How to get a marriage certificate in Kenya

The Marriage Act, 2014 recognizes five systems of marriage, namely: Civil, Christian, Customary, Hindu and Islamic marriages.

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

What you will need;

1. Birth certificates
2. Valid passports
3. Decree Absolutes (if divorced)
4. Death certificate (if widowed)
5. Separate Statutory Declarations are sworn at a Commissioner for Oaths/Notary Public’s office, stating the fact that one is single and free to marry.
6. A notice of 21 days must be made.
7. Parental consent in form of legal document for persons below twenty-one (21) years of age.
8. Residency in the country for twenty-one days.

For a couple to get a marriage certificate, they need to first get married before they proceed to the office of the Registrar of Marriages to file for the Marriage certificate.

The minimum age which is allowed for marriage by the constitution of Kenya is 21 years of age, the constitution doesn’t have a provision for same-sex marriage. Therefore, it’s not possible to have a legally recognized marriage ceremony when the couples to the union are of the same gender.

There should be at least two witnesses who must attend the ceremony and both must have attained a minimum age of 21 years old.

The witnesses will then be obliged to sign their signatures on the Certificate of Marriage offered by the religious or civil leader.

The marriage certificate will also be signed by the civil officer or minister officiating the wedding, and the duplicate, within seven days, will be presented to the office of the Registrar of Marriages.