Getting your marriage license signed is the most important part of ensuring your wedding is legal. Although your wedding ceremony and celebration are memorable, the marriage license is the most important document. A marriage certificate binds you legally together, so you need it if you want to change your name legally.
Examples of Marriage Certificates
- Abridged Marriage Certificates
- Unabridged Marriage Certificates
It is an official document that proves a couple’s legal relationship, issued by a government agency. The couple receives an abridged marriage certificate on the day of the ceremony.
The unabridged marriage certificate contains the names of the happy couple, location, date, and the names of the people who witnessed the marriage. The couple will need to apply for this separately if they plan on travelling or applying for citizenship outside of the country.
Are you wondering how many copies of each type of marriage certificate you will need? In most cases, one copy of each type of certificate should suffice.
How to Obtain a Marriage Certificate in South Africa
You can obtain additional abridged or unabridged copies of your marriage certificate by following these steps:
- BI-130 forms must be completed and submitted to your local Department of Home Affairs.
- If you live abroad, submit it to the nearest SA Embassy
- You will be required to pay a fee
You can obtain your unabridged and abridged marriage certificates in South Africa with DocAssist in less time and less hassle. An unabridged marriage certificate can be obtained within three months with Doc Assist instead of taking 1-2 years to receive it if you apply directly to DHA.
At DocAssist, we can provide you with assistance with marriage certificates and other types of legal documents. Get in touch with us today for more information.