Marriage is the legally or formally recognized union of two people as partners in a personal relationship (historically and in some jurisdictions specifically a union between a man and a woman).
Requirement For Marriage Registration In Ghana
In order to obtain a marriage certificate in Ghana, there should be a marriage and a marriage registration and the following steps are to be followed. There are three types of valid marriage recognized by the Ghanaian law:
- Marriage under the Marriage Ordinance
- Customary marriage
- Islamic marriage under the Marriage of Islamic Ordinance.
Applications to get a marriage certificate can be made either in-person or online. Application for a marriage certificate for an ordinance marriage can only be done in person; whereas, an application for a marriage certificate for a customary or an Islamic marriage can be done either in-person or online.
Obtaining a marriage certificate for an ordinance marriage
Apply In-Person
Filling a Notice of Marriage
This step is solely required for Ordinance marriages.
The first step to obtaining a marriage certificate from an ordinance marriage in Ghana as follows.
The notice of Marriage is filled with the registrar of marriages in the egistrar General office, / one’s local Municipal or District Assembly.
The waiting period of the notice of marriage 21 days.
The reason for this is to give the general public ample notice of your intention to be married, in case any party would like to contest/oppose the marriage on legal grounds.
The form will require information such as names, ages, occupations and addresses of both parties.
Copies will also be made of valid identification (a passport is usually your best bet).
After the forms are filled, you will be asked to return after 21 days, during which banns will be published on a notice board. This will indicate yours and your partner’s intention to be married.
Within this period, some religious establishments require that their members publish banns at the church for the same time period. This is usually done orally, before the entire congregation.
Pick approved marriage licence
If there is no opposition after the 21 day period, you will return to the Municipal/District Assembly to pick up your approved marriage license, and present it to your licensed officiant.
You will then have no more than a three-month period within which to get married. After which, the application process will have to be re-initiated.
Performing your ordinance marriage ceremony and signing of marriage certificate
Then next step is performing your ordinance marriage ceremony. The ceremony can be held in any of the following places
A church with a licensed officiant,
At the Registrar General Department’s Office, or the premises of the Metropolitan Assembly your ceremony you live in.
Other locations such as hotels, gardens, homes, etc. are acceptable, provided that the officiant is licensed.
In all cases, you and your partner will be required to sign your marriage certificate, along with two witnesses and your officiating officer.
You may be required to sign up to three copies of the original marriage certificate, one of which will be given to you and your spouse for your records.
Filing marriage certificate with the Registrar general’s office.
- Your church/officiant will provide the Registrar General’s office with another copy for registration of your Ordinance Marriage for filling.
Obtaining a marriage or a Traditional/Customary Marriage in Ghana’
Customary marriage on its own is not recognized by law, unless registered under the Customary Marriage and Divorce Registration Law, 1985 (PNDCL 112). This is done by applying to the registrar of marriages in the district one lives in, after the ceremony has taken place.
Apply In-Person
Both couples and at least two witnesses should approach the Registrar General Office/ local Municipal or District Assembly to begin the application process after the ceremony has taken place.
The application forms are available in these offices. Both couples should complete the forms with information regarding their details and about the ceremony.
The couple is then required to make a statutory declaration is to family members, stating that all rites have been performed and accepted by both parties and their families, in accordance with the respective cultures in question.
It is not necessary to register a customary marriage, if one intends to proceed with marriage under ordinance, as that is directly covered by law.