Planning to Get Married?
Depending on your wedding plans there are a number of ways in which we can help.
The easiest way to work out what you need is for you to fill in our marriage enquiry form. The form will allow you to book an appointment to submit your marriage notice application forms.
**Please note that if you are having a religious/humanist/belief ceremony, then only one person is required to attend the appointment. If a registrar is conducting your ceremony, then both must attend the appointment.**
If you would like a Registrar to conduct your wedding ceremony, our registrars can conduct your civil wedding ceremony at one of our registry offices or at an approved venue. Civil ceremonies are non-religious.
If you’d like to enquire about one of our registrars conducting your wedding ceremony complete our civil wedding ceremony enquiry form.
To marry in Northern Ireland, you and your partner must be:
-
Aged 18 or older on the day of your wedding (consent needed if either is aged 16 or 17)
-
Unrelated to one another in a way that would prevent you from getting married
-
Free to marry, for example, neither of you is already a civil partner or legally married
Notice of Marriage
You need to complete a Notice of Marriage Form before your ceremony can take place and return it along with other documents to the Registrar's office in the district where you intend to marry. Forms are available at any Registration Office or to download at the link above.
These forms, which give formal 'notice' to the Registrar of your intent to marry and must be completed by you and your partner.
They are valid for 12 months from the date of notice. This means you must tell us about your plans to get married within the 12-month period before your wedding date, and no later than 28 days before your ceremony.
Notice forms should be returned to the Registrar of the district in which you intend to marry, along with the relevant documents (listed below) and fees.
-
Your full (long version) birth certificate (authorised photocopies will not be accepted)
-
Your valid passport
-
Share code to show immigration status (If you are an EU national have settled or pre-settled status under EU Settlement Scheme or have a decision pending on an application submitted before 1 July 2021)
-
A consent form if aged 16 or 17 (available from the Registrar)
-
If you have been married before and the marriage was dissolved, a certificate of divorce or annulment or a certified copy decree (decrees must be absolute or final)
-
If you have been married more than once, only the documents for your most recent marriage are required
-
If you have entered into a civil partnership before, a court order of dissolution for that partnership
-
If you are a widow, widower or surviving civil partner, the death certificate of your former spouse or civil partner
-
Immigration Status Statement plus relevant documents (if you are not a British or Irish Citizen or a person with leave granted under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) or have a decision pending on an application for EUSS leave submitted before 1 July 2021).
Fees
Contact the registration office and make an appointment to submit forms.