Give notice of your marriage or civil partnership

You need to give notice before you and your partner get married or form your civil partnership.

You must sign a legal statement to say you intend to get married or form a civil partnership. This is known as ‘giving notice’.

You can give notice in England and Wales if you’re:

• 18 or over
• not already married or in a civil partnership

 

Important

You may not need to give notice for ceremonies with the Church of England or Church of Wales. Check with the church or on the Church of England website.

If you do not live in England or Wales, you must live here for seven days before giving notice. The day you arrive and the day of your appointment do not count.

 

Where to give notice

If you live in Redbridge and are not subject to immigration control, you’ll need to give notice in Redbridge.

If your partner lives in a different borough, they need to give notice there.

You're not subject to immigration control if you’re:

• a British citizen
• an Irish citizen
• a person who has been granted EU Settlement Status (EUSS) or has a pending application submitted before 30 June 2021

Find your local register office on GOV.UK

If you’re subject to immigration control

You and your partner must give notice together at a district where one of you live. The Home Office will be advised about your plan to marry or form a civil partnership.

If you want to get married abroad

You’ll need to follow the law in your chosen country.

• find out who you need to contact to confirm your requirements on GOV.UK's getting married abroad

If you need a ‘certificate of no impediment’, you can get this from us. You’ll need to give notice, just as if you were marrying in England.

 

What you need to know

Before you book your appointment:

• you’ll need to decide if you’re giving a marriage or civil partnership notice. We cannot advise you. See the difference between a marriage and a civil partnership
• you must give notice at least 29 days before the ceremony
• you must hold your ceremony within 12 months of giving notice
• you must confirm with the venue that it’s available for the ceremony. Your ceremony must take place at the venue on the notice
• If you change the venue or bring in wrong documents, you’ll need to book another appointment and pay again

 

Cost

A notice costs £42 per person.

If you’re subject to immigration control, the cost is £57 per person.

You’ll need to pay this at the time of booking your appointment. You can pay with a debit or credit card.

 

What you need to bring

Documents

You’ll need to provide original documents. You cannot print, bring photocopies or show us on a mobile device.

• your name, age, address and nationality
• your status if you or your partner are subject to immigration control
• a Decree Absolute or Final Order from the UK if divorced. If this is electronic then you need to bring a printed paper version with the covering email
• foreign divorce papers translated into English if divorced abroad
• a death certificate and marriage certificate if widowed
• bring a recent passport style photo if you or your partner are subject to immigration control
• If you have a immigration status, you’ll need a ‘share code’. You can get this from the GOV.UK 

Other documents you may need

You must bring translations for documents not in English. The translator must write their name, address and say it’s a true and accurate translation.

There is a charge for consideration of divorce/civil partnership dissolution documentation issued outside of the British Isles (United Kingdom, Isle of Man or Channel Islands).

• £55 if the documents are cleared by the superintendent registrar at the local register office
• £83 if the documents are referred to the General Register Office (GRO)

At your appointment

You’ll be asked for:

• the venue for your ceremony
• when your ceremony will be
• the town and country (if abroad) where the ceremony will take place
• you and your partner's name and full address
• you and your partner’s job title
• your mother and father's full names and their jobs (optional)

 

 

Location of your appointment

You must attend your appointment in person. Only the person giving notice can attend.

Your appointment will take place at Redbridge Town Hall:

128-142 High Road
Ilford
Essex
IG1 1DD

If you do not speak English

You must bring your own translator. The translator must bring their ID. They need to be with you at the appointment.

You cannot translate for each other.

 

Book an appointment

To book your appointment, you’ll need:

• you and your partner’s full name, date of birth and address
• name of venue
• date of ceremony

You need to arrive five minutes before your appointment time. If you’re late, you’ll not be seen. This means you’ll need to rebook and pay the cost again.

Book a give notice appointment

 

Change your appointment

You must contact us more than two working days before your appointment date if you need to cancel or rearrange your appointment.

You’ll need to pay the cost for a new appointment if you do not let us know.

 

Convert your civil partnership into a marriage

You can only convert your civil partnership to marriage if:

• it was registered in England or Wales
• it took place overseas in a consulate or armed forces base to the laws of England and Wales

You do not need to convert your civil partnership with the same local authority who registered it.

For example, if your civil partnership took place in Surrey your conversion can still take place in Redbridge.

You’ll get a marriage certificate, dated when your civil partnership was formed. There is no ceremony or guests.

The cost is £50 to convert your civil partnership and £12.50 for each certificate.

Convert with a ceremony

You can make promises to each other in front of guests. You’ll need to sign a ‘conversion into marriage’ declaration.

The cost will be £30 for an appointment and the registrar's ceremony fee.

You’ll need to find a registered venue for your ceremony. You’ll pay the cost of the venue.

Contact us to book a conversion appointment.