Your Marriage Certificate Is Illegal If Not Issued By Principal Registrar – FG

The Nigerian Government has advised intending and existing couples in the country on steps to take to ensure their marriages are legal and recognized by the government.

This comes as the government has introduced a new Federal Marriage Certificate for all types of marriages in the country.

The government advised existing couples whose marriage certificates were not  issued by the Ministry of Interior to visit the ministry’s website to recertify their certificates.

According to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Georgina Ehuriah, only marriages whose certificates are issued by the principal registrars in federal marriage registries are legally recognized by the Ministry of Interior.

Ehuriah, who disclosed this at a stakeholder conference in Abuja on Wednesday, also noted that not all places of worships in the country are licensed to conduct marriages.

“This is for the marriage to be credible and registered in the National database of legally certified marriages,” she said.

“If the certificate is not printed and delivered by the principal registrar of marriages, then it is illegal and cannot serve the desired purpose,” she said.

“Arrangements are ongoing for couples whose certificates were not issued in line with the Marriage Act of opportunity to bring them to conformity.”

Speaking on the benefits of the certificate, Ehuriah said it will be recognised by all foreign embassies during the visa application.

She advised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to accept the certificate for the guidance of foreign embassies in Nigeria and Nigerian missions aboard.

Ehuriah said unlicensed places of worship would be  breaching the Marriage Act by joining couples together.

“Presently, only about 4,689 licensed places of worship in Nigeria have updated their records with the Ministry of Interior; 314 have renewed their licenses to conduct statutory marriages.

“It has also developed a database for all places of worship licensed for celebration of marriages. This will enable the ministry to be in a good position to respond to inquiries from various interested parties from within and outside Nigeria.

“Administrators of places of worship are encouraged to meet the requirements to satisfy their members,” she said.