Conducting a marriage at a marriage registry in Nigeria is referred to as marriage under the Act and to a lay man it is called Court Marriage.

Do you want to travel outside the country with your spouse? If your answer is yes then this write-up is for you. If you are married in Nigeria and you intend to travel outside the country with your spouse, it is advisable you conduct a Marriage in the Marriage Registry. The marriages conducted in the various Local Government of the States of Nigeria are not recognize by the Embassies.

The only marriage in Nigeria the Embassies recognize is the Marriage conducted in the Federal Marriage Registry. The Federal Marriage Registry have their registries in only Five (5) States and the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria. The States are;

1. Port Harcourt Rivers State
2. Ikoyi Lagos State
3. Owerri Imo State
4. Benin Edo State
5. Jos Plateau State
6. Abuja

If you are residing in any of the listed States, that’s good for you but if not you will have to conduct your marriage in Federal Marriage Registry close to your State.

In Nigeria in general and in Rivers State in particular, conducting a marriage in the Registry involves several steps. The process can be done online or manually but take note that the actual marriage is done physically and both parties must be present. If you are applying online after the application, you must print out the forms and submit to the marriage Registry within your State. This is to enable them put up a notice in their notice board for 7days or 21 days as the case maybe.

Read:Affidavit and its uses in Nigeria?

Requirements for marriage in the Registry (Court Marriage)

Eligibility: The parties should ensure that both of them meet the legal requirements for marriage in Nigeria. These requirements typically include: Both parties must be of marriageable age (18 years for most states). Neither party should be currently married under customary law or another form of marriage. Consent of both parties and their parents or guardians if either party is under 21 years old.

There are two types of marriages conducted in the Registry, they are;

1. Special Marriage and
2. Ordinary Marriage

The difference between the two marriages are in terms of the duration of notices. While special marriage notice is for 7days that of ordinary marriage is for 21days. There are also slight differences in the requirements for both as can be seen under.

Documents required for both Special Marriage and Ordinary Marriage

Husband/wife

• Birth Certificate or Declaration of Age.
• 2 Passport Photographs for each person.
• Indigene Letter/Letter of Identification from State of Origin (Nigerians only).
• Sworn Affidavit of Bachelorhood or spinsterhood (as the case maybe) from a Court of Law.
• Affidavit of Marriage (if already married).
• Evidence of Divorce – Decree Nissi and Decree Absolute (if divorced).
• Death certificate of Previous Wife (if a widower).
• Evidence of Annulment from Court (if previous marriage was annulled).
• Sworn Affidavit of Single with Child/Children (if single with child/children).
• Data Page of International Passport (if living abroad).
• Arrival Passport Stamp Page (if living abroad).
• Residence Permit (if living abroad).

*All these documents should be uploaded if you are applying online but if it is offline you will submit the documents in the Federal Marriage Registry.

These requirements are for online application which are to be uploaded while that of manual application all these documents will be attached to the forms you were given.

Steps Involved

Visit the Marriage Registry: Choose a marriage registry that is within your jurisdiction (state). There are only 5 Federal marriage registry offices in Nigeria. Locate the one closest to your State of residence. You will need to visit the registry office and obtain the necessary forms and information about the marriage process.

Complete the Marriage Notice: You will be required to complete a marriage notice form. This form typically includes personal information about both parties, such as full names, addresses, occupations, and passport-sized photographs. You will also need to provide the intended date of marriage.

Pay the Marriage Fees: There are fees associated with conducting a marriage at the marriage registry. These fees may include registration fees, certificate fees, Oath taking fee and other administrative charges. Be sure to inquire about the fees at the registry and make the necessary payments.

Marriage Counseling: Some states in Nigeria may require couples to undergo marriage counseling or attend a marriage seminar. You may need to provide proof of attendance as part of the marriage registration process. So as an intending couple, you need to find out what is applicable in the state where you are residing.

Publish the Marriage Notice: After submitting the marriage notice form and paying the fees, the registry office will typically publish your marriage notice for a specified period, usually 21 days for ordinary marriage while that of special marriage is for 7days to allow for objections. If there are no objections during this time, you can proceed with the marriage.

Once the waiting period has passed and there are no objections, you will be required to come for oath taking a day before the actual marriage and you will be issued the Registry certificate. This certificate is not the actual marriage Certificate rather it is evidence of your having met all the requirements and ready for the actual marriage and is an important document.

Conduct the Marriage Ceremony: you can schedule a date for the marriage ceremony at the registry office. Return to the Registry on the selected Date. You are required to provide one witness each on the wedding day from both parties (please note it’s not gender specific). These witnesses should be of legal age and have valid identification You are also expected to present 2 Rings (male and female) or a Bible/Quran as the case may be. The ceremony is usually a simple affair, with a marriage registrar officiating the proceedings.  You are expected to Wear either;

• Wedding Dresses and Suits.
• Native Attire.
• Corporate Wears.

The following dress code are not allowed for the wedding; short sleeves, shorts and jeans etc. note that you are to come on time and not be late so you do not miss your time slot.

Sign the Marriage Register: Both parties along with the witnesses and the registrar, will sign the marriage register. This act formalizes the marriage. After the ceremony, you will be provided with a marriage certificate as proof of your union.

In getting married in the Nigeria, there are certain relationships that are prohibited by law and are against morality. As an intending couple, you need to make enquiry about the other party to ensure that both of you do not fall into any of the categories of prohibited relationships. Click on the link below the see the list of relationships that are prohibited in Nigeria.

Read also: Marriage in the Registry (Court Marriage)

Note: Once the application is completed you have 90days within which to fix your date for the actual marriage. Once the 90days elapse, you will have to make a fresh application and pay fresh fees.

In conclusion, Marriage in the registry is the one of the marriages recognized by the Nigerian Law. On the other hand marriage in the Federal Marriage Registry is the only marriage recognized in the Embassies and outside Nigeria. The application for marriage can be done by proxy meaning if you are too busy to carry out the process you can contact us to help you. If you are residing in Akwa-Ibom, Cross-Rivers, Bayelsa State, the nearest Registry close to is Port Harcourt Marriage Registry. Note that even though the application can be done by proxy, in the actual marriage both parties must be present with their witnesses.

For more enquiry

Email: info@verazadvocates.com.ng

Call/WhatsApp: 08116486356