Registration of Marriages at the High Commission  

Legal Requirements for Registration of Marriages at the Sri Lanka High Commission in London

Legal Requirement

At least one party to the marriage must be a Sri Lankan national. The Sri Lankan national must submit a Notice of Marriage to the High Commission.

Residence Requirement

Both parties must have resided in the United Kingdom for a minimum period of ten (10) days immediately before submitting the Notice of Marriage to the High Commission.

Required Documents

·        Valid passports of both parties with current visas (e- visa share code)

·        Original birth certificates of both parties (with English translations where applicable)

·        Two (02) witnesses who must be Sri Lankan nationals with valid passports and valid visas. Witnesses should be known to both parties.

·        For the registration of a marriage between foreign nationals, prior approval from the Registrar General’s Department of Sri Lanka is required. (The application must be forwarded to the Civil Registration Division of the Registrar General’s Department through the local party in Sri Lanka)-(For more details -https://www.rgd.gov.lk/)

·        Unmarried / Free to Marry Certificate- Unmarried certificate 

         (Applicants must provide the following, depending on their marital status)

i. Single applicants

·         Unmarried / Free to Marry Certificate

ii. Divorced applicants

·         Divorce Certificate (The divorce certificate must be certified by the respective Foreign Office or the Consular Section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sri Lanka

·         Unmarried / Free to Marry Certificate

iii. Widowed applicants

·          Death Certificate of the late spouse

·          Previous Marriage Certificate

·          Unmarried / Free to Marry Certificate

Important – Unmarried / Free to Marry Certificate

·        An affidavit or statutory declaration confirming identity and marital status (unmarried/free to marry) must be signed before a solicitor or a Consular Officer at the High Commission.

·        For the period lived in Sri Lanka, both parties must submit an affidavit or statutory declaration signed by their parents, certified by the Consular Section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sri Lanka.

·        Unmarried Certificates of non-Sri Lankan nationals must be:

         o   signed before a solicitor,

         o   legalised /attested by the UK Foreign Office (FCDO), or the respective diplomatic mission in the UK, and

         o   legalised by the Sri Lanka High Commission in London.

·        If applicants have lived in multiple countries, separate affidavits must be provided for each country and certified/legalised by the respective Foreign Office or Sri Lankan diplomatic mission accredited to that country.

Additional Requirements

• If you have changed your name, a Deed Poll must be submitted (including divorcees who have reverted to their maiden name).
• Both parties must submit all required documents in person.
• For the registration of a marriage between foreign nationals, the original copy of the Security Clearance Certificate must be obtained from the security authorities
• Documents issued by other national authorities must be certified by the respective diplomatic mission in the UK.

Procedure

1. Notice of Marriage The Notice of Marriage Form must be completed in the presence of a Consular Officer and signed by two (02) witnesses at the High Commission.

2. Marriage Registration Marriage registration can take place after twelve (12) working days and within three (03) months from the date of giving notice to the High Commission.

Fees and Payment Details

*Other applicable charges will apply. 

• Method of Payment – Cash, Debit/Credit card,
• Fees paid will not be refunded under any circumstances.