Before your ceremony, you have to complete a legal notice of marriage or civil partnership at the register office in the district where you live - or where at least one of you lives, depending on your immigration status.

When to give notice

At least 28 days before your marriage or civil partnership takes place. If one or both of you are subject to immigration control, you may have to do this further in advance - up to 70 days before. You have to hold your ceremony within one year after you give notice.

Getting married in a church

The Church of England, or Anglican Church does not come under the authority of the civil registration service & you are not required to give notice of marriage. If you wish to marry in a Church of England church, you must contact the vicar who will be able to advise you on all matters relating to the legal requirements, calling of banns and your ceremony.

If either party to the marriage is an EEA national(s) and does not have settled or pre-settled status (or a pending application), or a non-EEA national(s) you may be subject to immigration control & therefore you would be required to give your notice of marriage together at the register office in the district in which you have both lived for the previous 8 days. 

What to bring

Proof of name, surname, date of birth and nationality

One of the following original documents (or groups of documents) must be provided as evidence:

• Valid passport
• Certificate of registration as a British citizen granted by the Secretary of State together with one of the first 6 documents listed under evidence required as evidence of address
• If you were born in the United Kingdom before 1 January 1983
  • United Kingdom birth certificate
  • one of the of the first six documents listed under evidence required as evidence of address
• If you were born in the United Kingdom on or after 1 January 1983 but before 1 July 2006
  • your full United Kingdom birth certificate showing parents’ details
  • one of the of the first six documents listed under evidence required as evidence of address
  • evidence of your mother’s British citizenship or settled status at the time of your birth (e.g. a passport describing her as a British citizen or indicating that she then had indefinite leave to enter or remain), or the above for your father providing your parents were married
  • your parents’ marriage certificate if using your fathers documentation
• If you were born in the United Kingdom on or after 1 July 2006
  • your full birth certificate showing parents’ details
  • one of the of the first six documents listed under evidence required as evidence of address
  • evidence of either parents’ British citizenship or settled status at the time of your birth (e.g. a passport describing them as a British citizen or indicating that he or she then had indefinite leave to enter or remain)
• Valid travel document issued in the United Kingdom at the discretion of the Secretary of State to persons who have been formally and, in the view of the Secretary of State, unreasonably, refused a passport by the authorities in their own countries and who have;
  • been granted limited leave to enter or remain or humanitarian protection on rejection of a claim for asylum or for recognition as a stateless person
  • been granted indefinite leave to remain
• Valid travel document issued pursuant to Article 28 of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees done at Geneva on 28 July 1951
• Valid travel document issued pursuant to Article 28 of the Stateless Convention

Proof of immigration status

In addition to the documents you need to provide when giving notice, you must provide evidence of your immigration status:

• Proof of settled, pre-settled or pending EUSS status, including the share code from the GOV.UK website (note, the share code must not be older than 30 days on the day of your appointment)
• Valid biometric residence permit
• Valid UK visa/entry clearance in passport
• Valid Home Office endorsement in passport
• Valid UK residence permit in passport

If you don't have the correct proof your marriage will be referred to the Home Office, who may decide to extend your notice period for 70 days if they wish to investigate further. The marriage cannot take place until approval is granted by the Home Office.

Photographs

Couples will need to provide a colour photograph at the time of giving notice unless you are either a British or Irish national or can provide proof of settled status. Please note if either party is a foreign national without proof of settled status then both parties will need to provide a colour photograph.

Each photograph must be a UK passport style and size and meet the following criteria:

• It should clearly show your face with a neutral expression
• You must not be wearing any head covering (other than for religious or medical reasons)
• You must be photographed alone with no other person or object in shot
• It should be unmarked, unaltered and without tears or creases
• It must be a recent photo and show a current likeness

Visa requirements 

If you're entering the UK for the purpose of marrying or entering into civil partnership you must check with the UKVI that you have the correct visa to do so; this would usually be a marriage or civil partnership visa.

Please note - officers at Warrington registration service are unable to offer any advice regarding immigration matters.

Abuse of immigration laws

We're working with the Home Office to identify marriages and civil partnerships which seek to abuse UK immigration laws.

Anybody found to be arranging, facilitating or entering into a marriage or civil partnership solely to gain permission to stay in the UK risks arrest or prosecution. Foreign nationals may also face deportation and be barred from re-entering the UK for up to 14 years.

Please bring the original documents

All of your documents must be the originals, we can’t accept photocopies. Any documents not in English must be accompanied by an English translation.

If you don’t bring all of the necessary documents with you we can’t accept your notice, and you’ll need to book another appointment at a later date.

Costs

Giving Notice of marriage or civil partnership costs £42 per person (or £57 per person, depending on immigration status).

Book an appointment