Celebrate in Herefordshire Herefordshire 2019 | Page 11

Things you need to know
Legalities Giving Notice of Marriage
In order to be married or form
a civil partnership there are a
number of legal requirements
which must be observed. These
requirements will vary depending
on where the marriage is to
happen. So it is vital that one
of the first decisions which
you should make is where the
ceremony will take place. Before you can marry in a civil ceremony, there are
certain legal formalities that need to be observed.
The main requirement is for a couple to give notice
to the Superintendent Registrar in the district
where they live. You must have been resident for at
least seven clear days but it doesn’t matter if you
move once notice has been given.
If you decide to hold your marriage
ceremony at the Herefordshire
Register Office please check the
availability of the ceremony room
and make a provisional booking.
Call our ceremony co-ordinator on
01432 383261.
If you decide to hold your
marriage ceremony in one of
our approved premises you will
need to agree the date and time
with the venue manager and
then contact our ceremony co-
ordinator to provisionally book a
Registrar to attend on the day of
your ceremony.
You do not have to live in
Herefordshire to arrange a
marriage ceremony within the
county. It is best to book your
ceremony as far in advance as
possible, as popular dates and
times are quickly booked up.
My partner
is not British
People subject to UK immigration
can only give notice at certain
designated offices. Before they can
give notice they will also have to
either obtain a special visa in their
passport before arrival in the UK
or obtain a certificate of approval
from the Home Office or have a
right of abode in the UK.
Please contact Hereford Register
Office on 01432 383261 for further
details or visit www.gov.uk
Giving ‘notice’ means making a legal declaration
that you are both free to marry each other, and
will require you to provide certain documents. You
may do this up to one year before the date of your
wedding, and must be done in person. There will
be fee payable for this which is set nationally.
You will each be required to give an individual
notice. If you live in the same district, then notice
can be given in the same office, but if you live
in different districts, you will be required to give
notice in the district where you live. You must be
resident in the district for the preceding seven
days.
After giving notice you must wait a further 28 days
before the marriage can take place.
You can give notice of a marriage up to 12 months
in advance of your chosen date.
When you give notice the Registrar will ask
questions about you and your partner. You will be
asked your full names and addresses, your age and
whether either of you has been through any form
of marriage or civil partnership before.
It is necessary for you and your partner to provide
us with proof of your full name, age, nationality
and address and evidence that you are free to
marry. We will need to see your passport or full
birth certificate as well as a document confirming
your address such as a driving licence or recent
utility bill or bank statement.
If you have been married or in a civil partnership
before we will need to see evidence as to how it
ended – either a decree absolute or dissolution
document. If you are a widow or widower we will
need to see a certified copy of your spouse’s death
certificate.
If you have legally changed your name we will
need to see the registered deed poll.
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