A Letter of No Impediment is an official document that is used by South Africans who intend to get married in foreign countries, in most cases, to a citizen of a nation abroad – while residing in that particular country. It is a certificate that gets issued by the South African Department of Home Affairs, confirming the current marital status of an individual; and it is valid for six months from the issuing date.
Alternative Terms Used to Call a Letter of No Impediment:
- Certificate of No Impediment
- Non-Impediment Letter
- Non-Impediment Certificate
- Declaration of Non-impediment to Marry
- Certificate of Freedom to Marry
- Statutory Declaration of Single Status
- Statement In-Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage Abroad
- Affidavit of Intended Marriage
When Is a Letter of No Impediment Required?
South Africans currently situated overseas who have been previously married, and wish to engage in the legal act of marriage with a resident from a country abroad, will need to apply for a Letter of No Impediment (together with a decree of divorce) before proceeding.
An original Letter of No Impediment can be legalised on an officially signed and stamped Home Affairs letterhead by an authorised official, which the DHA is able to authenticate. It’s also important to know that a legal Letter of No Impediment can only be issued by the Head Office of the DHA and NOT Regional offices.
Applying for a Letter of No Impediment
The waiting period for a Letter of No Impediment via High Commissions in foreign countries, or even locally at the Department of Home Affairs, could take as long as 6 months, but you can rest assured that Clearance Central offers the much-needed convenience of expediting this process on your behalf securely, with swift turnaround times.
Below are the documents you will need to send us for us to assist with your Letter of No Impediment application request:
- A completed DHA-1155 Form
- A certified copy of your ID or passport
- Service fee
Upon receipt of your documents, we will agents Clearance Central agents will submit and oversee the application on your behalf, and courier your original Letter of No Impediment once the process is complete – eliminating the headache of dealing with government officials, long queues and slow action, which individuals seeking this important piece of paper have been known to experience at times.
Clearance Central also provides the additional service of certifying your original Letter of No Impediment or having it Apostilled for you, if necessary.