Giving a Notice of Marriage/Civil Partnership

What is a Notice of Marriage/Civil Partnership?

A notice is a legal statement of your intention to enter into marriage or form a Civil Partnership.

A notice must be given whether you are to hold your ceremony at a Register Office, Approved Premise or place for religious Worship. NB: The church in England and Church in Wales generally call Banns instead of giving notice (see guidance below).

If you are planning to hold your ceremony abroad, then you would need to consult the authorities of that country in advance, to ensure you obtain the correct documentation from the UK.

A notice appointment takes approximately 30 mins per person to complete.

Where and when can a notice be given?

The requirements are different depending on your nationality:

If you are British, Irish or an EEA citizen with EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status granted or applied for before 30 June 2021

• You must each give your notice of marriage or civil partnership at the Register Office in the district where you have lived for the 7 clear days prior to the notice appointment date.
• If you both live in the Torfaen Registration District you can book a double appointment and attend together or can book single notice appointments and attend separately.

If one or both of you are a non-EEA national or an EEA citizen without EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status:

• One of you must have lived in the Torfaen Registration District for 7 clear days immediately before giving notice
• You must book a double notice appointment and attend together
• Please note: A notice can be given up to a year in advance of the Marriage/Partnership date, but not less than 28 days before the Ceremony date

What if we are getting married in a church or religious building?

If you are planning to marry in the Church of England or Church in Wales you must carry out the legal formalities by Banns or Common Licence (please check with your Church) However, where one or both of you are non-EEA or EEA nationals without EUSS status you will be required to give your notice of marriage together at a register office in a district of England or Wales where one or both of you has lived for 7 clear days prior to the date of notice.

If you wish to marry in any other denomination of faith, one or both of you must live in the district where the place of worship is located.

If you are both British, Irish or an EEA citizen with EUSS granted or applied for before 30 June 2021, you must give your notice in the district where you have lived for the 7 clear days prior to your notice appointment date

If one or both of you are non-EEA or EEA nationals without EUSS status then you must book a double appointment in the district where one of you has lived for the 7 clear days prior to the date of your appointment

In the first instance you should check with the church or place of worship you wish to marry in to see if they are available for the date you are considering and to confirm what is required and also if a Registrar needs to be booked to attend the ceremony in order to register the marriage.

What documents are needed to give a Notice?

When you make an appointment to give notice, the registration officer will advise you on the documents you will need depending on your specific circumstances. The documents required are prescribed by law and these requirements are slightly different depending on your nationality. All documents must be originals, we are unable to accept electronic format. You may not be able to give legal notice unless you can provide the required documents so this must be discussed with the registration officer before attendance at the Register Office.

What happens after my notice has been given?

Your notice must be displayed publicly for 28 clear days before a marriage or civil partnership schedule can be issued. However, if one or both parties to the marriage / civil partnership is subject to immigration control, this legal wait period may be extended, by the Home Office, to 70 days.

How much does it cost to give a Notice?

The statutory fee is £42 per person and it is £57 per person where the couple are subject to the Home Office referral and investigation scheme.

If you would like to book a ceremony or require any further guidance, please contact the office on 01495 742132 or email: registrars@torfaen.gov.uk where staff will be happy to help.

Last Modified: 28/05/2024 Back to top