ILLUSTRATION: PAUL ERIC ROCA

Marriage registration fees will go up from July 1.

The hike will affect foreigners the most, with fees going up by as much as three times.

The Registry of Marriages (ROM) announced that couples where at least one party is a Singapore citizen or a permanent resident (PR), will have to pay $42 for registration, compared with the $26 they pay now.

Foreigners now pay $128 on weekdays, $198 on weekends and $298 for popular days. From July 1, they will pay a flat $380.

INCREASING COSTS

An ROM spokesman said the increase was to keep up with increasing operational costs and to ensure that service quality is maintained. The last review of prices was done in 2005.

When asked about the steeper price increase for foreigners, the spokesman said the priority for ROM is to ensure that marriage fees remain affordable for Singapore citizens and PRs. 

Source: The New Paper