Giving Notice to Marry and Immigration Control

If you are subject to immigration control, you and the person you plan to marry will need to give notice to marry at a designated register office. All the registration offices in Scotland and Northern Ireland are designated register offices and 76 register office in England and Wales have been selected as designated register offices. A list of these 76 offices is available on the General Register office website and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate website.

In England and Wales, both of you must have at least seven days' residence in a registration district before you give your notices to marry. These notices can be given at any designated register office, and both of you must attend together. You will need to bring evidence of your names, addresses ages, nationalities and if either of you have married before, proof of your marital status.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland, notice to marry can be given by post, so you will not normally have to attend in person.

You must surrender your certificate of approval to the registrar when you give your notice to marry.

In England and Wales, once your notice to marry has been accepted, the wedding can take place at any register office or approved premises, or at any church or religious building registered for marriage in the district where you or the person you plan to marry live.

After you have given notice to marry, you have to wait 15 days before your wedding can take place (14 days in Scotland and Northern Ireland).

The notice to marry is valid for one year from the date on which it was given in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and for three months in Scotland. Your marriage must take place within this time, or you will have to apply for another certificate of approval and give notice to marry again.