Preparing for marriage

The Ministry of Social and Family Development, through its network of partners, organises, supports and provides marriage education programmes to couples of various needs. Some examples include:

• Prevention and Relationship Education Programme (PREP)

• Online Prevention and Relationship Education Programme (ePREP)

• Marriage Preparation Programmes in the Community

• Prepare/Enrich Marriage Enrichment Programme (P/E MEP)

Singapore Citizen-Foreigner couples are encouraged to attend marriage programmes to start their marriage on a strong foundation. Some couples whose Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) applications are approved may be required to attend these programmes before they are issued the LTVP. Couples are advised to attend the programmes early.

Marriage is a life-long journey. It is important to build a strong and long-lasting marriage from the start. Marriage preparation programmes are designed to address the needs of different types of marriages. The different programmes provide an effective platform for couples to gain information and tips to strengthen their marriage.

To help minor couples better prepare for marriage, they are required to attend a marriage preparation programme before they can be issued with a marriage license. This is in addition to obtaining parental consent.

For marriages where one party is below 18 years old, couples must also undergo social assessment by MSF to assess their suitability for marriage before they are issued with a Special Marriage License.

Premarital counselling helps couples to prepare for marriage, work through issues, resolve differences and determine if they are ready for marriage. Couples can visit these organisations for premarital counselling services:

• Secular organisations such as social service agencies and private counselling centres

• Religious organisations such as churches, mosques and temples

• Private counsellors/ family therapists

Interested couples can sign up for workshops about financial planning via the Institute for Financial Literacy's Events page, which is updated on a quarterly basis.