Botswana - Contracting a Civil Marriage

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Procedure

Apply In Person

1. Any civil marriage that is to be contracted within Botswana must be registered with the Department of Civil and National Registration offices, except marriages that are contracted following any customary law of Botswana or Muslim, Hindu, or any other Religious right. Department Of Civil & National Registration Office Location & Contact Details
2. The couple, accompanied by two witnesses should proceed to the Department of Civil and National Registration offices within their location to notify the civil registrar at the marriage registration section, within 90 days of their intention to register their union.
3. The couples will then be required to complete the Marriage Notification Registration Form. Forms are available at any of the offices of the Department of Civil and National Registration.
4. Submit the completed form attached to the supporting documents (mentioned under the “Required Documents” section below) to the civil registrar.
5. The registrar will then verify, if all the necessary information and documents have been provided and that the applications comply with the selection criteria if everything is in order; the notification for the marriage intention will be registered.
6. If there will be solemnization {performance of a ceremony} after the marriage Banns or Special Marriage Licence the couple will be required to also pay for the prescribed fee.
7. The Registrar will then display the notice in a conspicuous place within the premises, for a period of twenty-one (21) days.
8. This is meant to invite any person with an objection to the proposed registration, to notify the Registrar and provide grounds of objection within that period.
9. In the event of objections, claims are received, heard, and determined by the Registrar.
10. After the expiry of twenty-one (21) days, if no objection has been filed, or where any objections filed have been considered and dealt with by the Registrar, the Registrar will register the marriage into the marriage register and the couple will be issued with two copies of a marriage certificate.
11. One copy will be kept for filing purposes by the civil register office.

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Required Documents

• National Identity Card (Omang) or passport for foreign nationals
• Letter of consent from parents if you are under 18 years of age
• Letter of confirmation from Kgosi that one is not married, or a letter of confirmation from their country of origin that they are not married for foreign nationals
• Statement from declarant and a certified copy of their identity document

Office Locations & Contacts

Ministry of Nationality, Immigration, and Gender Affairs
Address: Block 8, Government Enclave, Khama Crescent
Private Bag 002
Gaborone
Botswana
Telephone: (+267)3611115 / 3611234 / 3611132
Fax: (+267) 3907426
Call Centre Number – 0800 600 777

Department of Civil and National Registration
Head Office,
Address: Block 8, Government Enclave, Khama Crescent
Private Bag 00240
Gaborone, Botswana
Telephone. (+267) 361 1400
Fax. (+267) 395 9998
Toll-Free Number. 0800 600 777
Ministry of Nationality, Immigration, and Gender Affairs Office Location & Contact Details
Department Of Civil & National Registration Office Location & Contact Details

Opening hours: 7:30 to 12:45, and 13:45 to 16:30, Monday to Friday, except during public holidays.

Eligibility

• Anybody over the age of 18 years
• Anybody below the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. A guardian/parent must authorize in writing the subject to contract to such marriage.

Fees

• After Banns/ Normal P40.00
• Special Marriage Licence P150.00 + P 40.00 = P190.00

Validity

• A marriage is valid until one of the spouse’s death or in the event of an absolute divorce.

Documents to Use

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Sample Documents

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Processing Time

• The time frame accumulatively for processing the application is usually takes 21 days to process.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
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from external websites.
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'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Instructions

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e.g. The state office holds birth records since January 1908.

Required Information

• Full Names of both parties
• Dates of birth
• Valid identity proof/number
• Nationality details
• Residential Address
• Proof of no impendent of marriage
• Type of marriage
• Details of the witnesses
• Date/place where the intended marriage ceremony will be held
• Parents details
• Sworn oath by the couple/witnesses
• Declaration by the applicant

Need for the Document

Any marriage that takes place within Botswana must be registered except for marriages contracted under any customary law of Botswana or Muslim, Hindu, or any other Religious right.Why do you have to register a marriage?

• For national statistical purposes, to cater to the development
• Evidence of the existence of marriage having been legally solemnized

Information which might help

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Other uses of the Document/Certificate

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e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

Marriage Registration

Others

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