Marriage in Kneya?

[AJKM]

Hi there,

I am hoping someone here will be able to answer a few questions I have about marrying my Kenyan fiance in Nairobi..

I have read and re-read the requirements for a marriage in Kenya, but it still seems a little confusing.

It seems that because I am not Kenyan we will have to marry under the CAP 150 rule. Does that mean we are able to apply for the special license and not wait the 21 days?

If we go about it without the special license, does that mean that after 21 days we go back to Sheria House, sign the forms and are married, or are there other steps we have to take?

I'm totally confused, so if anyone is able to shed some light on the issue, that would be great!

Thanks a lot!

 

[CanadaGirl2011]

Hope I can help -

First you can get a special license that allows you to marry prior to th 21 day rule, you get if from Sheria House in Nairobi or Mombassa - you just pay extra for it. The difficulty is that the Nairobi office has a time delay on when they can process you to do the actual certificates- if it it just the civil marriage - of course again for a fee they could prioritize you if your lucky -

Be sure to have your birth certificate and letter of non-impediment - along with your passport and flight tickets !!! Your Kenyan partner also needs a single status affidavid from a lawyer to marry a non-citizen - I'm getting married in one month!!! In Nairobi good luck!

 

[AJKM]

Thanks for the info!

When you say that I have to have my flight tickets present, does that apply if I intend to stay? I have a one way ticket to Nairobi at the moment, so if I have to have proof that I have a return flight I am going to have to figure somethign out before I leave.

Also, my finance has gone to Sheria House already to get a certfiticate saying he is free to marry, is that the same as the affdavit?

Are you having a civil ceremony at Sheria house or at a different venue? If you have chosen another venue, do you know how much I can expect to pay for an officiant/do you have any suggestions on a good one?

Congrats on the wedding! How long are you staying in Nairobi after?

 

[CanadaGirl2011]

First ... the affidavid from Sheria house for your partner is fine, it is just a legal Kenyan document required in their files -

If you are going to reside in Kenya - I guess your Visa status would be fine - because you can stay for 3 months on a visitors visa then apply for an extension and alien card if you want to stay - that is what I did last time I was in Kenya for 6 months.

As for us getting married - We are going to process the paperwork in Mombassa as it is smaller and has less wait times - We are getting married on the coast in Lamu - the officiant there is only one or two options -

We have a venue at a hotel in Lamu - we invited the officiant so we can sign the paperwork at the hotel setting - he is coming for $5000 ksh. Or we can go to his office $4000ksh. I have friends coming from Canada to celebrate so that is the venue .

As for me my plan this time is only for one month to get married - then come back and process our Visa application - but I would like to find a job in Kenya and return for 6 months again this winter -- but it is hard to find work there, I was thinking of studying there but still unsure.


Your lucky to be staying !

 

[AJKM]

Thank you so much for all your help, very much appreciated!

I hope your wedding day goes off without a hitch! We are planning ours for the last week in September at a restaurant we like to go to, Im hoping it all works out!

Thanks again!

 

[CanadaGirl2011]

Goodluck then !! I'll be in Nairobi in the last week of September -I'll look for a Canadian wedding ! If I run into any hitches I'll let you know - I'll be there in 3 weeks and counting!

 

[AJKM]

Thanks, I would love a heads up if anything goes wrong (god forbid!). Also, I have no idea how to PM here, but I'll be there in 2 weeks, let me know if you would like to meet up/commiserate about paperwork.

 

[sweety86]

please help me @ candagril2011

Hi guys
I came to Canda in July,2011. I was a refugee and i got a scholarship in one of University of Canada through refugees scholarship. I have a boyfriend who lives in Kenya camp. we don't have any legal paper about our relationship but i have a testimonal paper form our congergation. is that possible to apply spousal sponsor? if not, is that allow to go back kenya and get marry him? if allow, after how many months? now am just waiting my permant resdince card.
please anbody
thank you so much

 

[CanadaGirl2011]

Sweety 86 --- I would think that you cannot apply for a spousal sponsorship of your boyfriend if your not married - but you could try to apply for a conjugal partner - but this should have been explained to you when you applied for your refugee status - as refugees have different processes - for family sponsorship. You will also need to check with immigration on traveling back to a country when you are claiming refugee status as you are making a claim that it is unsafe for you there. You should talk to your immigration lawyer -

 

[AJKM]

Does anyone know if it will be easier for my Kenyan spouse to get a TRV once he has a file number for his PR card? Since the processing time is so long it would be nice for him to come for a visit while we are waiting for the paperwork to finalize. We tried twice for the TRV before we were married and were denied, so I was hoping once the file number is issued immigration will be satisfied he has a reason to return to Kenya (so as to no jeopardize his PR application).

Thanks

 

[CanadaGirl2011]

@ AJKM.... did you apply for a PR?

If you are applying to PR it states in the application that you should not have two applications at the same time.... but the wait times are forever so I can see why you want to try for a TVR.... I was thinking about this too but out last request on student visa got turned down and I feel like Immigration takes the cash and says thanks but no Visa...

Good luck...

 

[sttn]

Have you guys seen these videos??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD3sq5Ah-OM

 

[AJKM]

The High Commission in Nairobi has emailed my husband requesting his passport to 'finalize the application'. Does anyone know how long they will hold onto his passport for? Can we start packing our bags.

I cant believe how quickly it has been processed. They received his application in Nairobi on June 20 something, started processing his application on July 17 and by July 18 had emailed him with the passport request.

I know I shouldn't get too ahead of myself, but I really want to book our tickets home, so any ideas on how long the last stage will take would be great.

Thanks!

 

[AJKM]

Our status online has now been changed to "decision made", does anyone know how long it will be until they call us for my husbands passport? I can't imagine it will take much longer...