how to become a marriage officer in south africa?

[LazyLion]

Registering as a Marriage Officer under the SA Pagan Council...

Religious Marriage Officers (RMO)

 

[white night]

Thanks LazyLion

I have been to the DHA in Umgeni Road Durban today 17 February 2020 to query the application process... I was given an info strip telling me what is needed and where to send it to... Here goes - (1. A CV... Which I think is the letter of recommendation from your Church leadership motivating why they have chosen you to be a marriage officer. 2. A Certified Copy of your I. D. 3. Your church constitution). All of these documents must then be posted to DHA - (Marriage Section), Private Bag X11, Pretoria, 0001. Wishing you all best of wishes on you'lls application. Finally... If they accept your application, they will phone you to ask which which is the closest Home Affairs near you. I think this might just be the office you might write your exams and collect your marriage register book. All the best guys... My application will be posted tomorrow by registered mail... Cheers

 

[Ica]

I’ve read a few of your comments re non secular marriage officers. My daughter is a qualified laywer (although not practising) and thus commissioner of oaths and would like to be a non secular marriage officer. We’ve found info re the process, but as a matter of interest would you be able to email us the manual?

 

[Zwilethemba]

Are groups with small a number of members not permitted to apply for those they wish to be marriage officers?

If you would be kind as to supply me with relevant address and the receiver of the correspondence as the last two do not seem to have reached the destination.
And lastly, is there a specific way of writing this letter/ e.mail?

 

[rkian]

Yesterday I needed to get married to my long term partner in a hurry before travel and I didn't want to queue at home affairs. So I spent R3.2k on a marriage officer, even though I had a very simple signing and it took less than 10 minutes. He refused to take an EFT (I guess he doesn't want to pay tax), was driving a flashy white BMW so he obviously makes a lot of money from this, didn't wear a mask for COVID and made fun of me for wearing a mask. It was pretty awful. If I had known there were ordinary people (i.e. who aren't professional marriage officers) who could do it for a smaller fee I would have been over the moon. Make sure you advertise on the internet so idiots like me can find you next time.

 

[Nova21]

It's not that hard, the tricky part is getting your organisation to sponsor you (write a letter on your behalf).
If you belong to a group of churches or a denomination, then ask your head of the group to write the letter and address it to Home Affairs.
He will request that Home Affairs appoint you as a Marriage Officer so that they will have someone in their group who can conduct marriages.

Then once they have sent that letter Home Affairs will call you in and give you a copy of the marriage act and their procedures which you have to memorise.
They will schedule a test date and you have to score more than 80% on the test.

Once that is complete they will issue you with a letter of appointment and a book of Register certificates and Marriage certificates.
You can then have a stamp made up with your name and organisation.

Just one thing to note. According to the marriage act, marriage officers are NOT allowed to charge for their services.
So if you are hoping to get this in order to make a living, you can forget about that part!

Hi @LazyLion

Can you help me with info about what in a letter to the Home affairs should be (by the church)? Can it be the pastor/minister or higher up?

 

[Nova21]

I’ve read a few of your comments re non secular marriage officers. My daughter is a qualified laywer (although not practising) and thus commissioner of oaths and would like to be a non secular marriage officer. We’ve found info re the process, but as a matter of interest would you be able to email us the manual?

 

[platapoes]

Hey Grant
I am interested to know you got that letter from? Thanks

Sorry to drag this up after (another) 4 years, but did you ever get any traction on finding out which non-denominational organisation it was?
Thanks.

 

[Mr TK]

This is a very informative thread, even though it dates back a couple of years ago, it gave me the information i required. I'm a pastor and would love to qualify myself as a marriage officer, am just a little bit dejected about the fact that i need to memorise a manual (parrot fashion style) which is not the most effective method of learning anything. Just wished there was a better way of doing this, even if i could do it online from a different country overseas i would do it, as long as i don't have to memorise a book - my goodness. But thanks a lot for the information guys, more especially to @LazyLion.

 

[Sinamumva]

Can anyone care to share a sample of the recommendation letter. What does it entails and/or what are the requirements for the content of such letter