What you need to conduct a civil wedding

In a move aimed at streamlining civil marriage procedures, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has announced updated requirements for couples seeking to conduct civil marriages within the country.

The Uganda Registration Services Bureau, the government agency responsible for civil registrations in Uganda, has introduced these changes to simplify the marriage registration process. The bureau oversees civil marriages and ensures that they adhere to legal guidelines, promoting transparency and legality in marital unions.

Celebration of civil marriages is governed by the Marriage Act, Cap 251. The registrar General is gazette as the Registrar of Marriages for Kampala whereas the Chief Administrative Officers are gazette as the registrars of marriages for districts outside Kampala.

Key Requirements for Civil Marriages:

Valid Identification Documents: Couples intending to marry civilly must provide valid identification documents, including photocopy of valid national identity cards or passports. These documents are essential to verify the identities of the individuals involved.

In addition, LC1 letter from the place of residence which should indicate marital status and duration of stay. “At least one of the couple must have been resident in the district for 15 days prior the date of marriage,” reads a notice from URSB.

Marriage Notice: Couples are required to file a marriage notice with the URSB at least 21 days prior to the intended marriage date. This notice allows the public to raise objections if there are lawful reasons to prevent the marriage.

Marriage Registration Fee: These include receipts for fees indicating Ugx 260,000 for marriage and Ugx 60,000 for registration of the two affidavits

Witnesses: Each party must have at least two witnesses present during the marriage ceremony. Witnesses should be of legal age and must provide their identification documents as well.