Serious relationships in South Sudan: the country guide

Juba, capital of a country still without a civil registry

South Sudan, whose capital is Juba and whose official language is English, does not yet have a civil registry, according to the US Department of State. For a couple, proof of a union therefore depends first of all on the country's religious institutions.

Churches and mosques, the only issuers of certificates

Washington specifies that South Sudanese marriage certificates are issued only by churches and mosques. The South Sudanese mission in Nairobi can verify them, a valuable step for a foreign spouse who must have the union recognised elsewhere.

South Sudanese minimum marriage age: no data retained

No approved source consulted gives the legal age for marriage in South Sudan, so we publish no figure. One rule holds everywhere: only discuss a relationship or a union with a person aged at least 18 who fully consents.

Divorce in Juba: equality written into the Civil Procedure Act

According to the World Bank (Women, Business and the Law 2023, data for Juba), a woman can obtain a divorce in the same way as a man, under Article 6 of the Civil Procedure Act. South Sudanese women and men likewise enjoy equal rights to remarry.

No divorce certificate available in Juba

The US Department of State reports that divorce certificates are not available in South Sudan. A divorced person considering remarriage abroad must plan ahead on the question of proof, detailed in our page on divorce in South Sudan.

What the World Bank observes about South Sudanese couples

The WBL 2023 profile finds no provision requiring a wife to obey her husband, but notes the absence of a specific law on domestic violence. The country's overall score reaches 67.5 out of 100, against an average of 72.6 for sub-Saharan Africa.

Travel advised against by the British government

The British FCDO advises against all travel to South Sudan because of the risk of armed violence and crime. A relationship that began online with someone living there may therefore remain long-distance for a long time before any physical meeting.

South Sudanese internet: an unverified share of users

The share of internet users in South Sudan could not be read in the World Bank data consulted, so we cite no percentage. No dating platform specific to the country had been verified by us as of October 2026.

Useful apps for South Sudanese singles

Tinder and Bumble require a minimum age of 18; Muslima, from the Cupid Media network, targets Muslims worldwide. To move from a first exchange to a religious marriage plan, see our guide to straight couples in South Sudan.

Romance scams targeting the South Sudanese diaspora

In the absence of figures specific to South Sudan, consider those of the FBI: 23,159 romance scam complaints in 2025 and more than 929 million dollars lost. A contact who asks for money for a visa, a ticket or medical care should set off alarm bells.

Relations between men: up to 14 years in prison

The FCDO states that sexual relations between men are illegal in South Sudan and punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The risks and digital precautions are detailed in our page for gay men and lesbians in South Sudan.

South Sudanese seniors and the northern neighbour

People over 50 will find guidance on retirement and scams targeting older people in the South Sudan seniors page. To compare with the northern neighbour, whose family law differs markedly, open our Sudan profile.

Bodies and services cited for South Sudan

• Département d'État américain, documents civils du Soudan du Sud: States that only churches and mosques issue marriage certificates and that the Nairobi mission can verify them.
• FCDO, conseils aux voyageurs pour le Soudan du Sud: Advises against all travel to the country and describes the criminalisation of relations between men.
• Banque mondiale, Women, Business and the Law 2023: South Sudan profile: equal divorce and remarriage, no domestic violence law, overall score of 67.5.
• Mission du Soudan du Sud à Nairobi: South Sudanese mission able to verify the country's marriage certificates, according to the US Department of State.
• Muslima: Cupid Media network dating site for Muslims worldwide, with registration from age 18.
• Tinder: Global app restricted to users aged 18 and over, available according to the publisher in more than 190 countries.

Before committing to a South Sudanese partner

1. Check your contact's age and identity by video call before any serious discussion of a life together.
2. Stay on the platform's messaging until identity is confirmed, as the FTC and Action Fraud recommend.
3. Ask the church or mosque that would celebrate the union, since they alone issue the marriage certificate.
4. Find out how the South Sudanese mission in Nairobi verifies a certificate before using it in your country of residence.
5. Read the FCDO travel advice and that of your own government before considering a trip to Juba.
6. Plan a first date in a public place, telling a relative the place, the time and your contact's name.

South Sudanese legal benchmarks in brief

Documents to gather for a South Sudanese couple's plans

• Valid passport or identity card
• Recent birth certificate, translated if necessary
• Religious marriage certificate issued by the church or mosque
• Proof that you are free to marry, required by some countries
• Death certificate of the previous spouse in case of widowhood
• Translations and authentications requested by your country of residence

Frequent missteps with a South Sudanese contact

• Sending money for a plane ticket, medical costs or a visa to someone never met: this is the pattern described by the FTC.
• Organising a trip to Juba without reading the FCDO advice, which advises against all travel to South Sudan because of armed violence.
• Believing that a religious certificate will be accepted everywhere without verification by the Nairobi mission or an official translation.
• Sharing intimate photos or bank details with a recent profile, even if the declarations of love seem sincere.
• Accepting a date in a private place at the first meeting, without telling anyone the place or time.

Information up to date as of October 2026. AfriqueRencontres.com does not arrange meetings and never asks for money: never transfer money to someone you know only online.