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Giving notice of marriage or civil partnership in St Helens

COVID-19: Advice for couples with ceremonies booked or giving notice of intention to marry

 

We are re-booking ceremonies that were cancelled due to COVID-19. Please email registryoffice@sthelens.gov.uk to change the date of your ceremony if you are looking to book for 2021.

As we have no date for the re-opening of the register office, and due to social distancing and limits on the number of people who can attend a ceremony when the service resumes, we are only taking new bookings for 2021 at this time.

All monies paid to St Helens Registration Service will be carried over to the new booking.

Please read these frequently asked questions about your ceremony.

For those who have paid for a notice and not completed the service, the fee will be transferred to another date.

We await clarification for those who have given notice and the legal document has expired.

Please also read these frequently asked questions about post-dated passports. All correspondence must be made with the relevant passport office.

What is a notice of marriage or civil partnership?

The notice of marriage or civil partnership is a legal statement which you must sign. 

The notice states the names, age, marital status, address, occupation and nationality of the people intending to marry or form a civil partnership. It also states the intended venue for the ceremony.

Notices are displayed on the public notice boards of the register office for 28 days. Only after the 28 days can the 'authorities for marriage' or civil partnership 'schedule' be issued. 

The 'authorities for marriage' or 'schedule' are only valid for use in the venue stated, so it is vital that you are certain of the place in which you plan to be married or form a civil partnership at the time of giving your notice. If you need to change the venue after giving your notice, you will be required to give fresh notices stating the new venue.

The following information relates to marriages or civil partnerships in England or Wales providing both parties:

  • are over the age of 18.
  • are British, EEA or Swiss nationals.
  • usually reside in England or Wales.

If either party is a national from a country outside of the EEA, you will need to read the page on non-EEA foreign nationals.

If you are getting married at a register office, an approved venue or a religious building (except Church of England or Church in Wales as notice may not be required), you should give your notices at the register office where you have lived for the preceding eight days.

Notices are valid for one year. The minimum time between giving notice and getting married or forming a civil partnership is 28 clear days.

If you live in another district, find your local register office.

If you are unable to attend the register office due to long term or serious illness please contact us to discuss alternatives.

It costs £35 for each notice (£70 per couple).

Identification is required to give notice. Please see 'What documents will we need to provide' below for further information. If the correct identification is not available at your appointment, a further appointment will need to be made, incurring an additional £35 per person. 

Appointments are Monday to Friday only. We do not offer Saturday appointments. 

We offer limited late-night appointments for an additional fee. Please contact us for more information.

Book your notice appointment

Please note, you are only able to select a date on our online system. The registrars will check the diary and return to you with an appointment time within the next 48 hours. 

Please note: If the correct identification is not available at your appointment, a further appointment will need to be made, incurring an additional £35 per person. 

At your appointment you will need the following documents:

Evidence of name changes (if applicable)

  • If you have ever had a formal name change, you will be asked to present the legal document showing the change (for example, a deed poll document or marriage certificate from your previous marriage(s)).

Proof of your name and nationality

  • Your valid passport.
  • If you do not have a passport, you must bring your birth certificate. If you were born on or after 1st January 1983 and do not have a passport, you will need to present your full birth certificate and the birth certificate or passport of your biological or adopted mother. Provided your parents were married at the time of your birth, you may instead present the birth certificate or passport of your biological/adopted father AND his marriage certificate to your mother.
  • If you are from an EEA member state or Switzerland, you may instead present your National Identity Card.

Proof of your immigration status (if applicable)

  • If you are neither British, from an EEA member state nor Swiss, you will need to prove your immigration status. If you have Right of Abode in the UK or Diplomatic status, you will need to show the relevant Home Office endorsement in your passport. (If you have neither Right of Abode nor Diplomatic Status, you will need to contact a Designated Register Office to book your notice appointment.)

Proof of your current address

  • Valid driving licence.
  • Council tax bill (dated no more than 1 year before your appointment).
  • Utility bill (dated no more than 3 months before your appointment).
  • Bank statement (dated no more than 1 month before your appointment).
  • Mortgage statement (dated no more than 1 year before your appointment).
  • Current residential tenancy agreement.
  • If you cannot supply any of the above documents, please telephone 01744 673395 for advice. 

Proof of ending of a previous marriage or civil partnership (if applicable)

  • If divorced, you will need to present the decree absolute from your most recent marriage (showing the original court stamp).
  • If your previous civil partnership was dissolved, you will need to present a document confirming the dissolution of the civil partnership granted by a court of civil jurisdiction in the UK.
  • If widowed, you will need to bring the marriage and death certificates of your former spouse.

Note: if you were divorced or have had a civil partnership dissolved outside of the British Isles, please contact your Registrar for advice on acceptable documentation after booking your appointment. There will be an additional charge of up to £75.00 for consideration of overseas divorce / dissolution documentation.

Where any document listed above was created outside the UK and is not in English, a full third-party translation must be provided. The person who provides the translation must include a statement to confirm that it is a true translation of the document and must sign and date it and include their name and contact details (address and telephone number).

All documentation must be original. Photocopies will not be accepted. If you fail to produce any of the required documentation at your notice appointment, your appointment will have to be remade, which may cause a delay in proceedings and will incur a further fee.