Information for Non-EU Citizens

European Union member countries

For a list of European Union member countries see the page European Union member countries.

This information is for those persons wishing to give Notice and who are subject to Home Office Immigration Control.

It is a legal requirement for you both to give Notice of your Intention and, once given, your notices are displayed on the notice board at the register office for a period of fifteen days. A legal document covered by the Perjury Act 1911, a Notice states the names of the people intending to be married or to form a civil partnership, age, marital status, address, occupation, nationality and the intended venue for the ceremony.

After giving Notice you must then wait a further 16 days before the ceremony can take place - for example, if Notice is given on 1 July, the ceremony can take place on or after 17 July. Once given, your Notice is valid for 12 months.

From 1 February 2005 if you are subject to immigration control you will not be able to give a Notice unless:

You have an entry clearance granted expressly for the purpose of marriage or civil partnership registration in the UK. Entry clearance is the granting of permission to enter the UK by an Entry Clearance Officer in the British Embassy/High Commission in the person's country. It will usually be shown as a visa in the person's passport or travel document, for example, a Fiancé/e Visa, Marriage Visitor's Visa or Civil Partnership Visa.

You have the written permission of the Secretary of State to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK - this will take the form of a Certificate of Approval which can be obtained from the Immigration and Nationality Department. This will usually only be issued where the person has been granted leave to enter or remain for over six months from the date on which they entered the UK and that leave is still in force. The Certificate of Approval will have to be surrendered to the Superintendent Registrar when notice is given.

You fall within a class of persons specified by the Secretary of State. This will be someone with settled status in the UK.

Once you fulfil one of these criteria you will then have to give Notice of your Intention at one of the 76 Designated Register Offices in England and Wales. You must attend that register office together. You can download and print a list of the Designated Register Offices [PDF file](File size: 6.8Kb).

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have enough time to complete all of the required paperwork and to give Notice before the date of any ceremony you have booked. In addition you must make sure that you have enough valid leave left in the UK to allow you to remain in the UK until the date of your ceremony.

Registration officers have a statutory duty to report any marriage or civil partnership they suspect has been arranged for the sole purpose of evading statutory immigration controls.

Please note: the minimum legal age for getting married or forming a civil partnership in England and Wales is 16 years of age but written consent will be required for anyone under 18.

Further information about obtaining a certificate of approval and the class of persons who will be exempt from these provisions is available from the Home Office advice number on 0870 606 7766 (Home Office Croydon) or on the Home Office website www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk

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