RGD to Launch Marriage Application Programme for Hotels

Hoteliers will soon be able to complete and monitor the processing of marriage applications online, through the Registrar General Department’s (RGD) Hotel Interface for Marriage Applications (HIMA) programme.
The launch will be held on December 18 at the San Souci Hotel in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.
The HIMA allows RGD customers to enjoy the benefits of doing business via the internet, while at the same time, interacting with Jamaica’s sole repository of marriage records and the only producer of marriage certificates. It is specially designed for hoteliers, who are committed to delivering a quality wedding facility to their clients, complete with copies of the marriage certificates following the ceremony.
With the facility, hoteliers can apply and pay for marriage certificates in the comfort of their offices, at any of their properties and closely monitor the processing of all applications. The HIMA also provides a special forum for querying applications and providing information to the RGD as the applications are being processed.
All certificates will be delivered to the address stated at the time the application is created. The software also monitors the number of weddings and applications created by each property in a chain.
Hoteliers access the HIMA via a secure HTTP (HTTPS) protocol, using 128-bit encryption certificates provided by Verisign. Verisign is the market leader in security, and provides billions of persons worldwide with the ability to communicate and conduct commerce, with the confidence that the information will not be compromised.
Statistics show that in 2005, 47 per cent of all marriages in Jamaica occurred in hotels. About 23,000 weddings occur in the country each year. The RGD performs door-to-door delivery of all certificates and also provides express 24-hour delivery.
Marriage Officers are required to return marriage registers to the RGD 24 hours after a wedding has occurred.