Sri Lanka Wedding Registration.
Sri Lanka Wedding Registration is a compulsory one for all the newly married couples in Sri Lanka. Even if they had married according to their culture or religion, the official Government is a necessary one. Marriage certificate details will be entered in the records of the Government Departments.
This registration will assist people to get passports, NIC, Visas and in many other official documents in quick time. People want to marry in Sri Lanka must register their wedding with the Government nominated marriage registers’ of their area.
Entire Government departments and foreign Embassies will recognize this marriage certificate given by a certified marriage registrar only as a proof to accept that the couple had been officially married.
Kinds of Marriage.
- Marriage between Sri Lanka born man and woman.
- Foreigner marrying a Sri Lanka born person in Sri Lanka or in a foreign country.
- Foreigner marrying a foreigner in Sri Lanka.
If the girl or boy is a minor, then the marriage can't occur as it is illegal over here. A person is allowed to marry only one partner. If a married person wants to marry another person, then must get the legal divorce papers. Violators can be prosecuted according to the Sri Lanka law. Sri Lanka Muslims are allowed to have polygamy marriages.
If a bride and groom were born in Sri Lanka, they can legally register their marriage by signing the documents in front of the marriage register in his/her office in front of witnesses. Marriage Registrations can take place in any of the Sri Lankan Consular offices abroad. The marriage registers' are nominated by the Srilanka Government. To submit the marriage notification at the marriage registrar's office either bride or groom must accompany two persons as witnesses to sign the documents in front of the marriage registrar.
To start with the wedding registration process, first you must submit a notice to the marriage registrar 14 days of notice before going for the official marriage registration ceremony. Marriage registration can be made in short notice, for this you must get a special permission from the district secretary and this can be done with the assistance of your area marriage registrar.
Take note that the new regulations allow your area marriage registrar only to perform the official marriage registration ceremony.
Say if you want to bring a marriage registrar from the Wellawatte area to perform the marriage registration in Dehiwala area, then you must get the special permission from a Dehiwala marriage registrar by submitting the necessary form and signatures and must obtain the permission from the Dehiwala Register and has to hand over it to the Wellawatte marriage registrar to perform the marriage registration ceremony.
Parents can decide on which date and which place that the registration ceremony is going to take place. On that day of occasion, it is better to send one vehicle to transport the marriage registrar and his/her official marriage registration ledger if the marriage is taking place other than their office. For example it can be a wedding hall, Bride's home, hotel or any of the banquet halls.
Officially the marriage registrar don't charge any money for conducting the legal marriage registration service although as a good gesture you can (either by the bride family or groom family) present them with small amount of money for their service. The marriage registrars are selected and appointed by the Sri Lanka Government.
After the marriage registration the registrar can provide copies of the marriage certificates, if you had informed them in advance during the notice submission date.
Normally on the day of the marriage registration bride party and the groom party must provide one witness each to sign the documents as witness for the marriage registration ceremony. At every stage the person's National Identity card and passport (Foreign bride or groom) are important and must be provided to the registrar for the official identification registry.
In Tamil weddings here marriage registration can take place before the traditional wedding ceremony or on the same day after the traditional wedding ceremony had taken place. After the marriage it is necessary to provide original marriage certificate whenever you want to change a girl's name in her passport and national identity card from her maiden name to husband's name.
Marriage Certificates.
Marriage certificate can assist a widow/widower to claim their deceased spouse's Government pension, properties and in many other official claims. Extra certificates can be obtained by paying a small amount of money to the District Revenue Office where the official registration was made first.
Marriage in Sri Lanka https://lk.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/marriage-sri-lanka/