Registration of Marriages (General)

• Everyone other than where both parties are Muslims, can register their marriage under Marriage (general) Registration Ordinance.
• Marriage notice should be written and attested in duplicate and handed over to the Registrar of marriages of the division
• Persons authorized to attest marriage notice;
  • Registrar of marriages of the division
  • Justice of peace
  • Notary public
  • A Minister
• Requirements for submitting a marriage notice:
  • Requirement of residence of the parties in the relevant division.
    • Residence of parties in the relevant division within 10 days preceding submission of the marriage notice.
    • Residence of parties in different divisions within 10 days preceding submission of the marriage notice.
    • If one party was not living in Sri Lanka within 10 days preceding submission of the marriage notice, residence of the other party in Sri Lanka for such 10 days.
    • If none of the parties had not been living in Sri Lanka within 10 days preceding submission of the marriage notice, residence of one party for 04 days in Sri Lanka.
  • Completion of age of 18 yrs. by both parties as at their previous birth day.
  • The parties should not have any kind of relationship prohibited in law.
  • No party should have entered into any legal marriage which is valid at the time.
• 14 days should be lapsed since submission of marriage notice for registration of a marriage (general). Possibility prevails to register general marriage before lapse of such 14 days.
• Request may be made in order to register a marriage outside the office.
• Fees chargeable by the Registrar for registration of a marriage is as follows.

Registration of Marriages by a Christian Minister

• Christians can register their marriages at their Churches.
• Marriage notice should be written and attested in duplicate and handed over to the Registrar of Marriage of the division.
• Persons authorized to attest marriage notices;
• Registrar of Marriage of the division
• Justice of peace
• Notary public
• A Minister
• Requirements for submitting a marriage notice:
• Requirement of residence of the parties in the relevant division
• Residence of parties in the relevant division within 10 days preceding submission of the marriage notice.
• Residence of parties in different divisions within 10 days preceding submission of the marriage notice.
• If one party was not living in Sri Lanka within 10 days preceding submission of the marriage notice, residence of the other party in Sri Lanka for such 10 days.
• If none of the parties had not been living in Sri Lanka within 10 days preceding submission of the marriage notice, residence of one party for 04 days in Sri Lanka.
• Completion of age of 18 yrs. by both parties as at their previous birth day.
• The parties should not have any kind of relationship prohibited in law.
• No party should have entered into any legal marriage which is valid at the time.
• Certificate of the registrar should be obtained from the Registrar or Additional District Registrar
• The said certificate should be produced to the minister of the church where the marriage is to be solemnized. Also provide uncancelled stamps value of Rs.25/- therewith.

Marriage Registration Process for Foreign Nationalities

Documents to be submitted :

• Marriage Certificate
• Valid passport visa license and a photocopy required to enter Sri Lanka
• Original Certificate of Civil Status issued by an authorized party in the country and legal documents proving this regarding divorce / widowhood
• License issued by Registrar General

For this purpose, the original copy of the affidavit obtained by the relevant foreign party from the security authorities of his country within 6 months should be sent by hand or by registered post to the Civil Registration Division of the Head Office of the Registrar General Department by his local party or a representative of the local party. Based on that certificate, the Registrar General issues a permit to register the marriage.

• A self-declaration to confirm the health status of a foreign national (Health Declaration)
• Birth certificate (Only if need to confirm the date of birth) and a photocopy

The above documents should be submitted to the relevant Additional District Registrar at the time of handing over the marriage notice.

Circulars No. 18/2021 and 10/18/2021 in this regard will be effective from 2022/01/01.

Registration of Kandyan Marriages

• A marriage solemnized under the Kandyan Law.
• Areas where kandyan law is applied,
  • Central Province
  • North Central Province
  • Uva Province
  • Sabaragamuwa Province
  • Chuniyachedkulam Korale East and West and Kilakkumale Korale South of Vavuniya District in the Northern Province
  • Bintenna Pattu, Wegam Pattu and Panam Pattu of Batticola District and Kadukkulam Pattu of Trincomalee District in the Eastern Province
  • Kurunegala District and Demala Hathpattu of Puttalam District in the North Western Province
• Notice of marriage should be written and attested in duplicate and handed over to the Registrar of Marriages. Registrar of Marriage of the Division has authority to attest marriage notices.
• Requirements for submitting a marriage notice:
  • Requirement of residence of the parties in the relevant division.
    • Residence of parties in the relevant division within 10 days preceding submission of the marriage notice.
    • Residence of parties in different divisions within 10 days preceding submission of the marriage notice.
    • If one party was not living in Sri Lanka within 10 days preceding submission of the marriage notice, residence of the other party in Sri Lanka for such 10 days.
    • If none of the parties had not been living in Sri Lanka within 10 days preceding submission of the marriage notice, residence of one party for 04 days in Sri Lanka.
  • Completion of age of 18 yrs. by both parties as at their previous birth day.
  • The parties should not have any kind of relationship prohibited in law.
  • No party should have entered into any legal marriage which is valid at the time.
• Request may be made in order to register a marriage outside the office.
• Fees chargeable by the registrars in registration of Kandyan Marriages is as follows.

Correcting Errors in the Certificate of Marriage (General)

• Request should be made to the Court by inter parties for correction of errors made during the registration.
• Documents to be submitted,
  • Certificate of marriage
  • Documents to be introduced to prove the relevant information
• The request should make to the District court of the area where the inter parties are residing.

Correction of Errors in the Certificate of Marriage (Kandyan)

• Request can be made by inter parties for correction of errors made during the registration.
• The request should make to the Additional District Registrar at the Divisional Secretariat relevant of the area where the marriage is registered.
• Documents to be submitted,
  • Certificate of marriage
  • Affidavit containing the correct information and the error done
  • Any other document to prove the information

Correction of Errors in the Certificate of Marriage (Muslim)

This page is under construction

Obtain a Certified Copy of the Certificate of Marriage

• Refer the application to the Divisional Secretariat of the area where the registration took place.
• Application can obtain from any Divisional Secretariat.
• Fees chargeable
  • Where the date of registration or the no. of the entry is given the fee for one copy of the certificate is Rs.120.00
  • Where the date of registration or the no. of the entry is not given and a search of registers not exceeding two years is involved fee for one copy of the certificate is Rs. 250.00
• Required fee should submit to the Divisional Secretariat.
• Duly filled application should be submit to the Divisional Secretariat.
• If you like to obtain the certificate of marriage by post, submit a stamped envelop with the application.
• If the marriage is registered, a certificate of marriage will be send and if the marriage is not registered a letter to the effect will be send.

Translate Certificate of Marriage

• Offices of the Department where service of sworn translators can be received are given below.
• Translations which can be obtained
  • Sinhala - English
  • Tamil - English
  • English - Sinhala
  • English - Tamil
• Time of receiving applications
  • From 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
• Applications may be obtained from the offices where sworn translators are available
• Documents to be submitted
  • Duly completed application
  • Original or certified copy of certificate of marriage obtained from a Divisional Secretariat of the document to be translated
  • Stamped envelope if translations are to be received by post
• Fee for a translation is Rs. 600.00 payable by cash.

Divorce of a Marriage Registered Under General Marriage Ordinance

This is an activity of the court. Contact an Attorney at law for advices.

Divorce of a Kandyan Marriage

• Applications shall submit to,
  • If the applicant is resides in a Kandyan province, the application shall be made to the District Registrar at the Divisional Secretariat relevant to the area where the applicant is residing.
  • If the applicant resides outside a Kandyan province, the application shall be made to the District Registrar at the Divisional Secretariat relevant to the area in which the respondent resides or in which the marriage was registered.
• Obtain the relevant application from the District Registrar informing the divorce.
• Documents to be submitted.
  • Duly perfected declaration
  • Certificate of Marriage (Kandyan)
  • If there are documents to prove the complain
• District Registrar call up both parties for an inquiry.
• District Registrar will grant the dissolution of the marriage in respect of which the application was made, or refuse to grant the dissolution of such marriage.
• If a party dissatisfied with the order, can make an appeal to the District Registrar within 30 days.
• District Registrar submits the appeal to the District court and will work on the order given by the District court.

Muslim Marriage

This page is under construction

Kandyan and Muslim Marriages

This page is under construction