American Marrying Nigerian Man: What To Look Out For?

Do you have an American girlfriend too who you want to get married to?

If you are, then you will soon get the answers you are searching for, only if you continue reading this article.

We’ll figure out what to do if an American wants to marry a Nigerian.

Marrying A Nigeria: What You Must Know Beforehand

Are you aware that the Nigerian government has ordered that aliens should not be allowed to marry Nigerians?

The restriction is intended to prohibit foreign nationals from marrying Nigerians for purposes of a residence visa.

Do not worry, you will soon find out why the government has instituted this law.

What about the Marriage Restriction Order?

Sometimes back, foreigners who came for, tourism, vacation, and other temporary visit were allowed to even marry Nigerians.

Later on, the Nigerian government discovered that these foreign nationals were marrying Nigerians just to get a permanent visa. This is why the marriage restriction order was made.

At that time, the government undertook the following actions.

• Foreign nationals who are on a short visit to Nigeria or studying are not allowed to marry any national in Nigeria anymore. However, if foreign national wants to marry a Nigerian, he or she must obtain special and justified authorization before entering Nigeria.
• For a foreign national to obtain a PR visa after marrying a Nigerian, the person must remain in the country for more than six months.
• Furthermore, any foreigner who has married a Nigerian will be restricted to applying for certain jobs in the country, particularly if there are many unemployed nationals.
• Insofar as a foreigner is going to love, marrying a Nigerian, there are some challenges related to immigration to the country. The reason for processing your marriage and working papers may be delayed. So any Nigerian who wants to marry a foreigner would have to consider that.

Special Application for Marriage

You need to be aware that for a marriage to take place between a foreigner and a Nigerian, you must apply to the “Marriage Registry”.

You can either choose to do the application via the internet or do it manually. As such, your American girlfriend must meet the following requirements.

• A consanguinity document and a passport photo.
• An international passport data page (U.S. passport)
• An ‘Arrival Passport Page’
• Her residence permit.
• She will also be required to present her marriage affidavit, in case she has already been married.
• If she is divorced, she will be asked to issue an Order-in-Council 90 and an Order-in-Council. In a situation where her husband is dead, she will be mandated to bring a death certificate of her late husband.

On the other hand, you as a Nigerian are required to bring your consanguineous document as well, a birth certificate, indigenous form, marriage certificate if once married, and some passport photograph.

In addition, you will issue documents to substantiate your claim if you have been divorced or widowed.

Afterward, you have both completed your requirements and upload them online, you will then be required to make some payments and wait for your application to be processed in the next 7 days.

Go back to the registry office after 7 days and pick a day for yourself and your American girlfriend to interview.

On the marriage day, you and your American bride will have to bring one witness each. Not just that, but with two wedding rings and a Koran or Bible.

Dress Code

In Nigeria, three dress codes are nationally accepted. These include indigenous attire, a business setting, and finally a wedding gown and suit.

It will help you to make good decisions at the time of your marriage.

Nigerian Traditional Marriage Rites

As an American girlfriend who wants to get married to a Nigerian man, it will be very important if she understands the traditional rites for marriages in Nigeria.

Traditional marriage rites in Nigeria differ from the tribe, and we have a number of them in the country.

This includes Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Efik, Igala, among others. Let us examine the marriage rites of three great tribes in Nigeria.

Here is all about weddings in Nigerian courts.

• Yoruba Marriage Rites

After the love and mutual interest between an American and a Nigerian has been established, both parties will let their families know of their intentions to get married.

Afterward, the man and his family will arrange a visit to the family of the bride for an appropriate presentation and fix the wedding date.

Nevertheless, there will be an intermediary (Alarina) Who will spearhead the wedding arrangements.

• Igbo Marriage Rites

First, before the marriage is established between a man and a woman, there will be an investigation (Iku aka or Iju else). Here the man and his family will also visit the family of the bride and make an official introduction.

During the introduction, the father of the groom will reveal the intentions of her son to marry the bride.

When finished, the father of the bride will also call her daughter and ask her if she knows the person who is seeking her hand in the marriage.

Afterward, they will make an appropriate presentation to the community before arranging the actual traditional wedding.

• Hausa Traditional Rites

If an American wants to marry a Hausa in Nigeria, she should keep her mind about any kind of romance or lengthy dating.

As usual, the groom must visit the bride’s family and express his intention of marrying their daughter. Until then, he must bring a basket filled with some items like fruits, kola nuts, and so forth.

There is much to be said about matrimonial rites in Nigeria. It is because there are many steps to take to traditionally marry in any ethnic group in this country.

Nevertheless, you have seen what is required for an American to marry a Nigerian.

The journey starts with the law regarding foreigners who marry Nigerians, how to apply for marriage, the dress code, and traditional marriage rites.

These are some of the things to consider during your marriage to a Nigerian.