Religious Marriages

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GUIDANCE ON

RELGIOUS MARRIAGE PRELIMINARIES

 

OFFICIANTS : Ministers, Priests, Pastors, Chaplains, etc who will be solemnising marriages must be nominated to the Registrar General by a religious body and are known as Officiants.

 

NOTICE OF MARRIAGE

Notice for all religious marriages has to be given on the prescribed Marriage Notice Forms. The Marriage Notice forms are available at all Registration Offices or you can download a copy of the Marriage Notice Form by clicking here. Each of the two parties must complete and sign a Notice Form. The Officiant must also sign at least one of the Notice Forms to confirm that he/she has agreed to solemnise the marriage ceremony. If you officiant becomes unavailable for the ceremony, contact the Registrar at once because one of the Notice Forms must be signed by the substitute Officiant before the Schedule can be issued.

The parties should submit the Notice Forms to the Registrar of the District where the marriage is to be solemnised along with the relevant documents (see below) and the notice fee of £40.00 cash/cheque or debit/credit card. If paying by cheques, please make payable to "Lisburn City Council".

Notice may be given up to a year before the date of marriage. However, it is recommended that notice is given approximately 8 to 10 weeks before the wedding - the minimum notice period being 14 clear days before the date of marriage.

 

ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTS TO BE PRODUCED

All documents must be originals i.e not photocopies and if not in English, accompanied by a certified translation.

These documents must be produced when giving notice. The Registrar must see documents that prove your age, nationality and identity as follows:

Identity

A Full Birth Certificate (Long Version)

Status

If you are a widow, widower or surviving civil partner, the death certificate of your former spouse or civil partner.

If divorced - a decree absolute or a dissolution of Civil Partnership Certificate. Please note a decree nisi is not acceptable.

If reverted back to maiden name - last marriage certificate must be produced.

Consent

If 16 or 17 years - Consent Forms are available from Registrar

Nationality

Passport or National Identity Card

Since 9 May 2011, any person subject to immigration control wishing to give notice to marry no longer require a Certificate of Approval, any entry clearance for the purpose of marriage or settled status in the UK.

Immigration entry requirements remain unchanged.  Any person wishing to come to the UK to marry will still need to obtain the correct entry clearance before they travel to the UK.  Failure to obtain the correct entry clearance may result in admission to the UK being refused.  More information about entry clearance requirements can be obtained from the UK Border Agency or the Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau. For more information on this contact them on Tel: 087 0606 7766.

 

COLLECTION OF SCHEDULE

The Marriage schedule must be collected by either the bride or groom in person from the Registrar no earlier than 14 days before the marriage.

 

SOLEMNISATION OF MARRIAGE

An officiant can only solemnise a marriage when he or she is in receipt of a marriage schedule. Immediately after the ceremony, the schedule must be signed by the bride and groom, two witnesses (over 16 years of age) and the Officiant.

 

RETURN OF THE MARRIAGE SCHEDULE

It is responsibility of the parties to return the completed schedule, within 3 working days, to the Registrar of the District in which the marriage took place. This may be returned in person or by post. You may wish to ask a a close friend or relative to do this important task.

 

REGISTRATION OF THE MARRIAGE

Once the schedule is received the Registrar is responsible for registering the marriage. Then certified copies may be purchased from the Registrar on payment of the appropriate fee. Certificates are £8.00 at time of Registration, however £14.00 thereafter.