Legal Formalities
Unless you are marrying in the Church of England or Church in Wales by Banns or Common Licence, a notice of marriage, must be given by both parties, personally to the Superintendent Registrar at your local Register Office.
It is a legal requirement and, once given, your notices of marriage are displayed on the notice board at the register office for a period of 15 days. A legal document covered by the Perjury Act 1911, a notice of marriage states the names of the people to be married, age, marital status, address, occupation, nationality and the intended venue for the marriage.
Both of you must have lived in a registration district, in England or Wales for at least seven days immediately prior to giving notice at the register office. If you both live in Waltham Forest you should attend together at the Register Office in Grove Road. If you live in different districts then each of you will need to give notice separately in your respective districts, unless one or both of you are subject to immigration control.
After giving notice you must then both wait a further sixteen days before the marriage can take place – for example if notice is given on 1 July, the ceremony can take place on or after 17 July. Once given the notice is valid for 12 months.
Documents Required
When you come to the office to give your notice of intention to marry, you will need to produce evidence of your name, age, marital status, nationality and address. A current valid passport is the preferred document for your identity. If you are not subject to immigration control you may also provide a birth certificate or national identity card.
You must be over 18 years of age. If you are between 16 years and 18 years old you must have your parents/guardians written consent to the marriage (a form is available for this purpose from the Register Office).
If you have been married before you will need to produce documentation to confirm that you are now free to marry. If you are divorced or the marriage was annulled you must have the decree absolute, bearing the court’s original stamp. Photocopies are not acceptable. If the divorce was granted in a foreign country and is not in the English language, a certified translation of the divorce document will also be required. If you are widowed, you will need to produce the death certificate of your former spouse and the marriage certificate. If these documents are not in English certified translations will be required.
When attending to give notice of marriage at the Register Office you must also produce two official proof of address documents. Acceptable proof can be in the form of council tax bills, utility bills, driving licence etc.
If EITHER of the couple to be married, do not speak English, you must bring an interpreter with you. This can be another member of your family or a friend who has command of the English language.
Please note, your marriage cannot take place until the legal formalities have been completed
