Wedding invitation card( in case of Christian or Hindu marriage)
Where Both Parties Are Foreign Nationals
1. Valid passports (Copies and Original);
2. Passport size photos (Coloured);
3. Birth certificates (Copies and Original)
4. Prove of no impediment to marriage through:
  - Certificates of No Impediment to Marriage.
  - Death Certificate. (In the case of widowed person)- Copy and original
  - Divorce Decree Absolute/Decree Nisi. (In the case of divorce person indicating current status)- Copy and original
  - In the event the Divorce decree is more than a year old or a death certificate that is more than 2 years old, a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage
5. Return air ticket./Visa/Work permit
6. Copy of license of the Minister of Faith to officiate and serial number of the marriage book to be used;( in case of Christian or Hindu marriage)
7. Wedding invitation card( in case of Christian or Hindu marriage)
Marriage by Refugees:
- Must have a valid UNHCR Refugee Mandate or Alien Card
- An Affidavit to confirm marital status if applying for a special license.

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

Parties should have attained the legal age of marriage
The parties should have no impendent to marriage

FeesEdit

CIVIL MARRIAGE BY NOTICE: (KENYANS ONLY)
Fee, of Kshs. 3,900 is charged for the whole process
CIVIL MARRIAGE BY SPECIAL LICENSE (applies to Kenyans and foreigners)
A Fee of Kshs 9,700 is charged if wedding is being conducted in the Registrar’s office and Kshs. 16,700.00 if the wedding will take place in a garden.
CHRISTIAN/ HINDU MARRIAGES BY NOTICE
A fee Ksh 1400.00 is charged for the whole process if the wedding is to be done in place of worship. If parties had placed a Notice of marriage with intent to celebrate their marriage in a garden, the fee is Kshs. 7,200.00
CHRISTIAN /HINDU MARRIAGES BY SPECIAL LICENSE
A fee is Kshs. 7,200.00 is charged if wedding is being conducted in a licensed place of worship and Kshs. 14,200.00 if the wedding takes in a garden.
MARRIAGES BY SPECIAL LICENSE (where one party or both parties are foreigners)
A Fee of is Kshs. 14,200.00 is charged if wedding is being conducted in a licensed place of worship and Kshs. 21,200.00 if the wedding takes place in a garden.
REGISTRATION OF AN EXISITING CUSTOMARY MARRIAGE
A fee of Kshs. 3,900 is payable.
REGISTRATION OF NEW CUSTOMARY MARRIAGES
A fee of Kshs. 3,900 is payable.

ValidityEdit

A marriage certificate is valid until one of the spouse’s death or in the event of an absolute divorce.

Documents to UseEdit

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Sample DocumentsEdit

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Processing TimeEdit

Notification period 21 days
Marriage certificate i: immediately after marriage

InstructionsEdit

A marriage certificate is obtained if you and your spouse have agreed to marry and there is no objection to the marriage.
Both parties must be at least 18 years of age and must get in touch with the registrar of marriages to register and legalize their union.
Parties must complete the notice of intention which runs for 21 days but can apply for a special license which waves the 21 day period but attracts extra fees. The registrar of marriages has the right to give or deny the special license.
If the marriage is to take place in church then the notice is given both in the registrar’s office and the church awards the certificate on behalf of the registrar of marriages.

Required InformationEdit

Full Names of both parties
Dates of birth
Valid identity proof
Citizenship
Address
Proof of death of spouse if widowed
Proof of divorce if divorced
Proof of no impendent of marriage

Need for the DocumentEdit

The certificate gives you the eligibility to inherit your spouse’s property and also jointly own properties without fear of being denied the right to share the matrimonial property when your spouse dies.
The certificate enables your spouse joining your health benefits
The certified is needed when Applying for foreign visa as one of the couple is working in a foreign country
The certificate is needed when applying for passport and/or some other such document, which contains the name of one’s spouse.
It will be very handy if you have to prove that you are legally married couple in front any authority.

Information which might helpEdit

TRANSLATION

Any document in a language other than English MUST be translated and verified as true translation by the Respective Embassies

ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFIED COPY OF AN ENTRY OF MARRIAGE

After a marriage has been celebrated; the Registrar of Marriages is mandated to register the said marriage if satisfied that the marriage was celebrated in compliance with the provisions of the Marriage Act, 2014.

All marriage certificates are certified centrally at the Nairobi office before being transmitted to the ministry of foreign affairs for authentication. The cost of a certified copy is Kshs. 1,100 and it takes 7 days to process.

External LinksEdit

epay

OthersEdit

More information which might help people.