Getting Married Abroad

If you’re planning to marry or form a civil partnership outside of the UK, your first step should be to contact the embassy of the country where the ceremony will take place. They will advise you on the documents required.

Many countries request a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI). If you live in Leicestershire, we can issue this for you. A CNI confirms that you are legally free to marry or form a civil partnership. To obtain one, you’ll need a valid UK passport, proof of address, and you’ll be asked to completed the standard process of giving your notice of marriage or civil partnership.

When you give notice of marriage or civil partnership, you are confirming you have already checked the legal requirements for the country where you plan to marry or form a civil partnership. Every country has its own rules, including how your ceremony venue name must be presented, how long a CNI remains valid, and whether additional documents are needed. These checks are your responsibility.

You may also need to have your official marriage or civil partnership certificate legalised by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, depending on the country’s requirements.

Please take extra care when reviewing the details on your CNI once it has been issued. Nothing on the document can be amended afterwards. If you spot an error – or if the receiving country advises something is missing or incorrect – you will need to give notice again, pay the required fee and restart the waiting period.

Some countries do not accept a CNI. In these cases, you ay be asked to provide alternative evidence, such as a sworn affidavit or a no-trace letter from the General Register Office for England and Wales.

As long as your marriage or civil partnership follows the legal procedures of the country where it takes place, it should be recognised in the UK. There is no need to register it again when you return.

You can find further guidance on the UK Government website. Please visit our fees page to check the current cost of these services.