In South Africa, confirming your marital status can present a unique set of challenges. A few years back, recognizing the escalating cases of fraudulent marriage registrations within the nation, the Department of Home Affairs launched an innovative campaign called ‘Check Your Marital Status.’ This initiative aimed to tackle the rising trend of South Africans entering into marriages with foreigners to gain work and residency permits within the country.

To combat this issue, the Department introduced both an online marriage verification service and an SMS-based solution. The SMS service was as simple as sending the letter “M” followed by your ID number to 32551. In response, you would receive a direct SMS on your cellphone indicating your current marital status.

Regrettably, these services faced technical difficulties shortly after their launch, leaving individuals stranded without a reliable option. The only remaining recourse was to physically visit a nearby Department of Home Affairs (DHA) office and endure the notorious waiting queues.

However, many individuals remain unaware of an effective alternative that eliminates the need for a DHA visit. Introducing Doc Assist – your solution to easily confirm your marital status and obtain a crucial letter of non-impediment from the Department of Home Affairs, all from the convenience of your home.

How Do I Check If I’m Still Married?

Though a comprehensive online system for marital status verification is not yet established in South Africa, there exists a strategy to bypass the conventional DHA route. This approach particularly appeals to those seeking to confirm their marital status due to plans for international marriages.

When planning to marry abroad, the requirement for a letter of no impediment often arises. Such a letter is issued by the Department of Home Affairs and may need to be authenticated by an authority like Dirco. With Doc Assist by your side, you can delegate the process of obtaining this letter and securing the necessary authentication through apostille.

Already applied for the letter of no impediment? Doc Assist is here to streamline the legalization process for you. To facilitate this, we request the following information when you complete our quote request form:

1. The destination country for legalization.
2. The country to which the document will be sent back.
3. The original letter of no impediment.
4. Specification of whether you require legalization or a notarized copy of the letter.

Empower yourself with information and support by reaching out to the Doc Assist team. You can contact us via telephone at 012 430 2221 or through email at quote@docassist.co.za. Alternatively, take the initiative and navigate to our REQUEST A QUOTE section on our website. We eagerly await your connection and look forward to assisting you in your important marital status verification journey.