The Marriage Act, 2014 recognizes Five (5) systems of marriage, namely: Civil, Christian, Customary, Hindu, and Islamic marriages. The following documents are required to register any of the mentioned marriages.
1. CIVIL MARRIAGES
? These are conducted in the Registrar of Marriages, Deputy County Commissioners or Assistant County Commissioners offices;
? They can be conducted through Notice or by Special license,
Notice is where both parties are Kenyan nationals and it involves the placing of a 21 days Marriage notice before the Marriage takes place
A special license is necessary where:
? Any of the parties is a foreign national;
? Both parties are foreign nationals;
? Marriage outside a licensed place;
? Parties unable to give a 21 days’ notice.
? They are monogamous
A. REQUIREMENTS FOR CIVIL MARRIAGE BY NOTICE: (KENYANS ONLY)
• Both parties to appear before the Registrar’s to fill a Notice form;
• Valid I.D’s/Passports are required (Copy and original);
• Colored 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;
• Fee, Kshs. 3,900.00. Or the US $ 39
B. REQUIREMENTS FOR CIVIL MARRIAGE BY SPECIAL LICENSE
i. Where both parties are Kenyan nationals
• Valid I.D’s or Passports (Copy and original)
• Birth certificates (copy and original)
• 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.
• A documented reason to show proof that you do not have time to give a 21-day notice;
• Colored passport size photos;
• BOTH PARTIES TO APPEAR before the Registrar when applying;
• A fee is Kshs. 9,700.00 OR US$97 if the wedding is being conducted in the Registrar’s office and Kshs. 16,700.00 if the wedding will take place in a garden.
ii. Where One Party is a Kenyan National and the Other a Foreign National
i. Kenyan National
• Valid I.D’s or Passports (Copy and original);
• Birth certificate (Copy and original);
• Proof of no impediment to marriage through:
? Affidavit to state marital status for the Kenyan National;
? Death Certificate (In the case of widowed persons); Copy and original;
? Divorce Decree Absolute. (In the case of divorced persons indicating current status); Copy and original;
? In the event the Divorce decree is more than a year old or a death certificate is more than 2 years old, an Affidavit to confirm marital status.
• Colored passport size photos;
• A documented reason to show proof that you do not have time to give a 21-day notice.
ii. Foreign National
• Valid passport (Copies and Original)
• Birth Certificate (Copies and Original)
• Passport size photo (Coloured)
• Proof of no impediment to marriage through:
? A Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage.
? Death Certificate. (In the case of a widowed person)- Or
? Divorce Decree Absolute. (In the case of divorce person indicating current status)- Copy and original
? In the event the Divorce certificate is more than a year old or a death certificate that is more than 2 years old, a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage
• Return air ticket/visa/work permit.
• BOTH PARTIES TO APPEAR before the Registrar when applying;
• A fee is Kshs. 9,700.00 or US$ 97 if the wedding is being conducted in the Registrar’s office and Kshs. 16,700.00 or US$ 167 if the wedding takes places in a garden.
iii. Where Both Parties Are Foreign Nationals
• Valid passports (Copies and Original);
• Passport size photos (Coloured);
• Birth certificates (Copies and Original)
• Prove of no impediment to marriage through:
? Certificates of No Impediment to Marriage.
? Death Certificate. (In the case of a 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
• Return air ticket./Visa/Work permit
• BOTH PARTIES TO APPEAR before the Registrar when applying
• A fee is Kshs. 9,700.00 or US$ 97 if the wedding is being conducted in the Registrar’s office and Kshs. 16,700.00 or US$ 167 if the wedding takes places in a garden
2. CHRISTIAN MARRIAGES
? Monogamous in nature;
? They can be conducted through Notice or by Special license;
Notice is where both parties are Kenyan nationals and it involves the placing of a 21 days Marriage notice before the Marriage takes place.
A special license is necessary where:
? Any of the parties is a foreign national
? Both parties are foreign nationals
? Marriage outside a licensed place
? Parties unable to give a 21 days’ notice
A. CHRISTIAN MARRIAGES BY NOTICE
• Both parties to appear before the Registrar’s to fill a Notice form;
• Valid I.D’s/Passports are required (Copy and original);
• Colored 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;
• Fee Kshs. 1,400.00 or US$ 14
• Copy of license of the Minister of Faith to officiate and serial number of the marriage book to be used;
• Wedding invitation card.
B. CHRISTIAN MARRIAGES BY SPECIAL LICENSE
i. Where Both Parties Are Kenyan Nationals
• Valid I.D’s or Passports (Copy and original)
• Birth certificates (copy and original)
• 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
• Colored passport size photos
• A documented reason to show proof that you do not have time to give a 21-day notice
• Copy of Minister of Faith’s license to officiate and serial number of the marriage book to be used
• Wedding invitation card
• BOTH PARTIES TO APPEAR before the Registrar when applying
• A fee is Kshs. 7,200.00 OR US$ 72 if the wedding is being conducted in a licensed place of worship and Kshs. 14,200.00 or US$ 142 if the wedding takes places in a garden
• If parties had placed a Notice of marriage with the intent to celebrate their marriage in a garden, the fee shall be Kshs. 7,200.00. Or US$ 72
ii. Where One Party is a Kenyan National and the Other a Foreign National
• Valid I.D’s or Passports (Copy and original)
• Birth certificate (copy and original)
• Proof of no impediment to marriage through:
Affidavit to state marital status for the Kenyan National
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
• Colored passport size photos
• A documented reason to show proof that you do not have time to give a 21-day notice
Foreign National
• Valid passport (Copies and Original)
• Birth Certificate (Copies and Original)
• Passport size photo (Coloured)
• Proof of no impediment to marriage through:
? A Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage.
? Death Certificate. (In the case of a 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
• Return air ticket/visa/work permit.
• Copy of Minister of Faith’s license to officiate and serial number of the marriage book to be used
• Wedding invitation card
• BOTH PARTIES TO APPEAR before the Registrar when applying
• A fee is Kshs. 14,200.00 OR US$ 142 if the wedding is being conducted in a licensed place of worship and Kshs. 21,200.00 OR US $ 212 if the wedding takes place in a garden.
iii. Where Both Parties are Foreign Nationals
• Valid passports (Copies and Original)
• Passport size photos (Coloured).
• Birth certificates (Copies and Original)
• Prove of no impediment to marriage through:
Certificates of No Impediment to Marriage.
Death Certificate. (In the case of a 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
• Return air ticket/visa/Work permit
• Copy of Minister of Faith’s license to officiate and serial number of the marriage book to be used
• Wedding invitation card
• BOTH PARTIES TO APPEAR before the Registrar when applying
• A fee is Kshs. 14,200.00 or US$ 142 if the wedding is being conducted in a licensed place of worship and Kshs. 21,200.00 or US$ 212 if the wedding takes place in a garden.
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