Change in system causes halt in marriage certificates

Couples married before July 2010 often have to wait several months to receive their unabridged marriage certificates.

One such couple is Randburg residents David and Cindy Sheer, who had to wait seven months.

In South Africa a bridged marriage certificate is given to couples by default, providing both partners are South African citizens.

An unabridged marriage certificate is needed by couples when at least one partner is not South African, when both wish to emigrate or when they wish to acquire foreign passports.

As the name suggests, an unabridged certificate has more information, but can be problematic. On the day of the wedding couples receive a handwritten copy of their marriage certificate, but have to wait for the Department of Home Affairs to issue them their official, printed copy.

Before a change in the system, in July 2010, two copies of the marriage register were made. After the wedding one copy was given to the department and the other was given to the marriage officer who would also send it to the department at a later stage. From July 2010, a third copy of the marriage register was made and given to the couple to keep.

According to Larne Hugo, an experienced marriage officer, the new system is better. However, when a couple that married prior to July 2010 applies for an unabridged certificate, problems arise because they do not have the third copy of the register.

According to an anonymous source who is a marriage officer, local offices of Home Affairs insist on couples producing their marriage register to receive the unabridged certificate. Resolving this issue can take a long time.

The Sheer’s were married in February 2008 and did not have their own copy of the register. In May 2013 Cindy wanted to apply for a German passport, but had to get an unabridged certificate first. Problems arose, including the department requesting a document it already had.

The Sheer’s marriage officer got involved and almost eight months later the couple received their certificate. “My marriage officer says I must be the 100th person to have these problems,” said Cindy.

Cindy’s brother, Wynand Venter, also waited almost a year for his unabridged certificate.

Details: Randburg Department of Home Affairs 011 792 0192.