4
ISSUES: Marriage
Chapter 1: Marriage
outside the European Economic Area
(EEA) or Switzerland.
Documents to take to the register
office
When you go to the register office, you
need to take proof of your name, age
and nationality. For example your:
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valid passport
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birth certificate
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national identity card from the
European Economic Area (EEA) or
Switzerland
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certificate of registration
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certificate of naturalisation
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biometric residence card or permit
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travel document.
If you’ve changed your name, you must
bring proof – e.g. a copy of a deed poll.
The registrar also needs proof of your
address, for example a:
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valid UK or EEA driving licence
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gas, water or electricity bill from the
last three months
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bank or building society statement
from the last month
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council tax bill from the last 12
months
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mortgage statement from the last
12 months
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current tenancy agreement
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letter fromyour landlord confirming
you live there and including your
landlord’s name, address and their
signature dated within the last
seven days
Check with your local register office if
they require a photo ID
You might need other documents if
you don’t have a valid passport and you
were born after 1983 – check with the
register office.
You eachneed topay a £35 feewhen you
attend the register office to give notice.
It can be more if you or your partner are
from outside EEA or Switzerland.
If you’ve been divorced or
widowed
If you’ve been married or in a civil
partnership before, you need to take
either:
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a decree absolute or final order
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the death certificate of your former
partner.
A foreign divorce will usually be
recognised in England and Wales if it
was valid in the country where it took
place.
The registrar will check your overseas
divorce documents and may have to
get in touch with the General Register
Office to confirm whether your
marriage or civil partnership can go
ahead.
Religious ceremonies
A religious wedding can take place at
a church, chapel or other registered
religious building.
Religious blessing can take place after a
civil ceremony in a register office.
You can’t get married in an Anglican
Church as a same sex couple. You can
get married in other religious buildings
if:
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the religious organisation allows
the marriage of same sex couples
to take place
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the premises have been registered
for the marriage of same sex
couples.
Anglican marriages
To get married in an Anglican church,
contact your local church in:
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England
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Wales.
You don’t usually need to give notice
with the register office if you’re getting
married in an Anglican church and both
you and your partner are:
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British citizens
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from the European Economic Area
(EEA) or Switzerland.
Officials performingAnglicanmarriages
will register your marriage.
You need to give notice at a register
office if you or your partner are from
outside the EEA or Switzerland.
Jewish and Quaker marriages
You need to give notice with the
register office at least 28 days before
the ceremony. Officials performing
Jewish or Quaker marriages will register
marriages.
Non-Anglican Christian
marriages and all other religions
You need to give notice with the
register office at least 28 days before
the ceremony.
Authorised officials, including ministers
and priests of other religions, can
register marriages.
You must give notice at a ‘designated’
register office if you or your partner are
from outside the EEA or Switzerland.
Weddings and civil partnership
ceremonies
Vows
You must exchange some formal
wording if you’re getting married.
Discuss any other wording you want
in the ceremony with the person
conducting it.
You don’t need to exchange vows for
a civil partnership, but you can do so if
you wish.
Civil ceremonies can include readings,
songs or music, but must not include
anything that’s religious, e.g. hymns or
readings from the Bible.
You’ll need to have at least two
witnesses at the ceremony.
Signing the register
You, your partner and your two
witnesses must sign the marriage
register or civil partnership document.
Cost of registering a marriage or
civil partnership
You have to pay a fee to register a UK
marriage or civil partnership – different
fees may apply abroad.
This is £46 if you have the ceremony
at a register office, but may be more
at other venues. Ask the registrar or
religious minister for details.
The marriage or civil partnership
certificate costs £4 on the day of the
event or £10 after. You may need a
copy to prove your marital status in the
future.
Venues
You can have a civil ceremony or civil
partnership at:
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a register office
