Marriages in Singapore can be registered online from Sep 25

SINGAPORE: Most couples getting married in Singapore make a trip to the Registry of Marriages (ROM) to sign a declaration and have their documents verified. Many take a customary photo in front of a sign that says "Real Love Works". 

But this may become a thing of the past when the ROM and Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM) make changes to the Our Marriage Journey portal.

From Sep 25, instead of heading down to ROM, eligible couples can complete the process online, with their personal details filled out using their Singpass account. Currently, couples must meet with an officer from the ROM or ROMM either online or in person.

Video-link solemnisations will become a permanent option after they were first introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Couples will also no longer be legally required to sign a hard copy marriage certificate during the solemnisation ceremony. They will instead be issued a digital certificate via email after the ceremony, which serves as proof of marriage.

In addition to the digital certificate, couples will also get the option of a ceremonial certificate in hard copy.

Mr Yuvan Mohan, who is getting married next year, will be holding a Hindu wedding in April and a Chinese wedding in June. He said the digitalised process will be useful for him.

“Planning one wedding is challenging, planning two – I think my to-do list is a never-ending list,” he said. 

“Anything that allows us to do things online and gives us that flexibility, I think will be most welcome,” added Mr Yuvan.

DIGITAL CERTIFICATES

Switching to a digital certificate of marriage saves couples the hassle of using and keeping a hard copy certificate, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) said in a joint press release. 

Couples who submit their application to the ROM on or after Sep 25 will be issued a digital certificate after their solemniser registers the union online.

Those who submit their marriage application before Sep 25, but are scheduled to have their documents verified by ROM after the portal is updated, will also be issued digital certificates. 

The ROMM will start issuing digital marriage certificates in 2024.

Couples will also be offered the option of a ceremonial certificate of marriage, which they can customise and sign during the solemnisation.

“Marriage is one of life’s most important milestones and we expect some couples may still wish to commemorate the occasion using wet ink signatures,” the ministries said.

The digitalisation of the marriage process comes as more services in Singapore go online. Since May 29 last year, physical birth and death certificates are no longer issued and families only receive digital certificates.

Solemniser Teo Lin Lee said the change will make things more convenient for solemnisers, who will be able to register marriages online instead of mailing a physical certificate back to ROM or ROMM.

“We don’t even need to remember to post back the certificate, we just go online, just a click of a button, registered, and it’s done,” she said. 

Ms Teo also said she expects couples to make use of the customisable ceremonial certificate.

“I’m very sure they will think of all ways to create something that they can remember for the rest of their lives,” she said.

Asked if online solemnisations remain popular now that the COVID-19 situation has stabilised, Ms Teo said many couples like having family and friends around for the celebration.

“I think the new way forward is they do physical as well as digital online (application), I think it is the best of both worlds for them,” she said.

Mr Timothy Pak, the registrar for ROM, said marriage remains an important milestone despite the changes.

"Our licensed solemnisers do take their role very seriously, and so they will conduct the solemnisation with as much decorum and respect for the occasion."

He added that there are still safeguards against sham marriages.

"Regardless of the verification and declaration method, where there’s reason to suspect that the couple has entered in a marriage of convenience (MOC) to circumvent Singapore's immigration facilities, ROM will cooperate with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority in their investigations."

CONVENIENCE, SUPPORT FOR COUPLES

Mr Pak said the online declaration and verification of documents will provide greater convenience for couples.

“They will not have to take leave to come down to ROM for an in-person interview,” he said.

Those who need to have their documents verified in person are individuals who are below the age of 21, those who had a previous marriage, and foreigners with foreign documents.

Mr Nor Razak Bakar, registrar for the ROMM, said the digitalisation will make it easier for couples to settle the administrative aspects of getting married, while the solemnisers support them in the marriage journey.

“We try to complement where we can, (and) at the same time, try to provide them that convenience,” he said. 

Muslim couples will still need to attend a face-to-face session with religious officials who solemnise Muslim marriages, known as Kadi and Naib Kadi. 

The authorities also announced the expansion of a marriage mentoring initiative called Journey with You. 

The initiative was first trialled in December 2021, with licensed solemnisers mentoring a small group of newly-wed couples throughout their first year of marriage.

To complement solemnisers’ current efforts, the initiative will be expanded to include community volunteers who are trained as mentors to journey with newly-wed couples.

Muslim couples can attend a marriage preparation programme called Cinta Abadi, or Eternal Love. Under the Bersamamu programme, which means With You, couples can also receive mentoring from their marriage solemnisers.