Civil Marriages

These are monogamous in nature and celebrated in the office of the Registrar General for residents of Kampala and in the offices of Chief Administrative Officers for the other 146 districts inclusive of the 11 Cities.

The Marriage Act, Cap 146, governs celebration of Civil marriages. The Registrar General is gazetted as the Registrar of Marriages for Kampala whereas the Chief Administrative Officers are gazetted as the Registrars of Marriages for districts outside Kampala. Civil Marriages take place at the offices of these Registrars.

Who is eligible to contract a Civil Marriage?

Every person who is single, widowed or divorced, aged 18 years and above and is not party to a subsisting marriage is eligible to contract a civil Marriage.

Contracting a Civil Marriage

The intending couple should have the following documents before applying online via https://marriages.nira.go.ug/

• Proof of citizenship for example a passport (Foreigners) or national identification card (Ugandans)or Refugee IDs
• An LC 1 letter clearly stating duration of residence in the district in which the marriage is intended to be solemnized (this should not be less than 15 days).
• One passport size photograph each for the groom and the bride.
• A Photocopy of a VALID ID for each of the two Adult witnesses
• Registered marriage affidavits that conform to Section 10 of the Marriage Act Cap 146 (Register on obrs.ursb.go.ug)
• In the case of foreign citizens, a letter from the Civil Registration or Vital Statistics Office of their country confirming that the party is not married.
• For the case of Foreign Citizens, Copies of Valid Visas upon entry into Uganda shall be required on the Marriage Date
• For the case of Divorced/Widowed intendants to the marriage, certified copies of Divorce Decree Absolutes or death certificates shall be required
• For the case of Documents authored in any Language other-than English, Translations of the same shall be required
• For the case of refugees, a letter from the Office of the Prime Minister on the marital status of the intendant shall be required

The Notice of Marriage is published on the Notice board of the District Registrar of Marriages for 21 calendar days. If there are no objections to the notice of marriage, the ceremony takes place after 21 calendar days but not before the lapse of 90 calendar days. Marriages are celebrated from Monday to Friday, between 10 am and 4 pm

If there is an objection, a caveat is placed, and the matter is referred to Court for settlement.

On the day of the marriage solemnization, the parties appear with the two adult witnesses before the Registrar who performs the ceremony and thereafter issues a Marriage Certificate (Form E according to the marriage Act)

Fees Payable: A total of UGX 260,000/- (Where one of the parties to the marriage is Ugandan or a Refugee) and USD210 (Where none of the parties to the marriage is Ugandan)

Filing District (from the Chief Administrative Officer) Marriage Returns

Below are the requirements that must be uploaded on the system https://marriages.nira.go.ug/

• Cover letter from Registrar who conducted the marriage (signed and stamped)
• Certified copy of marriage certificate with the pictures attached
• Certified copy of Notice of Marriage Form
• Certified copy of Form for certificate details
• Copies of registered affidavits for both Bride and Groom
• Certified Copy of the LC1 letters of both Bride and Groom
• Copies of national IDs of the couple and their witnesses or any other valid identification documents for non-Ugandans
• Copy of letter of consent from parents of either couple who is under 21 years of age
• Evidence of payments made into the consolidated fund account/URA portal
• Single status letter for non-Ugandans

Fees

UGX 260,000/= for Ugandans less 25,000/= for Certificate of payments if the certificates were bought from NIRA USD 260$ for non-Ugandans and less the price of the certificate if that used was bought from NIRA