Marriage in Kenya | Christian Islamic Hindu and Traditional Wedding

Ordinary Marriage License in Kenya

Usually the Kenya marriage procedure is that you file a marriage notice form with the Registrar General Office 21 days prior to the wedding or marriage. The fee charged for this is KES 200 ( 3 US Dollars ) . Once the 21 days have eloped, the final documentation is done by the parties involved with a fee of KES 1,550 (20 US Dollars) being charged for the process. At this point a marriage date is – either on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday. In the event that there is absolutely no objection to the marriage raised during that time, permission to go ahead with the marriage is granted . On the set Marriage date both parties report to the Registrar’s Office (In Sheria House – at the Junction of Harambee Avenue and Parliament Road) , with two witnesses and they will be granted the Marriage Certificate.

It is important to remember that Parties must be at least eighteen years old. Also evidence of official termination of any prior marriages must be equally presented. A valid passport is also required for person(s) who are not citizens of Kenya. The same case applies in the event of a Kenya marrying a non-Kenyan.

Special Kenya Marriage License

The Special Kenya Marriage License calls for the waiving of the twenty-one day waiting period. In this case, both parties must state officially recognizable and acceptable reasons as to why they would like to have an exemption from the waiting period. In addition, they must present an affidavit stating their current marriage status. The Kenya Marriages under Special License can be performed by either a civil registrar or by clergy.
For Non Kenyan Single parties ( including the UK and the USA ), they must have a letter stating neither has been married, signed by a Minister of the Church, or a sworn affidavit witnessed by a solicitor.

Religious Ceremony

There are quite a number of different types of Religious Wedding Ceremonies, which are recognized under Kenya Marriage law, including Christian, Islamic, Hindu and Traditional African weddings (e.g under Luo, Kikuyu, Luhya, Swahili, Kamba Customs ).
In case you are particularly interested in having either a Hindu, Islamic or even African wedding you should contact the Registrar of Marriages in regard to your marriage will be registered in Kenya.
If you would like to have a Church Ceremony then you should contact the church where you wish to get married in Kenya so as to enquire about the necessary religious procedures and paperwork.

All non-Africans wishing to get married in church must do so under the Marriage Act, as the African Christian Marriage and Divorce Act , which most churches in Kenya use is not applicable to non-Africans.

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