How to find out if someone is married in Jamaica?

by Sabrena
(Beaufort, SC)

RESPONSE: by Aneisha Dobson

REVISED: by Deon Clarke



Hi Sabrena,

Congratulations on your engagement! You have a very important and legitimate concern. I’m sure you just want to do your due diligence to make sure you have no surprises in the future. I will be happy to assist by providing you with some ways you can use to find out if your fiancé is married.

You might be surprised to know that you are not the only one to ask this question as many women in the United States who have Jamaican husbands often have similar concerns. I think this may be because it is customary for Jamaican men to marry women in the U.S., especially for migration purposes. So, here are a few things you can do:

1. Ask Your Fiancé Directly

   
   
   Better to get the information straight from the horse’s mouth. This is a very important decision that you are about to make. It is a lifelong commitment so you want to be sure that you can at least be honest with each other. Just ask him - for clarification for both of you. Ask him if he is married, has ever been married, pending divorce or divorced.
   
   If he was divorced in Jamaica, you should be able to confirm this at the Supreme Court whether or not he has provided you with a copy of the Decree Absolute. Knowing the date or time frame would make the search easier.
   
   

2. Always try to meet the family

   
   
   I’m not sure if you have ever been to Jamaica or have met any of his family members and close friends but if not, get creative. Take a vacation and try to meet with members of the family and close friends or speak with them regularly, build a relationship with them where possible, even if it’s over the phone- you might just learn something!
   
   

3. Check with the Registrar General’s Department (RGD)

   
   
   This is the only sure way of knowing if he is married or not. All marriages must be recorded at the RGD; in addition to the name of the person, another useful piece of information they will require is the time in which the marriage took place. If you know the exact year of the marriage, then you can request a search for the whole year. The search becomes even easier if you know both the year and the month that the marriage ceremony was conducted.
   
   But what if you have no information regarding the time of the wedding?
   
   If have absolutely no information, then it would take a longer time to search but after the search, you would know the result. There is also a fee associated with this search and to get a duplicate of the original marriage certificate if one is found. You must bear in mind, however, that not because the search may prove to be unsuccessful, means that he is not married.
   
   It is still a possibility that the marriage officer has not submitted the duplicate register to the RGD as yet, but hey, that would be expected to be done in a reasonable time, so if you’re not in a hurry, you could give it some time.
   
   The marriage officer is required by law to have this submitted as failure to do so is an offense for which she or she can be prosecuted and if found guilty could be fined or sentenced. If you seek further information you may contact the Registrar General’s Department.
   
   Registrar General's Department
   Twickenham Park St. Catherine
   Tel: 876-749-0550 or 876-619-1260
   Email: information @ rgd.gov.jm
   Website: www.rgd.gov.jm
   
   
4. Hire A Private Investigator
   
   If it is very important to you and you are not satisfied with what you have heard or you do not feel that the truth is forthcoming, you could obtain the services of a private investigator who probably would use a combination of the methods above and more to provide you with the answer(s) that you seek. Be careful though as this could have serious repercussions on your relationship especially if discovered by your fiancé.
   
   I hope the information provided will be helpful to you as well as beneficial to other readers with similar concerns. Wishing you all the best in your search!
   

I also recommend you read Applying online for a copy of Jamaican Marriage certificate from the UK.

Regards,
DC

References:

• “How can I Find Out if Someone is Married in Jamaica”, Jamaica Observer, https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/all-woman/how-can-i-find-out-if-someone-is-married-in_120023?profile=1253
  
• Justice, M. o. (n.d.). Marriage Act. Retrieved from Ministry of Justice: www.moj.gov.jm/laws/marriage-act
  
• Macaulay, M. (2017, December 18). How can I find out if someone is married in Jamaica? Retrieved from Jamaica Observer: www.jamaicaobserver.com/all-woman/how-can-i-find-out-if-someone-is-married-in_120023?profile=1253
  

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