Marriage Registration with foreign Spouse in Malaysia (Malaysian wife & Korean Husband)

Since there are many inquiries on how we registered our Marriage in Malaysia as Malaysian-Korean couple, I decided to blog it here for everyone's reference. However, Laws & Rules might be change from time to time so you are advice check with the authorities for the latest rules & procedures before proceed. For our case (as a Malaysian wife and Korean husband), the process is a bit time-consuming as we required to make few trips between Putrajaya and Embassy of Republic of Korea. In total, JPN x 3 times, Embassy of Republic of Korea x 2 times, Ministry of Foreign Affair x 1 time.  

JPN (Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara) is National Registration Department in Malaysia (NRD) where registration of Birth, Death, Marriage & Divorce, application for Identity Card, Citizenship and adoption will be done in JPN. We choose to go to JPN Putrajaya due to following reason:- JPN Putrajaya open on Saturdays (we went on a Saturday to make inquiry and change of address of my IC at the same time); We need to go to Ministry of foreign affairs for re-certificate notarial cert for his single status letter, which is located in Percinct 2 Putrajaya; Putrajaya has a nicer Solemnization of Marriage hall compare to Selangor state. I summarized the whole process by locations as below:

1st Visit
JPN Putrajaya - General Inquiry & Obtain Forms

• First of all, we visit JPN for general inquiry and obtain Form JPN.KC02 (Application of Registration of Marriage) to be fill in at home. FYI, original form is required for submission for application.   

• I was required to change my address in Mykad which can be done in JPN with a fee of RM10. It's located in the same building, but different floors and different department. New Mykad can be collect on the next working day. Why I have to change of address? Well, my Mykad address has to be Selangor Address if I wish to carry out the Registration of Marriage in Selangor State (including Putrajaya). Refer to Application Requirements - clause no.2

• JPNM Putrajaya location, as below:

2nd Visit
Apply for Letter of Single marital status (for non-citizen) before Visit Embassy of Rep. of Korea / Certified True Copy for the Marital Status Letter by Embassy of Rep. of Korea

• My husband who is non-citizen needs produce a letter to confirm his marital status (from his country) and get it certified before we can proceed for the marriage application submission. Refer to Application Requirements - clause no. 8 and Required Documents - clause no. 4

• After husband obtain the Letter of Verifying Marital Status from South Korea, we need to visit Embassy of Korea to get it Certified True Copy by the Embassy of Rep. of Korea, then re-certified by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

• Prepare the following before visit the Embassy of Republic of Korea :

1) Original or Print-out copy of Marital Status Letter
2) Original passport (husband's)
3) Photocopy of Passport pages with Personal Details, Latest Arrival Date in Malaysia and valid Social Visa Pass for non-citizen.
4) Husband's Parent's particulars (Full name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Identity card no.) as it is needed when we are required to fill up a form for the application.

• A fee of USD4 (will be converted to MYR) will be collected as stamp duty upon submission. 

• After submission, on the same day, the Embassy of Republic of Korea will then give us a Notarial Certificate, attached with the documents we submitted earlier (Marital Status Letter, Photocopy of Passport pages with personal details, latest arrival date in Malaysia and a valid visa or pass for non-citizen). All has been Certified True Copy and Signed by the Consulate of Korea Embassy. 

3rd Visit
Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Re-certified the Notarial Cert / JPNM Putrajaya - Submission of Marriage Application

• We then required to Re-Certified True Copy the Notarial Certificate & attachments (that already certified by Embassy of Rep. of Korea earlier) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before submission for marriage application. 

• All Original document are required to present upon submission (just bring all documents with you). A fee of RM20 will be collect when we submit for re-certified. An official receipt will be given later after re-certification of Notarial cert & attached documents done. Remember to make a photocopy of all the Certified Notarial Certs and documents for own safe keeping before submission (you will need it for spouse visa application use) 

          

• Make sure you dress decently else you are not allowed to enter to the office (Male: No T-shirt, shorts or flip-flops /  Female: No sleeveless, shorts, dress/skirt length must be cover the knee.) It is stated on a signboard at the guard post of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

• The Building of Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also located in Putrajaya (on a mountain slope), but not within walking distance from JPN so we need to drive there. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Location, as below:

JPNM Putrajaya - Submission of Marriage Application

• After that, we go back to JPNM, first collect my new Mykad (with Selangor address), make a photocopy since it is needed for the Registration of Marriage Application submission.  

• We then finally allow to submit the Marriage Applications at Marriage & Divorce Division Counter with the following requirement complete:-

          1) Complete Filled Form JPN.KC02.

          2) Details of  TWO witnesses aged 21 and above (witness name, IC no, address).
          3) Both husband & wife Passport size photos 2pcs each (with blue background)
          4) Husband's photocopy of passport pages with personal details & latest arrival date
              in Malaysia and a valid visa or pass for non-citizen.
          5) Husband's photocopy of Birth Certification
          6) Husband's Marital Status Letter (Certified by both Embassy of Rep. of Korea
              & Ministry of Foreign Affair)
          7) Wife's photocopy of I/C (Identification card)
          8) Wife's photocopy of Birth Certification

• ORIGINAL documents need to be produced upon the submission for verification purpose. A fee of RM30 will be collected as well for the marriage certificate and certification

• After submission, a waiting period of 14 - 21 days will be imply, the applications will be put on the JPN's notice boards and if no objections we can proceed to register our marriage. We are allow to choose the date that we prefer (so long it is after 21 days waiting period). *Refer to Application Requirements-Clause 5. Since we choose to hold our Solemnization Of Marriage in the Marriage & Divorce Division Office, Putrajaya - it is free of charge.

         

4th Visit
JPN Putrajaya - Solemnization of Marriage

• Preparation for the day of Solemnization Of Marriage

         1) Presence of the couple together with 2 witnesses aged 21 and above.

         2) Both couple & witnesses needs to bring along ORIGINAL passports or MyKad.

         3) Be decently and neatly dressed (T-shirt/jeans/flip-flops/shorts are NOT ALLOWED)
         4) Be early to arrive at the Marriage & Divorce Division. We need to take queue
             number & wait for our turn (each session will take about half and hour at least)

• The Process of Solemnization of Marriage

          1) Registrar of Marriage will verify the application forms with all the ORIGINAL
               passports & MyKads.
          2) Registrar of Marriage then ask if we know of any lawful impediment to the
               marriage and if we are marrying on our own free will.
          3) We read The Vows with the presence of the Registrar of Marriage & witnesses
          4) Sign on the Marriage Certificate (2 copies) by the couple, followed by the
               witnesses & Registrar of Marriage. Make sure you check if there is no spelling
               mistakes (Name, passport no. & Mykad no.) in the marriage certificates.
          5) Ring exchanged and end it with a kiss!
          6) The 2 copies Marriage Certificate will then pass to us for our safe-keeping.
          7) We are allowed to have the function hall for another 5 minutes before the next
               couple's turn. Photography session - the photos is not just for memories, also
               needed when we apply for his spouse visa application.

           

5th Visit
Embassy of Republic of Korea - Notify the Embassy of our Marriage Registration

• After ROM, we still need to go back to the Embassy of Rep. of Korea to notify about our marriage registration in Malaysia. We did not do that on the same day after the Solemnization of Marriage in the morning but choose to go other day when we are free.

• This process is important for Malaysian wife to become the legal wife for the foreign husband in his country. Get ready the documents below before visit:- 

          1) Original & Photocopy of the Marriage Certificates
          2) Original & Photocopy of the Wife's passport
          3) Both parents particulars (Full name, I/C no., Date of Birth, Place of Birth)
               These particulars needed when we fill up the application form.
          4) Our marriage will be updated in the Korea's Family Registration System
              within 7-14 days. Meaning my husband marital status will become married.
              My name will be added to their family's registration as his legal spouse in Korea.

This is not the end for us yet.. we still need to travel again to apply Spouse visa for my husband since he is staying in Malaysia. The process is much complicated compare to Marriage Registration! I will blog about that too! Good luck to those who will be going through the same process like us!