This facility provides for a marriage to take place in circumstances where one of the parties is terminally or seriously ill and not expected to recover, and therefore cannot be moved to a place where the marriage would normally take place.
The marriage may be by civil or religious ceremony, excepting Church of England or Church in Wales, where the parties to the marriage must apply to the Archbishop of Canterbury for a special licence.
No residential qualification is necessary for either party, but a notice of marriage must be given by one of the parties to the Superintendent Registrar of the district where the marriage is to take place. Medical evidence of the sick person’s condition and their capacity to understand the nature and purport of the marriage ceremony will be required.
Both parties must be legally free to marry and normal evidence in respect of name, age, and marital status will be required.
There is no waiting period for the grant of the Registrar General’s Licence and once it is granted the marriage may take place at any time, either day or night, but within one month of the granting of the licence.
If the marriage is to be a civil ceremony, both the Superintendent Registrar and Registrar must attend, to perform and register the marriage. If it is by religious ceremony, other than by Church of England or Church in Wales, a Registrar must attend to register the marriage.
You must contact the Superintendent Registrar in the district where the marriage is to take place to apply for the licence.
