Application for Statutory Marriage

Service documentation · Republic of Zambia · GSB e-Services

Owner	Department of Local Government
Service key	LGD/application-for-statutory-marriage
Version	service v1, platform 39fb88e4
Date	2026-10-21

Generated automatically by the service's end-to-end test run. Every screenshot shows synthetic test data on a local test installation, never real personal data.

This document describes the Application for Statutory Marriage service of Department of Local Government as the platform runs it today. It is generated by the service's end-to-end test: every step below was performed by the test, and every screenshot was taken during that run with synthetic data. Regenerate it with npm run docs:services in the e2e suite; do not edit it by hand.

1. Service summary

Item	Detail
Service	Application for Statutory Marriage
Owner (MDA)	Department of Local Government (LGD)
Purpose	Every couple intending to marry as a statutory marriage shall register with the local District Registrar to be issued with a marriage certificate as official proof of their union. This service allows couples to submit a statutory marriage notice, pay the applicable fee, and complete the legal steps required for marriage under the Marriage Act. Depending on the selected path, the marriage may be solemnised at the Civic Centre before a Registrar, or under a Special licence for an exceptional venue. It also supports cancellation before the marriage is solemnised.
Who can apply	Individual
How to apply	Online on the national e-Services portal, signed in with ZamPass; pay with ZamPay.
Fees	Marriage fee: (table) Marriage certificate / Form C fee: (table) Registration and Form 1 fees: (table) Special licence (ceremony outside the Civic Centre): (table) Registrar booking fee: (table) Weekend / public holiday solemnisation: (table) Video filming fee: (table) Photos at the Civic Centre: (table) Council Chamber hire: (table) Photo session fee: (table) Cancellation penalty: (table)
Turnaround	Within 21 or 14 days (or less, if express marriage).
Validity of the output	Three months (valid only for the intended marriage and void if the marriage does not take place within 3 months from the notice date).
Required documents	Applicant/Representative Identity Document (required) - Checked against the national register where available (legacy automatic NRC check). Husband Identity Document (NRC/Passport) (required) - Checked against the national register where available (legacy automatic NRC check). Wife Identity Document (NRC/Passport) (required) - Checked against the national register where available (legacy automatic NRC check). Divorce Certificate of Former Marriage (if applicable) (optional) - Only when it applies to one of the parties. Death Certificate of Former Spouse (if applicable) (optional) - Only when it applies to one of the parties. Letter of Non-Impediment to Marriage (first time being married, foreigners) (optional) - Only when it applies to one of the parties. Parent/Guardian Consent Letter (spouses under 21 years old) (optional) - Only when it applies to one of the parties. Resident Permit (Non-Zambian) (optional) - Only when it applies to one of the parties. Applicant/Representative Identity Document (cancellation) (required) - Checked against the national register where available (legacy automatic NRC check).
Output documents	GS-1 Application for a Government Service GS-2 Notice of Government Action Notice of Marriage (Form 1) Certificate of Marriage Registrar's Certificate (Form C) Special Licence for Marriage

2. Application process, step by step

The process as configured in the back office:

Step	Role	Task	Type
1	Applicant	Apply	form
2	System	Generate Document	generate-document
3	Case Officer	Generate Payment	generate-payment
4	Applicant	Payment	payment
5	System	Route	gateway
6	Case Officer	Review	review
7	System	Generate Document	generate-document
8	System	Route	gateway
9	System	Wait	wait
10	System	Wait	wait
11	Case Officer	Review	review
12	Case Officer	Decision	decision
13	System	Route	gateway
14	System	Generate Document	generate-document
15	System	Generate Document	generate-document
16	System	Generate Document	generate-document
17	Case Officer	Review	review
18	Case Officer	Decision	decision
19	System	Notify Client	notify

Who takes part in this journey: Citizen, Case Officer, Anyone (public).

Step 1. Find the service at the council

Citizen · National e-Services portal

The service is delivered by the local authorities: on the national e-Services portal the citizen opens Councils, chooses their council (Lusaka City Council in this run) and searches its services ("Application for Statutory Marriage"). The application is then registered with that council and priced with its own fees.

Step 2. Read the service page

Citizen · National e-Services portal

The service page sets out what the service is for, the fee, how long it takes and the documents to have ready, and names the council the application goes to. "Start application" begins an application at Lusaka City Council (the citizen is signed in with ZamPass).

Step 3. Confirm the applicant details

Citizen · National e-Services portal

The applicant details are filled in from the citizen's ZamPass account. The citizen says whom they are applying for (themself) and continues with "Proceed to Application".

Step 4. Fill in the application form

Citizen · National e-Services portal

The citizen answers the service's own application form, converted from the legacy system (61 answers in this run, all synthetic), for the type of application "New". Questions marked * must be answered; some appear only after an earlier answer. Answers are saved as the citizen types, so an unfinished application can be reopened from My Workplace.

Step 5. Upload the supporting documents

Citizen · National e-Services portal

Each document the service asks for has its own upload (9 in this run: Applicant/Representative Identity Document, Husband Identity Document (NRC/Passport), Wife Identity Document (NRC/Passport), Divorce Certificate of Former Marriage (if applicable), Death Certificate of Former Spouse (if applicable), Letter of Non-Impediment to Marriage (first time being married, foreigners), Parent/Guardian Consent Letter (spouses under 21 years old), Resident Permit (Non-Zambian), Applicant/Representative Identity Document (cancellation)). The files are checked and stored with the application; the page confirms each upload.

Step 6. Check the answers and confirm the declaration

Citizen · National e-Services portal

Before sending, the citizen sees every answer and document on one page and can go back to change them. The declaration that the information is true and complete must be ticked.

Step 7. Application sent

Citizen · National e-Services portal

The portal confirms the application with the ministry's reference number (LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26 in this run). The fee is due now: it is taken with the application, so the invoice was raised when the application was sent.

Step 8. See that the fee is due

Citizen · National e-Services portal

The application shows "Waiting for your payment" in My Workplace with a Pay button (K2,500.00). The fee is taken with the application; the invoice was raised on ZamPay.

Step 9. Pay with ZamPay

Citizen · National e-Services portal

Pay opens the invoice (K2,500.00, the amount set by the platform, never by the page) with its PDF preview; the citizen pays at ZamPay by mobile money or bank card.

Step 10. Payment received

Citizen · National e-Services portal

ZamPay reports the payment; the dialog says "Paid. Thank you" and the application moves on to the ministry's officers.

Step 11. Take the new application on

Case Officer · Back office

The application arrives in the case queue of the ministry that owns the service (Department of Local Government); only its staff see it. The officer opens it by its reference number - answers, documents and process are on the case - assigns it to themself and takes it on.

Step 12. Verify the notice (eligibility, identity and documents of both parties)

Case Officer · Back office

The Case Officer works on "Verify the notice (eligibility, identity and documents of both parties)" (review in the imported process), checks the application and its documents, and completes the step.

Step 13. Review, final decision (no caveat lodged, ceremony details confirmed)

Case Officer · Back office

The Case Officer works on "Review, final decision (no caveat lodged, ceremony details confirmed)" (review in the imported process), checks the application and its documents, and completes the step.

Step 14. Decide: Registrar decision, e-sign

Case Officer · Back office

At "Registrar decision, e-sign" the Case Officer records the decision: approve, with a comment kept in the case history. Approving moves the case on; the last decision completes it and issues the document.

Step 15. The document in My permits

Citizen · National e-Services portal

The issued document (LGD-ASM-2026-00001 in this run: "Certificate of Marriage") is listed in "My permits and licences" with its validity and a download of the sealed PDF.

Step 16. Verify the document

Anyone (public) · Public verification page

The QR code on the document opens the public verification page: genuine and current, to whom it was issued, and whether the electronic seal is valid. No sign-in is needed.

3. Payment

Item	In the test run
Fee (as published)	TB Removed
Invoice 1	0729933307861452
Amount 1	ZMW 2500.00
Paid at 1	with the application

On screen: step 8 (See that the fee is due), step 9 (Pay with ZamPay), step 10 (Payment received) in section 2.

4. Output documents

Certificate of Marriage (sealed PDF)

Issued when the case was approved, from the service's output configuration (service template MarriageNotice.Certificate.docx), filled from the application and the decision, sealed with the platform's electronic seal and stored as the issued version. The holder downloads it from My permits; the verification page checks it.

The issued PDF has 1 page; the image shows the first.

Fields

Field	Value in the test run
Document title	Certificate of Marriage
Permit / licence number	LGD-ASM-2026-00001
Holder	Chanda Mwila
Valid from	2026-10-21
Valid until	2027-01-21
Status	active
Verification code (printed with a QR code)	M7VA-LLUU-LP

Seal

Item	Detail
Seal status	sealed
Signature level	PAdES-B-T
Sealed by	the platform seal (development key in the test run)
Signed at	2026-10-21T11:32:03.883Z
Trusted time-stamp	2026-10-21T11:32:03.872Z (time-stamping authority)
Document fingerprint (SHA-256)	91823686b6dfd9b2...

Verification

Item	Detail
Where	The public verification page of the national portal, <portal>/verify/<verification code>, opened by scanning the QR code on the document.
What it shows	Whether the document is genuine and current, its holder and validity, and whether the electronic seal is valid and who sealed it.
Checking a copy	Anyone can upload a PDF they were given; the page says whether it is exactly the document that was issued. A changed copy is reported as not matching.

On screen: step 15 (The document in My permits), step 16 (Verify the document) in section 2.

5. Notifications

When	Channel	To	Message	Delivery
Payment due (invoice raised)	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	Payment due for application LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26 - The fee of ZMW 2500.00 for Application for Statutory Marriage (LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26) is now due. Invoice 0729933307861452.	shown
Application received	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	Application LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26 received - Your application LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26 for Application for Statutory Marriage has been received by Department of Local Government.	shown
Payment received	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	Payment received for LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26 - Your payment of ZMW 2500.00 for LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26 (Application for Statutory Marriage) has been received. Receipt: <ZamPay>/pdf?documentType=receipt&invoiceNumber=0729933307861452	shown
Licence / permit issued	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	Your Application for Statutory Marriage document has been issued - LGD-ASM-2026-00001 has been issued for Application for Statutory Marriage and is valid until 21/01/2027.	shown
Decision: approved	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	Application LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26 completed - LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26 (Application for Statutory Marriage) is complete. Your documents are ready.	shown
Invitation to rate the service	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	How was Application for Statutory Marriage? - How was Application for Statutory Marriage? Tell us in about a minute.	shown
Payment due (invoice raised)	email	e2e.c***@example.test	Payment due for application LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26	skipped
Application received	email	e2e.c***@example.test	Application LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26 received	skipped
Payment due (invoice raised)	sms	+260 97* *** 567	Fee of ZMW 2500.00 due for LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26. Invoice 0729933307861452. Pay: <ZamPay>/pay-for-service/get-invoice/0729933307861452	delivered
Application received	sms	+260 97* *** 567	Application LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26 for Application for Statutory Marriage has been received. Track it: <portal>/my-workplace	delivered
Payment received	sms	+260 97* *** 567		delivered
Invitation to rate the service	sms	+260 97* *** 567		skipped
Invitation to rate the service	email	e2e.c***@example.test	How was Application for Statutory Marriage?	skipped
Decision: approved	sms	+260 97* *** 567		delivered
Licence / permit issued	sms	+260 97* *** 567		delivered
Decision: approved	email	e2e.c***@example.test	Application LGD-ASM/00001/10-21-26 completed	skipped
Licence / permit issued	email	e2e.c***@example.test	Your Application for Statutory Marriage document has been issued	skipped

Delivery: shown = in the portal's notification bell; delivered = the SMS gateway (a test double in this run) reported the text delivered; skipped = not sent on that channel (e-mail is not configured on the test installation, and some notices go out on one channel only); sent by the national portal = a ministry node handed the notice to the national portal, which texts and e-mails the citizen under its own name and the citizen's preferences. Addresses written <portal>, <ZamPay> stand for the national portal and ZamPay.

6. Legacy mapping

Item	Detail
Replaces	Application for Statutory Marriage in the legacy ZIGS e-Services directory (ZIGS_Services)
Legacy service id	649
Legacy provider	Department of Local Government (LGD) under Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development
Legacy process	not recorded
Fee in the legacy system	none
Fee taken before submission	not recorded
Time to issue (legacy)	not recorded
Legacy output templates	GS-1 Application for a Government Service: ZIGS_Forms_ZDA / GS1 GS-2 Notice of Government Action: ZIGS_Forms_Notices / GS-2.NoticeOfAction Notice of Marriage (Form 1): / MarriageNotice.Form1 Certificate of Marriage: / MarriageNotice.Certificate Registrar's Certificate (Form C): / MarriageNotice.FormC Special Licence for Marriage: / MarriageNotice.SpecialLicence
Legacy address	https://ecouncils.gsb.gov.zm
How it was brought over	Imported by the platform's legacy catalogue importer (zcm-backend scripts/zigs/importLegacy.js) from the ZIGS snapshot: form, case types, fees, documents, process and output templates, then served by the new platform.

7. Version and date

Item	Detail
Document version	service v1, platform 39fb88e4
Generated	2026-10-21T11:32:10Z (by the end-to-end run, not edited by hand)
Service version	not versioned (configured directly)
Platform snapshot	backend 39fb88e4 portal 72805f0 back office 58e5946
Test suite	e2e 2f82c10; one installation (combined); seed profile mihud
Journeys	30-catalogue-service.spec.js: citizen finds the service, answers its form, uploads its documents and sends the application - passed 30-catalogue-service.spec.js: the case goes through every step of its process: payments by the citizen, each officer step by its role - passed 30-catalogue-service.spec.js: the grant document is issued, sealed, filled in and verifiable; the citizen has it in My permits - passed
Result	3 of 3 journey tests passed
Data	Synthetic test data on a local test installation; provider test doubles for ZamPass, ZamPay, SMS and signing.