Short answer: to use a Malaysian marriage or divorce document abroad, get the right original or extract, have it translated by a translator Wisma Putra accepts, attest it at Wisma Putra (RM 20 for a certified marriage or divorce certificate and RM 10 for the certified translation, under the Ministry's fee schedule), then legalise it at the destination country's embassy. Foreign marriage documents for JPN must be translated in Malaysia, signed and stamped with the translator's original stamp, or verified by an embassy or Wisma Putra if translated abroad. If you need a fresh marriage extract or a marriage status letter and cannot attend JPN, our Legal, a practising Advocate & Solicitor and Notary Public in Malaysia, applies at JPN for you.
We translate and legalise marriage and divorce documents in both directions, and obtain JPN marriage extracts and marriage status letters through our Legal. Our team is certified by ITBM and DBP and includes High Court interpreters. Send your document on WhatsApp for a quote.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
Which Malaysian document you have
Non-Muslim marriages (Act 164, registered with JPN)
Marriage certificate (Perakuan Perkahwinan): RM 10, issued by JPN on registration.
Marriage register extract (Cabutan Daftar Perkahwinan): RM 50 at any JPN office, issued the same day if the record is in the system. A register search costs RM 5 for each year searched (form JPN.KC09).
Marriage status letter (Surat Pengesahan Taraf Perkahwinan): for non-Muslim Malaysian citizens, often called the single status certificate and needed to marry abroad. RM 5, valid for six months, issued with an AM80 statutory declaration. Wisma Putra and every embassy require the original; a copy is not accepted. See our single status certificate guide.
Muslim marriages
Muslim marriages are registered by the state Islamic religious authority; in the Federal Territories, JAWI. JAWI issues the marriage card (Kad Perakuan Nikah) on the day and the marriage certificate (Surat Perakuan Nikah) after 14 working days.
Divorces
Civil divorce: the Decree Nisi Mutlak issued by the High Court. If it is lost, get the original from your lawyer or a certified copy from the High Court that granted it.
Muslim divorce: the certificate of divorce (Surat Perakuan Cerai) issued by the state Islamic religious department after a Syariah court order. JAWI charges RM 20 per couple to register a divorce.
Getting a JPN marriage extract through our Legal
The husband or wife may apply at any JPN office in person, and a family member may apply with a signed authorisation (wakil kuasa). JPN also accepts an application from a law firm acting for the husband or wife, with the firm's sealed letter bearing the lawyer's licence stamp, copies of the identity documents and the client's letter of appointment. Our Legal, a practising Advocate & Solicitor and Notary Public in Malaysia, applies for you this way when:
you live overseas and cannot attend JPN in person;
the original marriage certificate is lost, damaged or laminated;
the receiving authority or embassy wants a recently issued extract;
you would rather not book a JPN visit and queue yourself.
This covers non-Muslim marriages registered with JPN. Muslim marriage records are held by the state Islamic religious authority.
How it works:
Send a photo of the marriage certificate (or both names, MyKad numbers and the date and place of marriage) and your MyKad or passport on WhatsApp.
We prepare the letter of appointment and authorisation for you to sign, and collect the supporting evidence JPN asks for.
Our Legal attends JPN by appointment and applies for the marriage register extract (Cabutan Daftar Perkahwinan), or the marriage status letter if that is what you need.
We translate the extract and, if you need it, take it through Wisma Putra and the embassy, then courier it to you anywhere.
It usually takes 7 to 21 business days. If the record is not yet in JPN's system, JPN first searches the register at JPN Putrajaya or the state JPN office (RM 5 for each year searched). If JPN asks for more, we amend and resubmit; if it refuses outright, we tell you the alternatives. The certified translation that follows is covered by our guarantees. Ask for a JPN marriage extract on WhatsApp.
For birth and death extracts too, and the 2-month collection deadline, see JPN Certified Extracts (Birth, Marriage, Death).
Using these documents abroad
Get the original certificate or a fresh extract.
Have it translated by a translator Wisma Putra accepts (see who can certify a translation).
Attest the document and translation at Wisma Putra.
Legalise both at the destination country's embassy in Kuala Lumpur, if required.
Malaysia does not issue apostilles; this chain replaces one. See apostille in Malaysia and our country guides for each embassy's rules.
Foreign documents for marriage registration in Malaysia
To register a marriage in Malaysia, every certificate and supporting document not in Malay or English must be translated. The certified translation "perlu dilakukan di Malaysia dengan lengkap ditandatangani bersama cop asal penterjemah": it must be done in Malaysia and signed with the translator's original stamp. A translation made abroad must be verified by the relevant embassy or by Wisma Putra. A foreign partner usually also needs a single status document from their home country, legalised for use in Malaysia.
When one or both partners are not Malaysian citizens, JPN issues a marital status letter for use in Malaysia free of charge, at JPN Putrajaya or a state JPN office (JPN Putrajaya only when both partners are foreign). Both partners must attend together.
Common questions
Which marriage document do embassies usually want?
Most accept the marriage certificate. If the original is lost or damaged, use a JPN marriage register extract instead.
How long is a marriage status letter valid?
JPN's Surat Pengesahan Taraf Perkahwinan is valid for six months from the date of issue. The destination country may set a shorter limit, so check before you apply.
Can a divorce decree in English be used without translation?
For English-speaking countries, usually yes. For countries that need their own language, such as China, Japan or Korea, a certified translation is needed before embassy legalisation.
Can a lawyer get my marriage extract from JPN?
Yes. JPN accepts an application from a law firm acting for the husband or wife, with the firm's sealed letter and the client's letter of appointment. Our Legal, a practising Advocate & Solicitor and Notary Public, applies for you this way.
I married in Malaysia but live overseas. How do I get a new marriage extract?
Let our Legal apply at JPN for you: you sign a letter of appointment, we obtain the extract, translate and legalise it if needed, and courier it to you. It usually takes 7 to 21 business days.
Do you translate Muslim marriage and divorce documents?
Yes. We translate JAWI and state religious department documents, including the marriage card, the marriage certificate and certificates of divorce.
Related guides
Sources: