Sockdogg

We are currently PR in Nova Scotia and were hoping to get married in England on the 23rd December 2011, flying into the UK on the 12th.

We're at the early stages of planning and just started to book the venue and have been told that we have to serve an intent to marry.

This can be done at the earliest on 7th December and we will have had to live in the country for 9 days prior to this and therefore have to enter the country on Nov 29th.

We are unable to do this as it'll mean taking extra time off from work, so does anybody have any ideas as to how to get around filing the intent to marry paperwork. Can it be done via post/video conference?

Any help/suggestions are appreciated.

Souvy

I'd suggest that you call the registry office where you plan to get married and ask them.

fledermaus

Reading the Registrar's website it looks like you can give notice in Canada but it's not clear whether this applies to both of you or just one.

As Souvy says you should speak to the registrar's office where you plan to marry. Presumably you have booked the date with them. Or just get married in Canada and have the party in the UK.

macadian

Or don't get married at all, save a shit load of cash and live happily ever after.....

Best of luck....

danfolkestone

It may be worth investigating getting married in an Anglican church. They operate to different rules from civil weddings, although I don't know whether the 9 day rule still applies. A lot of vicars insist that you either live in their parish or attend their church regularly for 6 months, but some are prepared to be more lenient. My sister was able to use a friend's address to have her wedding in her chosen church, at her vicar's suggestion.

Sockdogg

Hi,

thank you for all your responses. I don't think we can work around the residency period required so we'll just have to have a re-think.

thanks again

Sockdogg

Siouxie

If you get married in a civil ceremony in Scotland I believe you can do it without actually attending the registrars offices - you can mail the applications in. You can read more here: http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/regsc...-about-it.html

fledermaus

So you can't do this from Canada then as the website says?? What did the registrar's office say?

This would be useful information for others who want to marry in the UK so do please post what you have found out.

Siouxie

Having looked at the DirectGov website, it seems if you marry in a Church of England or Church of Wales there is no need to have dealings with the Registrars office.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governme...hips/DG_175715

Religious marriages
If you wish to be married in the Church of England or Church in Wales, speak to the vicar of the church in which you wish to marry. There is usually no need to involve your local register office.

If you wish to have a religious ceremony other than in the Church of England or Church in Wales, you should usually:

first arrange to see the person in charge of marriages at the building
normally live in the same district as the church or religious building
give formal notice to the superintendent registrar at your local register office unless one of you is subject to immigration control

You will need to bring at least two other people who can sign as witnesses at your wedding.

To find out more about giving notice read the Marriage and civil partnership: your legal obligations article below. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governme...hips/DG_175717

Giving notice of marriage or civil partnership

You both must give notice in person - no one else can do it on your behalf It is a legal requirement to give notice in advance of marriage or civil partnership. Your notice is publicly displayed for fifteen days, after which the authority for your marriage or civil partnership can be granted. Each notice is valid for one year, but if you decide to change venue, new notices must be given.


If you are getting married in the Church of England or Church in Wales, then you do not usually have to give notice of marriage.

Your residency status before giving notice

You both need to have lived in the area in which you wish to give notice for at least seven full days, immediately before giving notice.

*** You do not have to give notice if marrying in a Church of England! ***

(The giving notice in overseas countries only lists Newfoundland as a co-signatory to the agreement.)

Church of England: http://www.yourchurchwedding.org/you...oose-from.aspx

Sockdogg

Hi fledermaus,

The registrar's office explained that 'rules is rules', and that we would need to be in the UK for 9 days (it's 7 on all the websites I've looked at but I think it's longer because we are non-residents), and that after declaring our intent to marry, we have to wait 15 days.

You can indeed register intent from Canada, if you live in Newfoundland (there's a pdf of the British Subjects Facilities Act on the direct.gov website)

For us, we haven't got the holiday time from work to spend that long in the UK and marrying in a Church isn't an option for my partner, but that's not to say it's an impossibility for all, just for us.

cheers for your help though

Sockdogg

Siouxie

Please note that is the Registrars office... and different rules govern.

If you marry in a Church of England you do not have to register or give notice to the Registrars office - only with the vicar! You can marry in the Church of England without too much of a religeous ceremony and even if you are divorced.. times have changed! http://www.churchofengland.org/our-v.../marriage.aspx and http://www.yourchurchwedding.org/you...-a-church.aspx You could also apply for a special licence.. http://www.facultyoffice.org.uk/Marriage.html

HPJOS

Not sure how feasible this is but could you get married here in Canada (the 'official" bit) and have a celebration of marriage service in the UK with all your family (assuming that is why you are planning to get married there?).

Just a suggestion - I know a girl who I work with who got married here in Alberta (His parents hosted that one) then went back to Nova Scotia in the summer to celebrate with her large extended family who couldn't fly out for the wedding, they had a ring ceremony and full-on reception that her parents hosted.

Good luck, hope everything works out for you!

Helen