Dear Client,

We would like to draw your attention to an important administrative matter that may help prevent potential delays and unnecessary complications in future.

We recommend that you ensure you have an updated, printed marriage certificate that is registered on the Department of Home Affairs’ system. In many cases, older handwritten marriage certificates are not available electronically. This may cause administrative challenges, particularly when dealing with deaths, estates and certain financial processes.

What we recommend:

• Visit your local Department of Home Affairs office during office hours, Monday to Friday.
• Apply for an abridged marriage certificate.
• Take along both your and your spouse’s ID documents, as well as your marriage date if you currently only have an old, handwritten certificate.

Please note:

• If your marriage is already registered on the Department of Home Affairs’ system, the certificate can usually be issued relatively quickly.
• If your marriage is not registered on the system, additional documentation and processing time may be required.
• It is advisable for couples to apply for a marriage certificate while both parties are still alive.
• If one party has already passed away, the surviving party may apply for an unabridged marriage certificate. Please note, however, that this document is usually not immediately available.

General guidelines:

• Costs are determined by the Department of Home Affairs.
• Processing times may vary from the same day to a few weeks, depending on whether the marriage is already electronically registered.

We recommend attending to this matter proactively to help prevent possible administrative delays and challenges in future.

Please feel free to contact us should you have any further queries or require assistance.

Kind regards,