How To Get A Marriage Certificate In Kenya: A Step-By-Step Guide

A marriage certificate is a legal document that you are going to use when you need to prove that your marriage has been legally recognized by your State and, by extension, the local authorities.

A marriage certificate is registered under Civil, Christian, Hindu, or Customary Marriage, confirming that the marriage record exists. One needs to get married to obtain a marriage certificate in Kenya.

The process of obtaining a marriage certificate can be quite stressful if you have no idea of how to go about it.

Importance Of Marriage Certificate:

• The certificate gives you the eligibility to inherit your spouse’s property and jointly own properties without fear of being denied the right to share the matrimonial property when your spouse dies.
• The certificate enables your spouse to join your health benefits.
• The certificate is needed when applying for a foreign visa where one of the couples is working in a foreign country.
• The certificate is equally needed when applying for a passport and/or some other such document, which contains the name of one’s spouse.
• It will be very handy if you must prove that you are a legally married couple in front of any authority.
• The certificate is needed for spouses to file joint taxes and receive tax breaks.
• If you plan on buying a house and need to apply for a mortgage loan, many lenders will ask for a marriage certificate. This is so lenders can check your credit history jointly and separately.
• A marriage certificate can also help you migrate with your family to any country without any restrictions
• If the wife changes her second name and adopts the husband’s, all her old documents are in her maiden name. The marriage certificate will bind them to her as it will show both her maiden name and the newly adopted name.

Requirement documents for getting a Kenyan Marriage Certificate:

• Required Documents for Marriage by Notice; (For civil and religious marriage where both parties are Kenyan nationals)
• Both parties to appear at the Registrar’s office to fill a Notice form
• Valid ID’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 is required to confirm marital status

Required documents for Marriage by Special License (Both civil and religious marriages)

• Valid ID’s or Passports (Copy and original)
• Birth certificates (copy and original)
• Proof of no impediment to marriage through Affidavits, Death Certificate (In the case of widowed persons)-Copy & original, 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)

Where One Party is a Kenyan National and the Other a Foreign National:

• Kenyan National
• Valid Kenyan National IDs 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.
• Colour passport size photos.

For foreign nationals:

• 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</