Marriage

No special conditions or requirements exist for the marriage of a South African citizen to a non-South African. All questions and regulations with regard to marriage are covered in the Marriage Act 26/1961. Under 18 (groom) or 15 (bride) year olds can't marry, a marriage between close relatives is also not possible. A declaration of consent from both legal guardians, or from the Commissioner of Child Welfare is also required for marriages of minors.

In general the following documents have to be presented when marrying in South Africa:

• Passports of the fiancées with valid visas
• Letter of no impediment, issued by the responsible Austrian civil registry office (“Standesamt”), with a certified translation into English.
• If applicable: divorce decree with a certified translation into English

Only authorised marriage officers may conduct marriages.

If the formal requirements are met, a marriage contracted into in South Africa is legally validated the same way as an Austrian marriage.

After marriage, it is advisable to apply for a “Full/Unabridged Marriage Certificate” at the South African Department of Home Affairs and to have this document legalised by the South African authorities (Ministry for International Relations and Cooperation) with the “Hague Apostille”.

Should you require further information, please contact the South African Department for Home Affairs.