What should I do if I cannot find our original marriage certificate?

If you cannot locate your original marriage certificate, you should supply your lawyer with a certified copy of this document.

If you do not have a certificate of marriage because it was irretrievably damaged, lost or never issued in the first place, you will need to present proof of the marriage along with an affidavit. This Affidavit should include information about the time and place of the ceremony and state that both parties recognised it as a marriage ceremony.