Give notice of a marriage or civil partnership

What is a notice of marriage or civil partnership

A notice of marriage or civil partnership is a legal statement you must sign. It gives details of your name, age, address, occupation, nationality and where you will get married.

For all marriages or civil partnerships you must give at least 29 full days’ notice at the register office. This could be extended to 70 days if you are subject to a Home Office Referral. 

You can only give notice if you have lived in the area for at least the past 8 days.

In order to give notice of intent to marry or form a civil partnership, you must be 18 years old or over. Once you have given us notice, you must get married or register your civil partnership within 1 year.

At a notice appointment, you will need to confirm the exact venue you will be marrying or forming your civil partnership. Once your notice has been given, you are unable to amend the venue.

Where to give notice

You and your partner will need to give notice separately if you live in different registration districts. You do not have to do this on the same day.

If one of you is from outside the UK

You and your partner must give notice together, unless you both have one of the following:

• British or Irish citizenship
• settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
• an application to the EU Settlement Scheme that you made before 30 June 2021, which you’re waiting for a decision on

You must give your notice together at a Register Office in the district where at least one of you lives.

If your partner had already given notice separately before 1 July 2021, they will need to give notice again with you.

Where your notice will be displayed

Your notice will be publicly displayed in the register office for 28 days.

There are different rules for:

• religious ceremonies 
• you or your partner are a foreign national from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland

Notice fees

The fee for completing a notice of marriage or civil partnership is £35 per person (or £47 per person if you are subject to immigration control).

You can only get a refund for an appointment if cancelled 48 hours before the notice appointment.

If you are late for your appointment, we won't be able to see you and you will be charged the booking fee again.

Book a notice appointment

Appointments can only be booked directly by one of the partners getting married or forming the civil partnership.

Book a notice appointment online

Before booking a notice appointment, please ensure you have read further information provided on gov.uk, as the rules for nationals without British or Irish citizenship changed from 1 July 2021.

Documents to take to your appointment

You’ll need to take proof of your name, age and nationality.

For example your:

• valid passport
• full British birth certificate with photo ID (If you were born in the UK before 1 January 1983)
• full British birth certificate with evidence that either of your parents were British or settled in the UK at the time of your birth (full British birth certificate, valid British passport from the time of your birth or their naturalisation certificate, if you were born in the UK after 1 January 1983)
• biometric residence card or permit
• Home Office issued travel document

The registrar also needs proof of your address, for example:

• a valid full UK driving licence
• an original gas, water or electricity bill from the last 3 months
• an original bank or building society statement from the last month
• council tax bill from the last 12 months
• letter from your landlord confirming you live there and including your landlord’s name, address and their signature dated within the last 8 days

An original document is one that comes through the post and not a printout from the internet. Bank statements are acceptable if issued, stamped and certified by the bank.

If you have been married or in a civil partnership previously, in this country or any other country:

• original decree absolute (UK) or final divorce document, with a third-party translation if not in English
• an original death certificate of former spouse or civil partner, with a third-party translation if not in English.

Foreign divorces are subject to a clearance fee of £75 if sent to the General Register Office and £50 if the Register Office has the authority to clear it. 

If you or your partner are from outside the UK

You’ll also need to bring:

• a passport sized photo for each of you (even if only one of you from outside the UK)
• proof of your current immigration status (for example, your visa)
• a translation of any documents that are not in English

If you’re from the EU, EEA or Switzerland

You will only need to bring the passport photos, proof of your immigration status and translated documents if you’re giving notice on or after 1 July 2021.

If you’re giving notice from 1 July 2021, you’ll also need to bring confirmation of either:

• your settled or pre-settled status (you’ll need to bring a share code which you can get from the view and prove your immigration status service, which will be valid for 30 days)
• an application to the EU settlement scheme you made on or before 30 June 2021, which you’re waiting for a decision on (you’ll need to bring your certificate of application)

Giving notice in a different borough to your ceremony 

If you are having your ceremony in another borough, they will receive an electronic notification when a marriage or civil partnership notices given in Barnet to the Register Office.

Contact

Barnet Register Office
Hendon Town Hall
The Burroughs
London
NW4 4BG

Telephone 020 8359 6400

Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm