Family
Burgerlijk Wetboek marriage with a separate Asian Marriage Act
Marriage and divorce follow the Burgerlijk Wetboek, with divorce available on breakdown. Suriname historically maintained the Aziatische Huwelijkswet, a separate marriage regime for Hindu and Muslim communities, reflecting its plural population. Same-sex marriage is not recognised, though Suriname decriminalised same-sex conduct in 2015.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National, applied by the Kantongerecht and Hof van Justitie
- Deadline — Divorce proceedings follow the Wetboek van Burgerlijke Rechtsvordering timetable
- Deadline — Protection orders under the domestic violence law issued urgently
Governing law
- Burgerlijk Wetboek van Suriname, Book 1
- Aziatische Huwelijkswet
- Wet Bestrijding Huiselijk Geweld2009
In practice
The parallel Asian Marriage Act is a distinctive legacy of indentured migration from India and Java, providing registration routes recognising religious ceremonies, and legislation has progressively harmonised its effects with the general civil regime. The 2009 domestic-violence statute introduced protection orders and mandatory police response, and the 2015 repeal of the sodomy provision aligned Suriname with most of South America.