Northern Ireland - Obtain Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry / Single Status Certificate

Create Procedure for Northern Ireland

Procedure

• If you are living in Northern Ireland

If there is a need for you to provide a document showing that you are free to marry, you should complete the Marriage notice application form - GRO 446 in order to apply for a 'Certificate of legal capacity to marry' (Certificate of non-impediment).

If you are having a religious marriage performed abroad you do not need to complete Section E of the form.

• Not currently living in Northern Ireland

Fill up and submit the Marriage index search application form - GRO 447 to the:

General Register Office

Oxford House

49-55 Chichester Street

Belfast

BT1 4HL

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Required Documents

• Completed Marriage notice application form - GRO 446
• Completed Marriage index search application form - GRO 447

Office Locations & Contacts

General Register Office

Oxford House

49-55 Chichester Street

Belfast

BT1 4HL

Phone: 0300 200 7890 (028 9151 3101 from outside Northern Ireland)

Fax: 028 9025 2136

Email: [email protected]

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Eligibility

Provide eligibility criteria's for going through this procedure.

Fees

The fee for the search is 7 for each five-year period (or part of it), starting with the year in which the applicant became 16 years of age (the minimum legal age to marry under UK legislation).

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

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Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Processing Time

Once the marriage notice form has been submitted, the certificate of 'Legal capacity to marry' may be issued after at least 14 days.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 
	

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Instructions

If you are a resident of Northern Ireland and intend to get married abroad (outside the UK or Republic of Ireland), you should check with the registration service of the country in which you want to get married about marriage requirements and any documentation required.

Required Information

• Surname
• Date of birth
• Fathers forenames
• Fathers surname
• Address
• Contact Numbers

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Need for the Document

Some overseas countries would require a "Certificate of legal capacity to marry (Certificate of non-impediment)" to be submitted before you can proceed with the actual marriage ceremony. This certificate proves that you are not already legally married or in a civil union.

Information which might help

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Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• Northern Ireland Government Website:

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/index/information-and-services/government-citizens-and-rights/marriage-and-registration/marriage-outside-the-uk-and-republic-of-ireland.htm

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Others

More information which might help people.

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