Giving notice of marriage or civil partnership
Changes to the law took effect on 1 July 2021.
Please read the following information carefully to make sure you book the right appointment and bring the correct documents with you.
Please note your marriage cannot go ahead until the legal formalities have been completed.
You will need to have at least two other people who will witness the Solemnization and sign the Marriage or Civil Partnership Schedule.
Where to give notice
You can check which is the correct local registration district where you should give notice using the Register Office finder tool.
Option 1
If both of you have one of the following, you can give notice at your local register office:
- British or Irish citizenship
- settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) each of you for whom this applies must bring a share code which you can get from the view and prove your immigration status service. When you generate the code, it is valid for 30 days. The appointment to give notice can only go ahead if you bring with you a share code that is valid on the day of the appointment
- an application to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) that you made before 30 June 2021, which youre waiting for a decision on each of you for whom this applies must bring your certificate of application. The appointment cannot go ahead if you do not bring this with you
Option 2
If you do not both fall under the categories listed under Option 1, you and your partner must give notice together at a Register Office in which either of you resides. These appointments are not currently available to book online instead, please email RegisterOffice@Southend.Gov.Uk.
If your partner gave notice separately before 1 July 2021, they'll need to give notice again with you. You'll also need to bring all of the following additional documentation:
- a passport-sized photo of each of you (even if only one of you is from outside the UK)
- proof of your current immigration status (for example, your visa)
- a translation of any documents that are not in English
- An interpreter who can speak and read both English and your language fluently if either of you can’t understand or speak English (you can't interpret for each other)
The notice period for this type of appointment may be extended to up to 70 days if a referral to immigration is required. If this is the case there will be an additional fee of £12 per person
Documents you'll need to bring ( for either Option 1 or 2)
You must bring originals of the following documents, photocopies won't be accepted.
Proof of identity and nationality
This can be any of the following:
- a valid passport
- your full UK birth certificate
- proof of any name changes, for example, a copy of a deed poll
If you're not bringing a valid passport and were born on or after 1 January 1983, contact us so that we can advise on any extra ID you may need to bring.
Proof of address
This can be any of the following:
- gas, water or electricity bill dated within 3 months of your appointment
- bank or building society statement dated within one month of your appointment
- Council Tax bill from the last 12 months
- mortgage statement from the last 12 months
- current tenancy agreement
- letter from your landlord - this must state that you have resided at the address for the previous 7 whole days before the date you give notice, that the person providing the letter is the owner or proprietor, and state their name, address and be signed by them
If you’ve been married or in a civil partnership before
If you’ve been married or in a civil partnership before, you’ll also need to bring one of the following documents:
- a decree absolute or final order
- your former partner’s death certificate. If you're not named on your former partners death certificate, you will also have to bring your former marriage or civil partnership certificate
If your documents are not in English you must bring a full translation. There will be an additional fee to clear these documents.
Fees
There is a fee of £35 per person giving notice.
Foreign divorce for consideration locally is £50.
Foreign divorce for consideration by the General Register Office is £75.