Foreigners marrying in South Africa

Three scenarios

How the process works depends on which of these three scenarios applies to you:

1. One South African national, one foreign national. The most common situation. The foreign national needs additional documentation; the South African partner follows the standard process.
2. Two foreign nationals marrying in South Africa. Both parties require the additional foreign-national documentation. This is possible but takes more planning.
3. A foreign national who is a permanent resident of South Africa. Permanent residents follow a simplified process — similar to South African citizens. Confirm with us at your consultation.

What a foreign national needs

South African Home Affairs requires every foreign national who wishes to marry in South Africa to demonstrate that they have no legal impediment to marry in their home country. This is required in addition to the standard documents that all couples need.

Additional documents required for foreign nationals

• Valid passport

  A current, valid passport as proof of identity. Must be valid on the date of the ceremony and should not expire within a short period after.

  required
• Declaration of no impediment (letter of no impediment)

  A certificate issued by your home country's embassy or consulate in South Africa confirming you are legally free to marry. The exact format, cost, and processing time vary by country — contact your embassy in South Africa to confirm what is required and allow plenty of time.

  required
• Valid South African visa or permit

  You must be lawfully present in South Africa on your wedding date. Any visa or permit that lawfully authorises your presence in South Africa on the date of the ceremony is generally accepted — including a tourist visa, work permit, or permanent residency permit. If you are unsure whether your visa type is sufficient, raise it with us at your consultation.

  required
• Proof of divorce or death of previous spouse (if applicable)

  If you have been previously married, you must provide documentation proving the marriage has legally ended. Foreign divorce decrees and death certificates may need to be apostilled and/or officially translated into English.

  if previously married

What is a declaration of no impediment?

A declaration of no impediment (sometimes called a letter of no impediment or a certificate of no impediment) is a document issued by your home country confirming that, to its knowledge, you are not already married and have no legal reason that would prevent you from marrying.

This document is typically obtained from your home country's embassy or consulate in South Africa, not from the South African government. The process, format, and cost vary significantly by country. Some embassies issue this document within days; others take several weeks.

Apostilles and translations

If your home country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, your declaration of no impediment and any other foreign official documents may need to carry an apostille — a form of international certification that confirms the document's authenticity. Whether apostilling is required for your specific documents depends on your country of origin and the document type. Confirm with your embassy and raise it with us at your consultation.

Any document not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation into English. The translation must be done by a certified or sworn translator.

Permanent residents

If you hold a South African permanent residence permit, the process is simplified and similar to that for South African citizens. You will still need to present your passport and your permanent residence permit. Home Affairs policy can change from time to time — confirm the current requirements with us at your consultation and we will help you work through exactly what is needed.

Where to get married in South Africa

Foreign nationals can be married anywhere in South Africa where a licensed marriage officer can attend. We work across Johannesburg, Pretoria, and the greater Gauteng area. There is no requirement to marry in a government office or a specific type of venue.

See our location pages for more detail on where we work:

• Wedding ceremonies in Johannesburg
• Wedding ceremonies in Pretoria

Getting the documentation right

We strongly recommend raising your foreign-national circumstances at the first consultation. We will help you identify exactly what is required for your specific situation, confirm the documents we need to see before the ceremony, and advise on timing so that nothing holds up your day.

See the full documents checklist for everything both parties need to bring — regardless of nationality.

The extra steps for foreign nationals are real, but they are not complicated when you know what they are. Get started early and there will be nothing to worry about on the day.