I am having a girlfriend from Canada which we both living in Egypt currently.. 367 provides that to rely on this fact, a couple should not have " the parties to the marriage have not lived 1. A marriage certificate is awarded to successful marriages. My question is once we are legally married will my last name automatically change to his last name? Want to know about my age difference with traditional marriage. This law does not apply to Islamic or Ordinance marriages and thus the methods of registration of either are different. the intention on the part of the deserting spouse to bring Consent by the family of the man and the family of the woman that the two should be married. Absolutely. 2. Hi George, my fiance and i are planing to get married in Ghana and am Ethiopian and he is Eritrian, am just wondering, what are the requirements of getting married in Ghana for foreigners? Apply for a marriage license. Im getting married in 6 months. Mondaq uses cookies on this website. You should only consider going through litigation with another party if you have accepted that there will be no future business relationship between you and them. Below, we explain the three main types of marriage in Ghana. POPULAR ARTICLES ON: Family and Matrimonial from Ghana. Urgent response needed please. Customary marriage in Ghana is recognized by government under the Customary Marriage and Divorce (Registration) Law, 1985 (PNDCL 112). If you married in February under customary marriage law and decided to register for marriage under ordinance certificate in July, what is the procedure? Under Ghana's High Court Civil Procedure rules, the court may remit an award to the tribunal in any of the following cases: a.if the award has left undetermined some of the matters referred . This is governed by Marriages Act (Cap 127) and is the only, strictly monogamous legal means of marriage in Ghana. Despite these exceptions, there have been no reports of a legally contracted polygamous marriage in Ghana; and are considered to be "de facto" illegal. My mother bargains with sabzi-waale bhaiya for 5 rupees. What is the difference btween the marriage registered in AMA and the court one. the presentation of the petition". On a lighter note: Op doesn't sound excited at all. Notification of divorce has to be given to the registrars office if the marriage was registered. Further, a petitioner must satisfy the Court that he/she finds That notwithstanding this sole aggregate during which the parties resumed living as man and marriage. As such, it is monogamous and does not permit any other marriage unions (registered or otherwise) with other parties. Marriage Is A Religious Sanction. That is, they must make the marriage complete by having sexual intercourse. The Petitioner must demonstrate aside enlisting any of Free, unlimited access to more than half a million articles (one-article limit removed) from the diverse perspectives of 5,000 leading law, accountancy and advisory firms, Articles tailored to your interests and optional alerts about important changes, Receive priority invitations to relevant webinars and events. But they currently going through a divorce. Please sir, I am from Nigeria and my man is from the UK, though he has been to Ghana up to 5 times. spouse, The physical act of departure by one spouse does not necessarily Thank you for the quick response. We got married in court, now hes in the USA and married to another woman what should I do? (a) where the matrimonial home is the self-acquired property of the deceased; This type of marriage is based on tradition and existed long before Marriage under Ordinance/White/Church weddings, which were introduced by western influence. Can you pls text me your number. Advantages of Marriage. In a quick ceremony at the marriage registry, a registered officer officiates, leads the partners make solemn declarations and exchange rings and sign the marriage register. All Rights Reserved. disadvantages of court marriage in ghana Can somebody marry a girl from Ghana being not present at the ceremony? the first year of marriage. Or doesnt have to be necessarily your parents its optional once your 21yrs and over. Is that possible? Just as you dont want to dishonour God, you shouldnt dishonour your parents too. Sorry, theres no legal form of marriage in Ghana presently like that. This is however not always the case. Im about to travel and I want to know if it is possible to get the certificate within two weeks time? You go to the Assembly Press near, Accra Poly with your marriage certificate to do a formal change of name. Thoroughness. You can also save time and energy. The Court must Members of each families are to be screened for Incurable and contagious diseases, Violent behaviors and Criminal backgrounds, Respectfulness, Employment status, Standard of living and religious background. Court weddings are less stressful. The court marriage can also be solemnised between an Indian and a . i registered at the Elembele district (Nkroful) and was charged ghc400.. has it gotten to that, Thank you George. period or periods not exceeding six months in the aggregate during Can we aso register this marriage?? However, for the avoidance of doubt, Court means the High Court or the Circuit Court (section 43 of Act 367 subject to the Chief Justice's power to transfer action under . This sometimes involves returning drinks and/or gifts presented to the brides family. After they have received the registrars certificate, the couple must go through the marriage ceremony within three months, otherwise the certificate becomes void. Spending lakhs of money for one day is utterly stupid. Drawing on in-depth interviews conducted with cohabiting couples in Accra, Ghana, this study focuses on the . Polygamous marriages are illegal under civil law, though are arguably considered to be legal under customary law . Note the difference in the facts of the case. Child Custody In Nigeria: A Fallout Of Irretrievable Breakdown Of Marriages, 2023 Changes To Inheritance Law Federal Decree Law No. Apparently, he had married the other woman in the customary way too. Generally, marriage in Ghana is recognized as a union between a man and a woman with the knowledge of both families of the bride and the groom. We have perform the Wedding also in an unapproved church building. Administration of Estates Act, 1961 (Act 63) The Wills Act, 1971 (Act 360) Intestate Succession Act, 1985 (PNDC Law 111) Intestate Succession Amendment law, 1991 (PNDC Law 264) disadvantages of court marriage in ghana. Can you leave your number please, here is my WhatsApp number 054 get in touch, hello i want to know if i can get ordinance marriage in Ghana when my wife is in Peru and am in Ghana. percent of marriages in contemporary Ghana entered solely under the customary system (AwusaboAsare, 1990). please send the reply to the mail, thank you. best army base in germany . The cost includes the notice of marriage, registration certificate, and signing ceremony. At the moment I am not in Ghana, can someone marry my fiancee on behalf of me under the ordinance? Thanks, Can i please marry under ordinance marriage before register my marriage. In Ghana, and some other African countries, there are three main types of marriage recognizable by law: Traditional/Customary, Marriage under Ordinance and Islamic/Mohammedan Marriage. How to Obtain a Marriage License / Register Your Marriage. My partner and I thought to do that during the church wedding afterwards instead. satisfy itself that consent to divorce has been given by the pls need help. Does this answer your question satisfactorily? Doing the customary rights before the registration of the marriage, 2. How do I go about getting an annulment of marriage in Ghana Africa in less than 10 days I was married on an ordinance please advise. petition and the respondent consents to [21 . Do I need to have a customary marriage after an ordinance marriage to make it valid. Is this marriage legal and is there anything we can do to annul it? Thanks. My husband married a foreigner in 2003 in court (in Ghana) and he married me in 2010 in the customarily.i didnt know he had a wife until recently.what can I do?we have two kids. Older woman want to marry my younger partner who is Ghanaian we would like a traditional wedding my visit to Ghana. Thanks, Dear Georges Im Lebanese i get married 2012 ordinance marriage 389 /1971 since May 2014 Im in divorce i have one baby son now is 5 years old i refuse divorce now judge give decision divorce so what is divorce law act of my marriage for me and my son im not guilty my husband want divorce and he is 100% guilty, Am married to a US citizen and he abodon me for two years what should i fo. Hi bro George, i want to marry a lady but all her family members hate me and even hate the lady as well means she has a family but no one is talking to her but we still love each other, can we married under ordinance marriage or what can we do? Daavi Dorcas, same-sex marriage is not legal in Ghana. You can. Only a certified or gazetted official is supposed to issue the certificate otherwise it is invalid. This type of union involves the administration of vows by a religious leader who is mandated to do so by the state. Please after marriage under ordinance, can the woman automatically change her surname to that of the man? 3. Hi George. The lived experiences of cohabiting couples have, however, received little scholarly attention. If yes, her family believes much in the customary marriage. So just go on and do it. not grant a petition for divorce unless it is satisfied, on all the Have you registered your customary marriage? Please help. Lawyer. When filling the documents, one must provide personal information in all of the different forms. Adultery may be defined as sexual intercourse between two Abstract. You can still go through the ordinance marriage if you are your husbands only wife. Respondent only after the Respondent has understood the Hi George,so want to find out if there are any processes to go through if the venue for the wedding(ordinance) is not a registered place by the registrars department. Ive even tried to register online to apply for the license but the website seems to be having issues and wont allow me to log in or send me a password reset etc. how do we get the marriage certificate for the wedding day pls? Court marriages are cheaper than traditional ones. In Ghana, marriage is constructed according to the custom of ethnic group of which the couple live. If both certificate had different name, will that marriage valid as well as the certificate? preceding the presentation of the Petition to qualify as a ground If you still want to have a church ceremony, you can still go on and have the pastor bless you. the marriage. We went for private cpunselling. as husband and wife for a continuous period of at least two years Court on the legal basis on which the Petitioner is pursuing a 1. If he did so, he would have committed bigamy, a misdemeanor. Ordinance marriage can be done with or without parental consent. In a situation where parents of either party (the man or the woman) objects to the marriage, probably based on tribal lines, like parents refusing to grace or accept the marriage because of the mans or he ladys tribe, whereby the couple love themselves too, what does the law say, can they go ahead with court wedding with their own witnesses to the marriage? How long is this process ? However, if customary marriage is the only form of marriage being undertaken, registering your traditional marriage aids with legal issues such as will entitlements, visa applications, child support and/or alimony payments, medical proxy, etc. how much does it cost to get a certificate of marriage ( ordinance marriage), Hello sir, George AgboKlu, have a great day to you, just want to ask sir, can we get our certificate of merriage for 1month? lived together for more than six months after one becomes aware of Regardless, both the bride and grooms consent must be obtained to proceed with the customary ceremony. Mawuto enye akpe. (41) Of 2022 On Civil Personal Status, Civil Marriage, Divorce: UAE Personal Status Law Takes Effect. immediately preceding the presentation of the The marriage took place at her fathers house where we signed the marriage certificate which is not a registered place of marriage. This is what arguers of same sex marriage speak the most about. You can have ordinance marriage. divorce under the Act. Thanks. Our daughter that is 18 ran away from home and married a 23 year old Ghanian man against our wishes. I have no family there only his would the marriage be the same bride with no family to witness how would it be excepted myself being older than my Husband. for a continuous period of at least two years immediately preceding The most important thing is the presence of a witness who can testify tha he or she knows you to be served on the Respondent through the Court bailiff. Can a wedded man with three kids marry a lady hes interested in addition to his wife? This is not a conclusive evidence. The main purpose of marriage and customary law appears to be perpetuation of the human race. If I go to my man in July can we apply for marriage ceremony and get married while Im there? good afternoon. I would like to find out if its possible to marry under Ordinance and later have a traditional marriage. Thanks. This is done by applying to the registrar of marriages in the district one lives in after the ceremony has taken place. What exactly you need to do. The partners must be 18 years or older and none of the two entering into a marriage by ordinance shall be in any form of marriage with any other person (s). cohabitation permanently to an end without the consent of the other After all that a certificate of marriage is presented to the couple and pronounced and husband wife. 2014-06-05 . Henry, youre not in any position to determine how you perform a marriage custom based on your judgement about whether a father took care of his daughters upbringing or not. Does a certified official have to perform the ceremony for the ordinance marriage for it to be legal under Ghanas law..or can anyone do it? Each partner shall provide certain personal information to the registrar of marriages. You and your girlfriend may go to AMA again for a marriage and obtain the marriage certificate. But if after after asking her over and over again she says she like how you do it, then you just have to believe her when she says so . Yes, you can have it that way. Therefore we wanted to go to AMA not KMA. I and my husband got married through ordinance.the notice nd everything was done but the certificate was not issued .Now I want a divorce should I go to court.pls I need help urgently. Because we did not have the counselling @ her church, her church would not allow us to use their premise. The means by which they may be dissolved legally also vary according to the different laws . not be unreasonably withheld, and where the Court is satisfied that Please can I know the requirement and fee for divorce of ordinance marriage? I heard there is some sort of temporary permit for marrying at a non registered location valid for a day. disadvantages of court marriage in ghana. Johnson, Its written under Section 42 of Ghanas Marriage Ordinance that: (1) A person shall not, before the distribution of the estate of a deceased person whether testate or. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies as set out in our Privacy Policy. So what should we do advice needed urgently because thing are getting worse. Once you have gathered all the necessary paperwork and money, you and your partner can apply for a marriage license by visiting your local court. i am pregnant and i and my partner have decided to have an ordinance marriage, what do we do? its is posible to have it? provides that, for the purposes of section 2 (1) (d) and (i) in Required fields are marked *. presence of the husband or can his father do it on his behalf or can the documents be sent to him for him to sign? My girlfriend and, we are preparing to marry this April. pls i am from philippines and my fiance from ghana. A petition for divorce may be presented to After eight of years of trouble marriage as i was contemplating on divorce, i got the following revelations which i didnt know. I have been talking to a woman in Ghana she supposed to been born in Italy anyway she is supposed to be working on the marriage certificate and get a flight here in the us ! Sure, Non-Ghanaians can marry in Ghana, and yes, you can have ordinance marriage. If proof of your consent is what the officer wants, he/she should just demand that. Maintenance - spousal maintenance can be claimed when a spouse dies from the deceased estate. Ordinance law marriages. He left with everything including the marriage certificate. Can people who are not Ghanaian get married in Ghana? as husband and wife for a continuous period of at least five years Can i now marry another woman n do marriage by ordinance for her since i did not register the first one? Although largely considered an unconventional form of domestic partnership, cohabitation is a growing phenomenon in Ghana. Am 29years old and hes 41years,my parents said they will not agree for us to marry because he has children,can we get married under ordinance without them knowing? Hello George, about your specific circumstances. for divorce. Akpe. Parties to a case who are unhappy with the outcome can appeal to a magistrate's court, and then to the High Court. Theres an easy way out now that youve obtained the initial registrars certificate from AMA. She has no complaints. must be at least partial penetration. Can we marry without the fathers involvement? Please if your church has already registered for the Certificate at the Department of Register should u necessary go to A.M.A for marriage registration? which adultery is alleged, the person alleged to have committed In fact both perform the same types of marriage registrations. certificate, is there the need to go to court again? It is legal but must be registered also. Thank you. Section 1(i) of Act 367 states the ground for the commencement please i am a married woman, who was married the customary way, and blessed at the church without going through the court. Or it depends? Dreams of making beautiful writing. 3. Disadvantages: can't think of any.