Documents required when giving notice

Evidence of your identity, nationality, and immigration status

British and Irish citizens

When you attend your appointment at the register office, you need to take proof of your name, age, and nationality. This is usually your:

  • Valid passport

For British citizens only, if you do not have a valid passport, you may alternatively present your:

  • Birth certificate*
  • Certificate of Naturalisation, or Certificate of Registration, as a British citizen granted by the Secretary of State

*If you were born after 31 December 1982 please take your full birth certificate, which shows your parents’ names, with:

  • Your mother’s birth certificate.
    • If your mother was born on or before 31 December 1982 this can be a short or a full birth certificate.
    • If your mother was born after 31 December 1982, please ensure your mother's birth certificate is a full certificate, showing her parents' names, and additionally take your maternal grandmother's short or full birth certificate.
    • If your maternal grandmother's birth certificate is not available, and your maternal grandparents are/were married to each other, you can take your maternal grandfather's short or full certificate and maternal grandparents' marriage certificate instead.
  • If your mother's birth certificate is not available and your natural parents are/were married to each other, you can take your father's birth certificate and parents' marriage certificate instead.
    • If your father was born on or before 31 December 1982 this can be a short or a full birth certificate.
    • If your father was born after 31 December 1982, please ensure your father's birth certificate is a full certificate, showing his parents' names, and additionally take your paternal grandmother's short or full birth certificate.
    • If your paternal grandmother's birth certificate is not available, and your paternal grandparents are/were married to each other, you can take your paternal grandfather's short or full certificate and paternal grandparents' marriage certificate instead.
  • If your parents' birth certificates are not available, a valid parent's UK passport can be accepted, but it must be in the name that appears on your full birth certificate. Please note that if it is your father's passport, we will also require your parents' marriage certificate.

If you are adopted, your adoption certificate should be produced together with the birth certificate of either your adopted mother or father.

If you produce your birth certificate, certificate of naturalisation, or certificate of registration you must bring one of the first six items on the list of acceptable proof of address documents (the seventh item is not acceptable in this instance).

Citizens of any country other than the UK and Ireland, with EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) leave

When you attend your appointment at the register office, you need to take proof of your name, age, and nationality. This is usually your:

  • Valid passport
  • Please note EEA and Swiss ID cards are not acceptable proof of nationality

You must also provide proof of your EUSS leave (either settled status, pre-settled status, or a pending application for such leave). To prove that you have settled status or pre-settled status, you must request a share code no more than 30 days before your notice appointment to provide to the registration officer during your appointment.

If your application for EUSS leave is still pending, and you do not yet have confirmed status, providing you applied for your EUSS leave before 1 July 2021, your Certificate of Application (CoA), or a share code must be produced.  If you are not able to produce either of these documents then please telephone 0300 123 6705 before you book an appointment.

Citizens of any country other than the UK and Ireland, without EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) leave

Please note some couples must take passport style photographs for the registration officer to retain (see below for more detail).

You need to take proof of your name, age, and nationality. This is usually your:

  • Valid passport
  • Please note EEA and Swiss ID cards are not acceptable proof of nationality
  • Valid biometric residence permit
  • Valid travel document issued in the United Kingdom at the discretion of the Secretary of State to persons who have been formally and, in the view of the Secretary of State, unreasonably, refused a passport by the authorities in their own countries and who have—
    • been granted limited leave to enter or remain or humanitarian protection on rejection of a claim for asylum or for recognition as a stateless person; or
    • been granted indefinite leave to remain
  • Valid travel document issued pursuant to Article 28 of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees done at Geneva on 28 July 1951
  • Valid travel document issued pursuant to Article 28 of the Stateless Convention

If you are exempt from immigration control you should also bring proof of your exemption e.g. Right of Abode, Military Exemption, or Diplomatic Exemption. This can be in the form of:

  • Valid UK certificate of entitlement in passport
  • Valid UK entry clearance in passport
  • Valid Home Office endorsement in passport

If you are unsure about whether you have a qualifying exemption, please phone us on 0300 123 6705 during opening hours, which are Monday to Friday 9am to 4.30pm.

If you have settled status (not connected with the EUSS), i.e. indefinite leave to enter or indefinite leave to remain, you should also take proof of your settled status. This can be in the form of:

  • Valid biometric residence permit
  • Valid Home Office endorsement in passport
  • Valid UK residence permit in passport

If you have a valid marriage visitor or fiancé(e) visa/entry clearance you should also take:

  • Valid UK visa/entry clearance in passport

You and your partner must additionally each take a passport style photograph to the appointment to be retained by the registration officer (see below for guidance).

If you have any other type of visa or immigration status or cannot prove your immigration status your marriage/civil partnership will be referred to the Home Office, and your notice period may be extended to 70 days for further investigation. The marriage/civil partnership cannot take place until approval is granted by the Home Office.

You should take proof of your immigration status, if available

You and your partner must additionally each take a passport style photograph to the appointment to be retained by the registration officer (see below for guidance).

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