FOREIGN MARRIAGES

FOREIGN MARRIAGES

AN ORDINANCE TO GIVE EFFECT TO AN ORDER OF HIS MAJESTY IN COUNCIL KNOWN AS ” THE FOREIGN MARRIAGES ORDER IN COUNCIL, 1902 “,

Ordinance Nos,
12 of 1903

[9^th December
, 1903 ]

Short title.

1 This Ordinance may be cited as the Foreign Marriage Ordinance.

Interpretation.

2.In this Ordinance, unless the contrary intention appears, the expression ” Registrar-General ” means the Registrar-General of Marriages appointed under the provisions of the Marriage Registration Ordinance, and includes the Assistant Registrar-General and any person for the time being lawfully discharging the duties of the Registrar-General or of the Assistant Registrar- General.

Notice of marriage under the Foreign Marriage Act (55, 56 Vict. & c. 23.)

3.Notice of a marriage intended to be solemnized under the Foreign Marriage Act, 1892, may be given to the Registrar-General by one of the parties intending such marriage who has had his or her usual place of abode for three consecutive weeks immediately preceding in some place in Sri Lanka as is hereinafter provided

Form of notice.

(1) Every such notice shall be substantially in the form A in the Schedule, and shall state the name in full, the profession, condition, and residence of each of the parties intending marriage, the place where the marriage is intended to be solemnized, and whether each of the parties is or is not a minor, and shall also state that the party giving notice has had his or her usual place of abode for not less than three consecutive weeks then next preceding in some place in Sri Lanka.

(2) Every such notice shall be signed by the party giving or making the same in the presence of the Registrar-General or a Justice of the Peace or a notary and of two credible witnesses, who shall attest the same by adding each his name, description, and place of abode, and of whom the Registrar-General, Justice of the Peace, notary, or both the witnesses shall be personally acquainted with the party giving notice.

(3) Every such notice shall bear a stamp of ten rupees, which shall be supplied by the party giving the notice.

Publication of notice.

(1) The Registrar-General, when notice of an intended marriage is duly given under this Ordinance, shall forthwith enter in the notice the date of its receipt and file and keep it with the records of his office, and shall forthwith enter particulars of the notice in a book to be called ” The Foreign Marriage Notice Book “, which shall be kept substantially in the form B in the Schedule.

(2) The Registrar-General shall cause a true copy under his hand of the notice of marriage or of the particulars thereof as entered in the Foreign Marriage Notice Book to be posted up in some conspicuous place in his office, and shall keep the same so posted up during fourteen successive days after the entry of such marriage.

(3) The Foreign Marriage Notice Book and every copy of a notice of marriage so posted up shall be open at all reasonable times without fee, to the inspection of any person.

Issue of certificate by Registrar-General.

6. At any time not less than fourteen days, nor more than three months, from the entry of the notice, the Registrar-General, unless he is aware of any impediment or objection which would obstruct the solemnization of the marriage, shall, upon application of the party giving notice issue a certificate substantially in the form C in the Schedule that the said notice has been so given and published as aforesaid.

Applicability of provisions of the Marriage Registration Ordinance, with regard to certified copies and extracts.

7. The provisions of the Marriage Registration Ordinance, with regard to the issue of certified copies and extracts of and from books and documents kept under the said Ordinance, and with regard to the admissibility in evidence of the same, shall be applicable with regard to the issue of certified copies and extracts of and from books and documents kept under this Ordinance, and with regard to their admissibility in evidence.