Family in Fiji

Marriage in Fiji is governed by the Marriage Act 1968. The legal marriage age is 18. Couples normally give a Notice of Intention to Marry at least 21 days before the ceremony. The recorded notice fee is $15 VEP and a court marriage fee is $50 VEP. A special licence can shorten the notice period when the stated grounds justify it. The Ministry of Justice, the Registrar-General's Office and the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry handle relevant registration services. A de facto relationship is a genuine domestic relationship between a man and a woman. Fiji's Family Law Act and Domestic Violence Act can recognize such relationships for specific legal purposes, but a de facto relationship is not the same as a registered marriage. iTaukei customary family structures may connect people through the vanua, yavusa, mataqali and itokatoka. Turaga and other traditional or community leaders can help with community and care matters, but they do not replace legal parentage or court orders. Birth registration is mandatory. Registration normally takes place within two months and is free when completed within 12 months. A late registration fee of $20 VEP applies after that period. Parents usually provide the required information and signatures; a statutory declaration and the mother's consent may be needed to record the father's particulars. When parents are in a de facto relationship, both sign the registration. If a parent cannot act, an attending person, institution head or responsible ministry may complete the process in the situations allowed by the rules. Digital Fiji provides an online pathway for eligible local citizens. Parents share responsibility for a child's care, welfare, development and maintenance until the child reaches 18. The Family Court has High Court and Magistrates Court divisions and can address parenting plans, residence, contact, specific issues, child maintenance, recovery, adoption, divorce and separation. The child's welfare is the main standard. A Family Conference, counsellor or welfare officer is generally involved before a final parenting order. Divorce requires an irretrievable breakdown and at least 12 months of separation. Divorce does not automatically settle parenting, maintenance or property matters, so separate applications may be required. The Domestic Violence Act 2009 covers violence and risks within relationships involving spouses, family members, household members, residential facilities, dependent care and clan or kin relationships. A Domestic Violence Restraining Order can impose safety conditions and may protect children. Police can make an interim application by telephone, and a court hearing normally takes place within seven working days. Conditions can address child care, contact and residence. The Child Care and Protection Act 2024 received assent on 6 December 2024, but its commencement depends on a ministerial order or Gazette notice. It provides for family support, written care-and-protection plans approved by the Director, monitoring and court involvement when agreement or safety is inadequate. A family member or approved person may care for a child at home. Temporary care orders may last up to 12 months, and parents may face maintenance orders. Foster-parent and approved children's-home frameworks exist in law, but current implementation should be verified. Adoption is governed by the Adoption Act 2020 and requires a welfare-officer assessment and a court order. An application may be made by one person, a joint couple, or a married or de facto spouse or partner of a birth parent. Residence requirements include at least three months for a Fijian citizen or 12 months for a non-citizen. Adoption regulations and Family Division Court Rules endorsed in 2026 were still subject to finalization and implementation checks at the research date. The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection administers family and child welfare pathways, including the Family Assistance Scheme, Care and Protection Allowance and other social-welfare programmes. Current eligibility, payment amounts and the 2026 Proxy Means Test should be checked before applying. Parenthood Assistance was recorded for children born on or after 1 August 2018 where the child is a Fijian citizen by birth, household income is within the stated $30,000 annual threshold, birth registration and a Tax Identification Number are available, and the application is made within 12 months; current programme status must be confirmed. Extended-family care remains especially significant in rural Fiji, while urbanization and transnational labour mobility can leave children without regular caregivers and increase isolation, family tension and risks of violence, abuse or neglect. UNICEF and government indicators recorded 87% birth registration, 4% of women aged 20 to 24 married or in a union before 18, 81% of children aged 1 to 14 exposed to physical punishment or psychological aggression by caregivers, and 28.2% of children experiencing multidimensional poverty; each figure depends on its survey year and method. Island geography, urban-rural differences, document costs and limited welfare or counselling capacity can affect access to services. A death is registered through the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry using medical cause or confirmation of death, identification and relevant civil-status documents. A de facto partner or relative may register in some situations, including when a legal spouse is absent, with a statutory declaration where required. Estate and inheritance questions belong to a separate civil-law inquiry.