Guide
A step-by-step guide to the Registry of Marriages (ROM) process for civil marriages: who can marry, the online marriage application, fees, witnesses, solemnisers, and where you can hold the ceremony.
Planning the wedding?
Tell us your date and guest count and we will match you with wedding planners and venues.
Get matchedOverview
ROM Singapore is the Registry of Marriages, the government office that registers civil marriages in Singapore. Your marriage is legally registered once a licensed solemniser solemnises it and records it with ROM. A banquet or a church blessing does not do this on its own.
The whole process runs online through the Our Marriage Journey portal at marriage.gov.sg, which is the official site of ROM and the Registry of Muslim Marriages. One of you needs a Singpass account to start. The official page describes six steps: prepare for marriage, prepare your application, book a solemniser, submit the application, make your declaration, then hold the solemnisation.
Every fact here comes from the official ROM pages and one NParks page, checked on 2 October 2026. Rules change, so confirm the current requirements on the ROM website before you commit to a date or venue.
Eligibility
The civil process applies to couples where both parties are above 21 years old and at least one party is non-Muslim. ROM lists these requirements:
ROM states that, under Singapore’s marriage laws, marriage is the union between one man and one woman.
Extra rules apply in some cases. If either of you is a foreigner, at least one party must have stayed in Singapore for at least 31 continuous days before the application, excluding the day of arrival. A current or former work permit holder needs Ministry of Manpower approval first. Couples where either person is below 21 follow separate processes on the ROM site.
The process
1. Fix your date, venue and witnesses. The earliest you can hold your solemnisation is 21 days after submitting your marriage application, because the law requires ROM to receive at least 21 days’ notice. ROM says you may submit up to 6 months in advance, and that the application expires 6 calendar months after submission.
2. Book a solemniser. For a solemnisation outside ROM, ROM says you can book a solemniser 3 to 6 months before the solemnisation date, as solemnisers may not be able to commit earlier than that. You select and invite one when you start the application, and the solemniser must accept the invitation on the portal before your ROM appointment.
3. Submit the application and pay. You will need NRICs for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, or passports for foreigners, for both of you and your two witnesses, a credit or debit card, and a Singpass account for one of you. The notice period only starts once the application is submitted with payment.
4. Make your declaration. You both complete document verification and a declaration under the Women’s Charter before the solemnisation. This can be done at an in-person appointment at ROM, by video link, or fully online without an appointment if you are both eligible. For the online route, ROM says you must both be Singpass holders, single with no previous marriage, and 21 or older, and that you should both sign at least 10 days before solemnisation. The solemnisation can only go ahead after ROM has reviewed your application and issued a marriage licence.
5. Solemnisation. The solemniser checks identity documents, takes your verbal consent and registers the marriage with ROM. You receive a digital marriage certificate by email.
Fees
| Marriage application fee | If either of you is a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident: $42. If both of you are foreigners: $380. As published on the ROM website, checked 2 October 2026. |
|---|---|
| Changing your details | A prescribed fee of $25 applies if you change solemnisation details such as date, time, venue or witnesses after submitting. As published on the ROM website, checked 2 October 2026. Online changes are allowed up to 5 days before your appointment. |
| Documents for everyone | NRICs (Citizens and Permanent Residents) or passports (foreigners) for both of you and your two witnesses, as originals or certified true copies. Witnesses may show digital copies or photocopies. |
| If previously married | Death certificate of the late spouse and marriage certificate (for marriages not registered with ROM), or divorce or annulment papers where applicable. |
Witnesses and solemnisers
You need two witnesses. Any individual above the age of 21 can be a witness, including family members and friends of any nationality. They give their personal information for your application, and must be present at the solemnisation with original identification.
Licensed solemnisers are the only people authorised to conduct marriage ceremonies and register marriages in Singapore. ROM says it has approximately 1,200 of them. They are volunteers. For a ceremony outside ROM, ROM says no fee is expected, though you may reimburse their costs or give a token of thanks.
Where to hold it
You can hold the solemnisation at the ROM building, at one of ROM’s onsite options, or at a venue of your choice with a licensed solemniser. The rules for each are set out on the official ROM website, which you should check before you book anything.
For a shortlist of solemnisation venues, from hotel rooms and heritage houses to gardens, see our guide to solemnisation venues in Singapore. Planning a bigger celebration as well? Start with our wedding planning guide.
Muslim marriages
Marriages where both parties are Muslim are registered with the Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM), not through the civil process above. The official process is at marriage.gov.sg/muslim/marriage-process.
File a marriage application online through the Our Marriage Journey portal at marriage.gov.sg, using Singpass. Pay the fee, book a solemniser, complete your declaration, then hold the solemnisation. The solemniser registers the marriage with ROM and you receive a digital certificate.
ROM requires at least 21 days’ notice before your solemnisation date. You can apply up to 6 months ahead, and the application expires 6 calendar months after submission. Checked 2 October 2026.
As published on the ROM website, the fee is $42 if either of you is a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, and $380 if both of you are foreigners. Checked 2 October 2026.
Yes. ROM allows offsite solemnisation at a venue of your choice, on any day of the week including weekends and public holidays, provided your date is within the legal time frame and you have booked a licensed solemniser.
Any individual above 21, of any nationality. You need two. They must bring original identification to the solemnisation.
Licensed solemnisers are volunteers. ROM says no fee is expected for an offsite ceremony, but you may reimburse their costs or give a token of appreciation.
Plan your wedding
Tell us about your wedding and we will match you with planners and venues who can help.