# Unabridged Marriage Certificate (South African) - How long does it take?



## Talon48

Hello,

I hope this is the most appropriate forum for this enquiry.

I have recently got married in South Africa. I am South African and my husband is British. I shall be applying for a spousal visa to live in the UK.

Part of the application we need is an Unabridged Marriage Certificate. We applied for this on the day of our wedding, but every time we have asked anyone how long it takes to the issued, we've always received a different answer, ranging from 6-8 weeks to "up to 9 months"!!!!

I'm really confused over how long it will take to get this issued and I'm desperate to get back to the UK where I lived for the past 4 years but subsequently got deported from because of a silly admin error with my Tier 2 work permit application (and the need to attend my father's funeral in South Africa).

How long have other people waited for an Unabridged Marriage Certificate? Is there anyway to speed up this process? I have seen websites which say they can issue one in 7 days, but i'm not sure these are entirely legit. 

Thanks


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## concord

Talon48 said:


> Part of the application we need is an Unabridged Marriage Certificate. We applied for this on the day of our wedding, but every time we have asked anyone how long it takes to the issued, we've always received a different answer, ranging from 6-8 weeks to "up to 9 months"!!!!


 Hi! Unfortunately my answer to you will be the same - from 6 weeks and up to months The reason for this is The Department of Home Affairs coz you never know how fast they'll process your application.
I can share my story. We got married in January 2012 and applied for the unabridged marriage certificate in the end of January on Barack str. in Cape Town. We called HA only in April coz we didn't really need it urgently. To our surprise our application was not in the system somehow... We thought they'd lost it. So my husband had to come back to HA like 4 more times till he found a very helpful lady. That lady called to Pretoria and tried to track our application. My husband took her phone number and called her directly. And we finally got our certificate in the middle of October. So it took almost 9!!! months.

But again it depends how lucky you are and whether you have time to go there and sort it out if they lose your application.
Good luck to you! Let's hope you'll get it soon and be luckier than us.


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## LegalMan

I can assure you that it will be closer to 8 or 9 months, unfortunately. That is the average I have seen in the last few years.


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## Jujube

Same here. Got married in December 2011 & our marriage officer put the application down for us.

We received the certificate in October.


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## Saartjie

Jujube said:


> Same here. Got married in December 2011 & our marriage officer put the application down for us.
> 
> We received the certificate in October.


I applied for mine sometime in 2011 (needed it to register my daughter at my embassy). I am still waiting for it. Not too bothered though as I managed to convince the embassy to accept my 'original' hand written one and havent really needed it since.

My daughter's Unabridged BC took ages as well but when it arrived it stated that my daughter's mother (that would be me) 's place of birth is Stockholm (correct) and my country of birth is: South Africa!?! I have never bothered to change it and noone has ever asked about it. If someone ever does I will say that Stockholm is indeed a little town in the Karoo that noone has ever heard about.

On a different note, got a bit of an 'update' on my PR application. When I spoke to HA myself on Friday I asked if it was possible to now escalate my application as it was 15 months since I applied. The lady told me that no, escalation is not possible as at least a year must have passed before they can escalate. So I said well isn't 15 months more than a year. She then confirmed that it is not the date of application that counts, its rather the date when the application arrives in Pretoria and HA Head Office confirms receipt of application that is the relevant date. So I asked when was my application officially received at Head Office. She confirmed 6th May 2012. Soooooooooo, this means that although I applied on the 30th November 2011, it took 5 months for the application to get from CT to Pretoria and I have therefore 'lost' 5 months on my application. So really, my application is only 9 months old according to HA!!! On the one hand it makes me so mad but on the other all I can do is laugh. It is so typical HA in all its glory.


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## Jujube

Typical DHA...not funny!

I'm surprised you didn't know before when your application got received at the Pretoria office, this is te first thing I got an update on the first time I call them directly. Why has your 'lawyer' not received that info?

Did you receive any other update?


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## Saartjie

Jujube said:


> Typical DHA...not funny!
> 
> I'm surprised you didn't know before when your application got received at the Pretoria office, this is te first thing I got an update on the first time I call them directly. Why has your 'lawyer' not received that info?
> 
> Did you receive any other update?


I guess I didnt really see the relevance of it. I knew that my application had been received by Pretoria as my lawyers forwarded me an email from HA to confirm the same, I just never asked for the date. My understanding was that once I had received my sms to say that my application had been received all I had to do was wait which I guess is how it is. I also was under the impression that the date of application is the date when you submit the application to HA (or at least when you receive your sms) but that is obviously not the case. 

Ah well, at least I have my TR with work endorsement until December next year so fingers crossed I will have received my PR by then.

No, no further updates unfortunately. What about you, did you hear anything new since your application was passed to a case officer?


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## Talon48

Well that is very annoying news. We need the Unabridged Certificate in order to apply for the visa to enter the UK. We were considering applying for a finance visa, but on the advice of an immigration lawyer in Cape Town, we were advised against it and advised to get married in SA instead and apply for a spousal visa because its less likely to be declined. at the time, we were unaware of how long it would take to get the UMC and assumed it would be a lot quicker process. 

We have an abridged certificate and a copy of the register. Would any of these be acceptable instead of the UMC? Or do we have another option to get into the UK? I don't care if it gives me permission to work or not, i just want to back in the UK with my husband. 

Thanks.


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## LegalMan

I totally understand, but this is a question for the UK forum.


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## Saartjie

Talon48 said:


> Well that is very annoying news. We need the Unabridged Certificate in order to apply for the visa to enter the UK. We were considering applying for a finance visa, but on the advice of an immigration lawyer in Cape Town, we were advised against it and advised to get married in SA instead and apply for a spousal visa because its less likely to be declined. at the time, we were unaware of how long it would take to get the UMC and assumed it would be a lot quicker process.
> 
> We have an abridged certificate and a copy of the register. Would any of these be acceptable instead of the UMC? Or do we have another option to get into the UK? I don't care if it gives me permission to work or not, i just want to back in the UK with my husband.
> 
> Thanks.


You can always try with the abridged certificate. As stated above I convinced my embassy to accept the certificate. I explained to them that it would take a minimum of 6 months to get the UMC and after a bit of discussion they agreed. Saying this, all embassies are different so I am not sure how the UK authorities would view the same.

I used our South African hand written marriage certificate in the UK without any problems (I didn't know at the time that there was and UMC) from 2006 until we left in 2010.


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## brendia

We waited months for ours. Try e-mailing this guy [email protected]
When I applied for my son's unabridged birth certificate I e-mailed him and the certificate was ready in 2 days!!!


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## Talon48

Thanks Brendia, I've emailled him just now. I hope he can help me out!


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## brendia

I really hope he can help you. He seems to be quite high in home affairs becasue when he helped me and a friend of mine he "cc'ed" a whole lot of other people. Holding thumbs!!


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## eleanore.sauls

Good Day,

I am Eleanore Sauls married to a Bulgarian and registered my married last year, the 3rd September 2012 and is still waiting on a response for my Unabridged marriage certificate. I am sending back and fort email to the lady that dealt with my application at the Home Affairs Office in my town and she state that the Main Office in Pretoria has been relocating ever since which was delaying my application. I'm not even sure if they received my application or not. 

Currently we are living in UK, do you think it will be possible to re-do the process of going to register my marriage at the Home Affairs Office in London and how long that would take, if it will expedite the process....?


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## LegalMan

Eleanore,

The process will still take 8-9 months to receive an Unabridged Marriage Certificate. SA's mission in London in the UK still needs to go through Pretoria.


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## Talon48

brendia said:


> We waited months for ours. Try e-mailing this guy [email protected]
> When I applied for my son's unabridged birth certificate I e-mailed him and the certificate was ready in 2 days!!!


Hi Brendia,

just an update. I sent an email to the address you gave and I got a reply first thing the next morning with loads of others cc'd into it. I've been sending emails back and forth since, and so far nothing has been confirmed, but it looks like they might expedite the issue for me, which is amazing news. 

I just hope they follow through with it because I'm keen on getting back to the UK asap. I'll post further updates to let you know how I get on. 

Thanks.


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## brendia

Hi Talon48

Aww that's great!! Hopefully they pull through. Just keep on nagging them!!! I can't understand why it's so difficult to get anything from home affairs. With all 3 kids birth certificates, they first told me they weren't registered at birth  Yet I had passports issued for each of them. I really don't understand how they work???

Anyway good luck and hope something happens very soon!! Oh, and really envious haha!! Love the UK!


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## Talon48

brendia said:


> Hi Talon48
> 
> Aww that's great!! Hopefully they pull through. Just keep on nagging them!!! I can't understand why it's so difficult to get anything from home affairs. With all 3 kids birth certificates, they first told me they weren't registered at birth  Yet I had passports issued for each of them. I really don't understand how they work???
> 
> Anyway good luck and hope something happens very soon!! Oh, and really envious haha!! Love the UK!


Another update, I'm now in possession of our Unabridged Marriage Certificate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for the contact, you have no idea how much it means to us that we got this only 20 days after getting married!!!!!!! We can now go ahead and apply for the visa. 

I was so happy this morning when I got the email to confirm it was ready to collect. I am entirely grateful to you, this forum and of course the nice people at Home Affairs. It's restored my faith that at least _some_ people in Home Affairs actually have a heart.

Thanks again


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## LegalMan

Wow, that must be a record. Who did you speak to at Home Affairs?


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## brendia

Hahahah!!! Can't believe how excited we get over certificates!!!! It's such a huge hurdle.

So happy for you and only a pleasure!! Good luck with the rest of your visa application.


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## Talon48

We initially sent an email to [email protected] as mentioned above, then got a reply from Grace Sekgothe asking for more info but we didn't hear back from her, so after a few days I emailed her again an got a reply from Toinette Pienaar who asked for the same info as Grace. I gave all this on Friday March 1st, and first thing on Monday March 4th, I got an email saying it was ready to collect! 

The email I sent to them stated the reasons I needed it (i.e. for a visa application for the UK where this document is a requirement), and stressed the importance for this for me. I sent them my ID number, copy of passport, copy of abridge marriage certificate and copy of the register.


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## Saartjie

Talon48 said:


> Another update, I'm now in possession of our Unabridged Marriage Certificate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Thank you so much for the contact, you have no idea how much it means to us that we got this only 20 days after getting married!!!!!!! We can now go ahead and apply for the visa.
> 
> I was so happy this morning when I got the email to confirm it was ready to collect. I am entirely grateful to you, this forum and of course the nice people at Home Affairs. It's restored my faith that at least _some_ people in Home Affairs actually have a heart.
> 
> Thanks again


Wow that is amazing! Just shows how much you can get done when speaking to the right person. Congrats!!!


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## LegalMan

We'll use this info and let this thread know what happens!


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## hopeless african

Hi everyone,

I got married in November 2012. We had a lovely cermny on a beach in Grotto Bay, Cape Town.
I am South African, my wife German.
We were told a short wait of 2-3 months....a long time still,yes, but we could wait.
Yesterday, 7 months 2 weeks and 1 day later we got our certificate.
Now it is all wrong and they say we must wait 6-8 weeks again.
My wife's maiden name is her present apparently and her present is her maiden name.
Also we asked for it to be put in she would change her surname to what it was to her new surname. no where on the certificate does it state this.
I feel so let down, waiting for more than half a year and these people are to pathetic to know how to do there jobs.
I feel like flying back and putting my foot in someone's ass!!! Sorry for the language, but I am truly pissed.
Future now seems bleak and these people can offer no solutions.
I truly wish things work out for you, because for us.....it seems we are doomed!!!


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## hopeless african

Talon48 said:


> Another update, I'm now in possession of our Unabridged Marriage Certificate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Thank you so much for the contact, you have no idea how much it means to us that we got this only 20 days after getting married!!!!!!! We can now go ahead and apply for the visa.
> 
> I was so happy this morning when I got the email to confirm it was ready to collect. I am entirely grateful to you, this forum and of course the nice people at Home Affairs. It's restored my faith that at least _some_ people in Home Affairs actually have a heart.
> 
> Thanks again


Happy someone could get it. Great news for you. Good luck on your life together.


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## Tinatjie

Hello!

Could anybody please share with me the experiance about the surnames in unabridged marriage certificates? I am Russian, married to Namibian, but for now we are living in Beijing. We married in February this year in Capetown where my husband's parents live, were waiting for the certificate for 5 months, managed to put the original appostille on it, which can be issued only in pretoria. So today it came to Russia, bit my present surname is missing, ID number of mine and husband are missing. Russian authorities require the new surname on the certificate. Is it a mistake or they do not write present surnames for everybody? Maiden surname is there. 

I am so desperate, need to go back to Chhina where we reside but things are still unclear. It is making me crazy.

I would be immensely grateful to everybody who can advise me in this difficult situation for me.

Thanks in advance!!!


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## LegalMan

Privet Tina

Unfortunately that is definitely a mistake. They should have put your maiden surname on the unabridged marriage certificate, and under ID number, they should have put your passport number so it is definitely an error. Usually this means you have to re-apply for it.


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## Tinatjie

Hello, Legal Man!

Thank you very much for the reply! My maiden surname is there, the present one is missing. Seems like I will have to re-apply again. It is just very strange that DIRCO where the appostille was put and High Court in Capetown did not see these mistakes.


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## hopeless african

Hello Tinetje,
We had the same issue, they got my wife's names all mixed. We also got the apostille, and don't see how they could claim it correct when it is wrong and they had all info.
I hope you have better luck than us!!!
All the best to you.


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## Saartjie

hopeless african said:


> Hello Tinetje,
> We had the same issue, they got my wife's names all mixed. We also got the apostille, and don't see how they could claim it correct when it is wrong and they had all info.
> I hope you have better luck than us!!!
> All the best to you.


We got my daughter unabridged birth certificate apostilled and it states that her mother (that's me) 's place of birth is Stockholm (which is correct) and country of birth is South Africa. Given all the hassles of getting the unabridged certificate I have never bothered to change it and noone (apart from the Swedish Embassy who thought it was rather funny) has ever said anything about it.


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## LegalMan

I have seen all kinds of mistakes, the funny ones (sorry!) are when they mix the first and last name, or when they give the man the woman's surname.

Of course it isn't funny because it's irritating, but when you're 80 years old looking back you'll laugh.


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## hopeless african

The only problem is here in Germany they are a bit anal :-(


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## paul dias

*Pathetic home affairs department south africa*

I am Portuguese citizen got married to south Africa citizen in September 2015 and applied unabridged marriage certificate the same time till today no sign of it .My wife calls them everyday but no avail .As a requirement to sponsor my wife abroad I need the certificate . I m tired of this


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## GinaC77

My Hubby and I are both SAffers but I have an EU passport. We have recently emigrated to Ireland. We got married in September 2014. He has work here and I am still looking. He does not need a work permit as he is the spouse of an EU citizen. we have submitted all of our documentation accordingly.
Yesterday I went to exchange my drivers license so that I can drive here. My passports are still in my maiden name but my drivers license and ID documents are both in married name (I still have the old ones which I showed them with maiden name). I happily showed them my marriage certificate and was told it would not be good enough..... I am shocked, devastated and in a state of despair because I asked so many times - even when I was at HA changing my SA documents whether I needed anything further and was not told that I needed an unabridged certificate. And as it doesn't actually say 'abridged' on it, I had no idea.... Now I am very concerned about whether the immigration services here will accept what we have already given them - we cannot wait that long to get him a residence card so that he can work. I am actually in a state of panic right now.....can anyone help?


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## deeliah

Saartjie said:


> Wow that is amazing! Just shows how much you can get done when speaking to the right person. Congrats!!!


please I know its some years down the line but how did you get your certificate back so promptly?


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## The Apostle

We have a service offering unabridged marriage certificate applications for South Africans outside of SA within 6-8 weeks or 2-4 weeks. However, you will need your DHA-30 marriage register you signed on the day of your marriage for the process to be sped up.


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