NIRA invites couples for cheap civil weddings

The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has extended an invitation to couples seeking to formalise their relationships to take advantage of low-cost civil weddings, at their base in Kololo.

The Authority says Ugandans no longer need millions of shillings to become legally married.

NIRA Registrar Clair Ollama made the call on Wednesday, September 30, during the ongoing My Identity Expo and Symposium 2026 at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala.

Ollama said couples attending the expo could formalise their marriages for Shs250,000 and walk away with government-recognised marriage certificates.

“If you are out there with about Shs1 million or 500,000, we are conducting civil weddings here at only Shs250,000. We'll help you officially marry your wife and give you a marriage certificate that will affect your marriage,” Ollama said.

“Forget about all these expensive weddings. Come to NIRA and get wedded at only Shs250,000 and get yourselves certificates that are valid and recognised by the government,” she added.

The offer puts the spotlight on the difference between the legal cost of getting married and the often much higher cost couples incur on receptions, clothing, transport, decorations and other wedding arrangements.

Under NIRA's published fee structure, a civil marriage ordinarily costs Shs260,000 where at least one of the parties is Ugandan or a refugee. The charge comprises Shs200,000 for celebrating the marriage, Shs10,000 for filing the notice, Shs25,000 for issuing the marriage certificate and Shs25,000 for registering the marriage.

The Marriage Act also provides a relatively simple route for couples who want to formalise their union without holding an elaborate wedding ceremony.

Couples ordinarily give notice of their intention to marry to the registrar. The notice is displayed for 21 days, after which the registrar may issue the required certificate if there is no legal impediment to the marriage.

The couple can then marry before a registrar in the presence of two witnesses. NIRA says civil marriages are conducted between 10am and 4pm from Monday to Friday.

Couples who cannot wait for the statutory 21-day notice period can seek a special licence. The same applies to those seeking to conduct the marriage outside a registrar's office or another authorised venue. The licence attracts an additional Shs300,000 where at least one party is Ugandan or a refugee.

NIRA took over the marriage registration function from the Uganda Registration Services Bureau in 2025 as part of the government's transfer of civil registration services to the authority.

The Kololo expo has brought several civil registration and identification services together, including services related to national identification, births and marriages.

NIRA officials have also used the event to explain the requirements for civil marriages. Ugandan applicants require national identification, while couples must declare their marital status and satisfy the registrar that there is no legal obstacle to their marriage.

Civil marriage is monogamous, meaning a person married under this arrangement cannot legally take another spouse while the marriage remains in force.