Give notice of marriage or civil partnership
You must sign a legal statement at a register office to say you intend to get married or form a civil partnership. This is known as giving notice.
You must give notice at least 28 clear days before your ceremony but it can be done up to 12 months in advance. If subject to immigration control, you must give 70 clear days’ notice.
If you are having a Church of England or Church of Wales ceremony, contact your church directly to see if you need to give notice at a register office or if they will read banns instead.
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What is involved
To give notice you need to book an appointment at our register office. Both of you must attend in person and we will interview you together and separately.
Both of you will need to:
- pay the fee of £46.50 per person (additional fees may apply in certain circumstances)
- take documents with you to the register office appointment (see below for details)
- bring details of your ceremony venue; this venue is included on your notices and is not transferable
Following your appointment, the notice will be displayed at the register office for 28 days to give people the opportunity to make a legal objection.
If we do not receive any legal objections, we will issue the marriage or civil partnership schedule which allows the ceremony to go ahead. If you are subject to immigration control this may be increased to 70 days.
Once you have given notice, it is valid for 12 months.
Where to give notice
Notice must be given in the register office of the district(s) in which you live. If you and your partner live in different districts, you might have to give notice at different register offices. This does not need to happen on the same day.
You must have lived in the district for a minimum of 7 days before notice is given. This does not include the day you arrived in the district or the day of the appointment.
If one or both of you is subject to immigration control, notice must be given together at the register office in the district in which one or both of you lives.
Our register offices are in:
Book an appointment
The earliest date notice can be given is 12 months before the ceremony.
To give notice of marriage or civil partnership you can book an appointment online.
If you are unable to book online you can phone 01454 863140 to arrange an appointment.
Documents you need to take to the register office
It is important to pay attention to the documents you need to bring to your appointment. Failure to produce all necessary documents means you will not be able to give notice.
You will each need to take proof of name, age, nationality and address when you go to your appointment.
Proof of name, age and nationality
This can be a valid passport, travel document, or naturalisation certificate.
If you were born in the UK but do not have a valid British passport, you can use your birth certificates in the following circumstances:
Born in the UK before 1 January 1983
Bring either your short or full UK birth certificate.
Born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983
Bring your full UK birth certificate. This includes your sex, date of birth, place of birth, mother’s details, father or second parent’s details (if they have been included), and registration district.
You will also need to provide either:
- proof of your mother’s UK citizenship, such as a passport or full birth certificate, or
- if your parents were married before you were born, proof of your father’s UK citizenship, such as a passport or full birth certificate, and your parents’ marriage certificate
If you have changed your name
If you have changed your name through any legal means, you should bring proof. This could be a:
- deed poll
- statutory change of name document
- previous marriage or civil partnership certificate if the document is in your former name
Proof of address
You must bring one of the following:
- current driving licence featuring your South Gloucestershire address
- bank statement from the last month
- gas, electric, or water bill from the last 3 months
- most recent council tax bill from the last 12 months
- a mortgage statement or tenancy agreement from the last 12 months
If you normally live outside England or Wales
You will need to provide details of the address at which you have been staying for 7 days. This should be a letter from the homeowner or hotel and include the date you arrived.
If you have been married or in a civil partnership before
You must bring proof of how your previous marriage or civil partnership ended. This could be:
- a decree absolute, dissolution document or final order
- your former partner’s death certificate
If the divorce did not take place in the UK, you will need to pay an additional fee of £55. If the documents need to be referred to the General Register Office, the fee will be £83.
If the divorce documents are not in English, you must bring an English translation done by a third party, including the translator’s details and signature.
EU settlement status
You will need to bring your EUSS share code to your appointment if you have:
- settled status
- pre-settled status
- a pending application for settled status submitted before 30 June 2021
The EUSS code is how we check your settlement status.
If you have a pending application submitted before 30 June 2021, you will need to bring your certificate of application to the EU Settlement Scheme.
Other immigration status
You should give notice at least 70 days’ notice before your ceremony if you do not have:
- evidence of settled or permanent resident status, such as your eVisa which confirms your immigration status
- a marriage visa
- exemption from immigration control, such as indefinite leave to remain
Subject to immigration control
If one or both of you is subject to immigration control you will have to comply with some additional conditions. You must give 70 days’ notice and the fee is £63 per person.
You will be subject to immigration control if you are not:
- a British citizen
- an Irish citizen
- a person who has been granted EU Settled Status (EUSS) either settled or pre-settled or with a pending application for settled status submitted before 30 June 2021
Alongside the documents outlined above, you must also bring the following to your appointment:
- a passport size photo of each of you (even if only one of you is a foreign national)
- proof of your current immigration status, for example a visa or share code
- translation of any documents that are not in English
If you or your partner cannot speak or understand English, you must bring an interpreter with you to your appointment.
Getting married or forming a civil partnership abroad
Some countries require British citizens to provide a certificate of no impediment (CNI) before they can marry in that country.
We cannot issue a CNI to Commonwealth countries or Ireland.
Before booking an appointment to give notice for a CNI check:
- that you need one for the country where you intend to marry
- whether the certificate needs to state the exact venue or the town where the ceremony will take place
- how long the certificate will be valid in the country you wish to marry (this can differ)
- any other documents that are required and if they need to be legalised before you leave the UK
It costs £42 per person to apply for a CNI. If there are no legal objections, the certificate can be issued 28 days after the appointment.
More information on getting married or registering a civil partnership abroad (GOV.UK).
Arranging a marriage or civil partnership in exceptional circumstances
Section 31 of the Marriage Act 1949 and Section 12 of the Civil Partnership Act allows the Registrar General to reduce the 28-day waiting period if there are compelling reasons to do so.
Exceptional circumstances that may be considered for the waiver include terminal illness within the family.
The statutory fee for consideration of such an application is £66 per person. It is payable at the time of application and is non-refundable.
If either you or your partner are terminally ill with a very short life expectancy, you may be able to get married or form a civil partnership even sooner. This process is carried out under a Registrar General’s Licence.
Contact us on 01454 865150 for more information.