What are the marriage procedures in Malaysia? How to get married in Malaysia?

If you are non-Muslim, there are three (3) different procedures for you to get married in Malaysia. All of the followings have the same legal effects:

1. Marriage at the office of the Registrar of Marriages (ROM);


2. Malaysian Representative Office abroad;


3. Marriage in church or temple through a religious ceremony, custom or usage which the parties to the marriage or either of them profess and where the clergyman or priest ^[1] of the church or temple is an appointed Assistant Registrar of Marriages;


4. Marriage by special licence from the Chief Minister of the state concerned.

This topic only covers Marriage At The Registrar's Office.

Preliminaries To Marriage (Marriage Application)

• A person applying for marriage must have been resident in the marriage district for a period of not less than seven (7) days.


• If both parties to the marriage reside in the same marriage district then both have to fill and sign Form JPN.KC02 (Application Form, Notice of Marriage and Written Declaration) ^[2] in the presence of the Registrar of Marriages. Only one (1) such notice is required.


• If both parties to the marriage reside in different marriage districts then notice must be given to the Registrar of Marriages of each marriage district.


• Supporting documents must be attached to Form JPN.KC02.


• The Written or Statutory Declaration, embodied in Form JPN.KC02, has to be made in the presence of the Registrar who shall attest the same. The Written Declaration incorporates a declaration of no lawful impediment to the marriage and that all the requirements have been complied with.


• You will have to remit a payment of RM30 for marriage certificate and certification.


• Your two witnesses need not present during submission of application.


• You must decide the date for solemnisation of your marriage. This has to take place within six (6) months from the date of publication of the Notice of Marriage.


• Upon receipt of your application and supporting documents and fee, the Registrar of Marriages (ROM) will publish the Notice of Marriage by posting it on a notice board of the Registry for twenty-one (21) days for normal marriage.


• The Registrar of Marriages (ROM) will issue a Certificate for Marriage after the expiration date of publication of the Notice of Marriage.

Solemnisation of Marriage

• You must then arrange for your marriage to be solemised by the Registrar of Marriage.


• If solemnisation of your marriage does not take place within the specified period, a fresh application has to be submitted.


• Both parties must be suitably attired. Shorts, skirts above the knees, sleeveless tops, T-shirts, jeans, skin-tight pants or leggings, flip-flops and slippers are not allowed.


• Your marriage need to be solemnised in the presence of at least two credible witness besides the Registrar. Your witnesses, who may be friends or relatives, must be citizens of Malaysia, at least 21 years of age and could understand the declarations made during the ceremony.


• The Registrar of Marriages will enquire both parties, directly or through an interpreter, whether they know of any lawful impediment to the marriage and if they are marrying on their own free will.

Registration of Marriage

• Immediately after the solemnisation is performed, the Registrar will enter the prescribed particulars in the marriage register, which will be attested by both parties to the marriage and by the two witnesses.


• Please note that it is VERY IMPORTANT to check the entry in the marriage register to ensure the details are correct. It can be a complex process to make any correction in the marriage register after signing it.


• Both parties to the marriage and the two witnesses must produce the relevant documents to the Registrar of Marriage.


• After the marriage has been registered, a Marriage Certificate will be issued by the Registrar.

Wedding Ceremony

• Congratulations! After the registration of your marriage, you are legally married in Malaysia.


• The venue for your wedding can than be done elsewhere, if you wish, but you may be required to produce your Certificate of Marriage to the person officiating the ceremony. The common types of wedding venues in Malaysia are hotels, resorts, churches and temples.

References

1. ^ Priest of a temple includes any member of a committee of management or governing body of that temple and any committee member of any religious association.
   
   Priest of a church includes any officer or elder of the church.


2. ^ JPN.KC02 can be obtained from the National Registration Department, Marriage and Divorce Division (Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara JPN, Bahagian Perkahwinan dan Penceraian).

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