Women’s Charter 1961 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 3 · Solemnisation of Marriages
18. Conditions for issuing marriage licence
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2023. 2 amendments in all.
The Registrar must not issue a marriage licence unless the Registrar is satisfied that —
Registrar
“Registrar” means the Registrar of Marriages appointed under section 26 and includes an Assistant Registrar of Marriages;
the parties to the intended marriage are not prevented from marrying by this Act or any other law;
if the parties are required to attend and complete a marriage preparation programme — they have done so;
if any party is not a citizen of Singapore or permanent resident of Singapore — at least one of the parties has been physically present in Singapore for the prescribed period before the date of the notice of marriage; and
no party has made a false declaration under section 16(1) in respect of the matters in section 16(2)(d) or (e).
The Registrar may, if satisfied that there are good reasons to do so, waive the requirement in subsection (1)(c).
In deciding whether to issue a marriage licence, the Registrar may —
marriage licence
“marriage licence” means a marriage licence issued by the Registrar under section 17;
rely on the declarations made by the parties to the intended marriage under section 16;
interview the parties or require them to provide any information or evidence that the Registrar may require; or
make any inquiry.