Can wedding without ROM?

**jakesee** · 10-05-2009, 03:55 PM

Hi,

Have a few questions in the Singapore context. But the main one is the first question:

1. Can one male and one female hold a wedding ceremony without registering with ROM? Surely they will not be legally husband and wife, but will holding the wedding ceremony be legal?

2. Is this seemingly a paradox: if 2 people are not legally husband and wife, then this implies that they are also not illegally husband and wife, since they are not called husband and wife to begin with? So what really is illegally husband and wife, if there is such a thing?

3. Polygamy generally means having more than one spouse. If any 2 people cannot be illegally husband and wife, then how can you commit polygamy in Singapore? Or does polygamy means you cannot have any 2 children from 2 different persons?

4. So can a legally unmarried person have baby with another legally unmarried person? Can they legally continue their unmarried status after having the baby?

Hope some expert on this topic can shed some light. Thanks!

**smallbum** · 10-05-2009, 08:58 PM

1) Nobody will stop you from holding a wedding ceremony, but if you don't register your marriage @ ROM, your marriage is NOT recognised in Singapore. Without the ROM cert, you cannot purchase a HDB flat together, can only purchase private property. Your children will be considered as illegitimate.

2) There is no such things are illegal hb & wife, if you have not registered your marriage, you will be just bf/gf - a couple. You & your partner are single.

3) Polygamy usually happens when 1 party actually is legally married in another country, tries to marry another in S'pore. If this person manages to keep it under wraps & registers his "2nd" marriage in S'pore successfully, their children is still legitimate. In true fact he has 2 spouses.

4) Legally unmarried = single. 2 single persons of cos can have babies, but NONE of them will be considered legitimate aka born out of wedlock. Marital status of these 2 persons remains single so long they do not register their marriage.

FYI, illegitimate children do not receive baby bonus benefits from govt.

**JeffJway** · 19-05-2009, 01:41 PM

1) You can hold a ceremony, but it is not leaglly binding and most locations would need proof of a marriage before allowing you to hold a ceremony on their premises. so you would have to do it in a private location owned by you most likely, since Public places require Govt approval

2 )As said above, if you aren't even marriage, there is no illegal marriage, you're just singles for all purposes

3) Polgamy is being marriaged to more than 1 person through legal means without the knowledge of the other marriage by the authorities. Upon discovery, the secopnd and all subsequent marriages are considered to not have happened and any crime therefore evident upon said discovery is applied.

4)If you are not married and the other person is not married, you are having pre-marital sex and conception. The baby is recognised as a child born out-of-wedlock, and parentage is recognised, but any crimes applicable due to the pre-marital copulatory acts will be applied

**aptitude** · 21-05-2009, 03:02 PM

If you got the money to pay the bills for holding the wedding, i will say BY ALL MEANS but well i seldom heard of ppl wanting to throw a wedding without rom .... basically rom is to aknowledge one another lawfully and wedding is meant to share the happiness of getting the married status with your friends n relativies .... but alright tis is yr 2009 ....

vios21 · 27-05-2009, 08:53 AM

Great advices above.

Ts - you seem to be in a perculiar situation?

**linger-ing** · 30-05-2009, 11:41 AM

wat weird questions from TS...

but whichever it is, pls spare a tot for the illegitimate children (if any)... its really bad to have labelled them illegitimate... our society is still not open enuff to accept such...

**jakesee** · 31-05-2009, 02:30 PM

Thanks for all the replies.

Actually it's my aunt's going to marry (2nd marriage) without ROM and I was curious to find out the legal implications revolving polygamy, adultry, fornification and prostitution (patronising). Seems like it's possible to get around without being legally implicated.

Also, I am sort of an illegal child myself; and so is my girlfriend. I know a couple more who are in the same situation as well, and I think there is really nothing that bad about it. The problem lies not with the child, but with people who believe that illegal children are wrong and start to make a fuss about it. Life goes on.

Thanks all again.

**christmas_** · 31-05-2009, 04:45 PM

must go ROM, if not govt dont recognize your marriage

**smallbum** · 31-05-2009, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakesee

Thanks for all the replies.

Actually it's my aunt's going to marry (2nd marriage) without ROM and I was curious to find out the legal implications revolving polygamy, adultry, fornification and prostitution (patronising). Seems like it's possible to get around without being legally implicated.

Also, I am sort of an illegal child myself; and so is my girlfriend. I know a couple more who are in the same situation as well, and I think there is really nothing that bad about it. The problem lies not with the child, but with people who believe that illegal children are wrong and start to make a fuss about it. Life goes on.

Thanks all again.

I believe your Aunt is legally divorced or widowed. If yes, she can be with the man she wants to be with ROM-ing. No legal issues, it's her choice. Both her partner & her will NOT have legal obligations as husband and wife. Not happy, split loh! Simple as that.

Sorry, don't mind me asking. Did you encounter any difficulties when enrolling for govt school? Cause I did hear b4 when enrolling for primary school, your parents will be asked to produce their ROM cert.

**amike** · 10-06-2009, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakesee

Hi,

Have a few questions in the Singapore context. But the main one is the first question:

1. Can one male and one female hold a wedding ceremony without registering with ROM? Surely they will not be legally husband and wife, but will holding the wedding ceremony be legal?

2. Is this seemingly a paradox: if 2 people are not legally husband and wife, then this implies that they are also not illegally husband and wife, since they are not called husband and wife to begin with? So what really is illegally husband and wife, if there is such a thing?

3. Polygamy generally means having more than one spouse. If any 2 people cannot be illegally husband and wife, then how can you commit polygamy in Singapore? Or does polygamy means you cannot have any 2 children from 2 different persons?

4. So can a legally unmarried person have baby with another legally unmarried person? Can they legally continue their unmarried status after having the baby?

Hope some expert on this topic can shed some light. Thanks!

Hi.
Without legalizing your marriage with ROM, you will not be considered husband and wife by law.

you can do anything illegal so long as you do not get caught

Point 4...The child will be illegitimate child...

mochalicious · 14-06-2009, 10:17 PM

wow.. most of your questionsl so complicated. LOL.. I only can answer the first question. That is by law you are not allows to hold a ceremony before legally ROM. Read the ROM website.