Unabridged Marriage Certificates

What is an Unabridged Marriage Certificate?

An Unabridged Marriage Certificate, also known as a full marriage certificate, is a detailed document t

hat offers comprehensive information about a marriage, far exceeding the details found in an abridged version. This formal certificate is indispensable for individuals planning to emigrate, obtain a foreign passport, or register their marriage in a foreign country, particularly if one or both parties are not South African citizens.

This unabridged certificate includes the signature and designation number of the issuing officer, a critical requirement for authentication by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). Additionally, it records the marital status of the parties at the time of the marriage, offering a thorough account of the union.

How to Obtain an Unabridged Marriage Certificate

The process of obtaining an Unabridged Marriage Certificate involves the Department of Home Affairs. A Moderator at the Head Office verifies the information on the application form against the marriage register on file. Upon successful verification, authorization to print the certificate is sent to the branch where the application was initially submitted.

Why You Need an Unabridged Marriage Certificate

An Unabridged Marriage Certificate is essential for a variety of purposes:

International Travel and Visa Applications: Required for obtaining visas and passports, particularly for countries like the UK.
Legal and Financial Matters: Necessary for various legal processes as required by government and financial institutions.
Emigration and Citizenship Applications: Crucial for those planning to emigrate or apply for dual citizenship.
Adoptions: Required in legal adoption proceedings.

Differences Between Abridged and Unabridged Marriage Certificates

Abridged Marriage Certificate: Issued automatically after the Department of Home Affairs is notified by your marriage officer. It contains basic personal details and the marriage date.
Unabridged Marriage Certificate: Issued upon request, it contains detailed information including the names, surnames, dates, and places of birth of both parties, their marital status at the time of marriage, and the details of the marriage officer. This document is recognized as the official certificate for legal and international purposes.

Correcting Marital Status Errors at Home Affairs

Often when people have been previously married and subsequently divorced, the divorce has not been updated on the Home Affairs marriage and population roll. This means the person is still erroneously registered as married.

Since South African law does not allow multiple marriages, any new wedding plans will be delayed until Home Affairs updates their systems to reflect the divorce correctly.

At Immigration Assist, we can resolve this issue in just a matter of days. We spec

ialize in correcting such errors quickly so you can proceed with your plans without unnecessary delays. To assist, we will require:

A copy of the divorce decree, and
Both parties’ South African identity cards.

How We Can Help You

Apply for an Unabridged Marriage Certificate – avoid the queues, ask us how.
Expedite Existing Applications – ask us how.
Need your Unabridged Marriage Certificate in a couple of weeks? Ask us how.
Apostille and Legalise the certificate

Get In Touch

Contact Emigration Assist today for more detail on our wide range of local and global services and how we can assist you.