Getting hitched in Malaysia

If you have read my previous post about my H1B and H4 visa application, my husband (boyfriend then) and I had to get married before we could schedule the visa interview at the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Time wasn't really on our side, especially when my husband (boyfriend then) was a Malaysian working in Thailand, and he was to start work in America as soon as possible.

We knew about our H1B approval one week before October 2013, so he flew back from Bangkok on an early Saturday morning so that we could apply to register our marriage at the National Registration Department (NRD) in Putrajaya before they close at noon.

There are 2 types of marriages in Malaysia. As we were non-muslim, my husband and I falls under the category of Civil marriages.

And there are a few ways of getting married in Malaysia,
1) In the Registrar of Marriage office, or
2) In a church or temple that has an Appointed Registrar, or
3) at a Hotel / Garden

No, we can't get married next week. We could only solemnize our marriage after 21 + 1 days from the date we submit our application form. And being Chinese, we had to choose an auspicious marriage date.

Here are the list of items to bring to Putrajaya:-
1) MyKad
2) 2 passport sized coloured photo of bride and groom
3) Money
4) Pen, to fill up the JPN.KC02 form. DO NOT SIGN the form yet.
5) Photocopy of MyKad for bride and groom

Now, for the interesting part, the address in my MyKad was Selangor, and the address on my husband's (boyfriend then) MyKad was Negeri Sembilan. The place of application is based on the address stated on the MyKad. Therefore, my husband had 2 options, change his MyKad address to Selangor, or drive back to Seremban to submit his application for our marriage as well.

We chose to drive to Seremban the next day, as the NRD office was open on a Sunday till noon.
If you choose to marry in a church or temple, all these nitty gritty part will be taken care by the church or temple.

We got married a month later on the 28th October 2013 at Putrajaya.

Here are the list of things to bring to Putrajaya for the solemnization of marriage ceremony:-
1) MyKad
2) Money
3) the application form collected from other state after 21 + 1 days  (for my husband's case it was Negeri Sembilan)
4) 2 witnesses and their MyKads
5) Poesy (flowers)
6) Wedding ring
7) Lots of smiles, hugs and kisses!!!

Does the US embassy recognize our marriage certificate? Well, they recognized mine.
Do I need to translate my marriage certificate? On our Malaysian marriage certificate, alongside the Malay words, there are English words too. So there is no need for translation. Phewww...one thing less to do!

For more information, refer to the link below
http://www.jpn.gov.my/en/servicesmarriageordivorce