Non-UK Nationals and EU citizens without settled or pre-settled status
Giving legal notice of marriage or civil partnership
In England and Wales, both parties must give legal notice of their intention to marry or form a civil partnership. This must be done in person, by appointment, at the Register Office in the district where each person lives or has lived for at least seven clear days prior to the appointment.
The fee for each notice of marriage or civil partnership is:
- £42 for couples in possession of a marriage visa or settled status
- £57 for all other visas
What is a notice of marriage / civil partnership?
A notice is a signed legal declaration of your intention to marry or form a a civil partnership. It is displayed in the Register Office for 28 clear clear calendar days and ensures that both parties are legally free to proceed with the ceremony.
Your waiting period can be extended to 70 days at the discretion of the Home Office if they require extra time to look into your immigration status. It will be the Home Office who decide whether or not your wedding or civil partnership can proceed.
Couples who have a valid marriage/civil partnership visa, Indefinite Leave to Remain or Right of Abode in the UK will not be referred to the Home Office and their waiting period will remain at 28 days.
We work closely with the Home Office (Immigration) for the detection and prevention of sham marriages and civil partnerships.
It is essential that all information recorded is accurate. Any corrections required after your ceremony must be submitted to the General Register Office, who will charge a £99 correction fee. Please check all details thoroughly before signing any paperwork.
To book your notice appointment with Leicestershire, please call 0116 3056565. For further details about the information you will be asked to provide when booking, please refer to our FAQs.
Please arrive 10 minutes before your appointment. If you arrive late, we may not be able to proceed, and your appointment may need to be rearranged. Any rearranged appointment may not be available on the same day.
After you have given notice, there is a statutory waiting period of at least 28 days before your marriage or civil partnership can take place. A notice is valid for 12 months, so please keep these timeframes in mind when requesting your ceremony date.
How to make an appointment
If one or both of you have lived in the county of Leicestershire for at least 7 clear days, please complete this form.
To finalise your submission, please include clear scans of all the documents you will bring to your appointment when returning the completed form.
Please be aware that an additional statutory fee applies for the consideration of foreign divorce documents. The fee depends on the country where the divorce was granted and will either be £55 or £83.
Completed forms and supporting documents should be emailed to registration@leics.gov.uk
Once we have received your form and checked your documents, we will contact you to arrange an appointment to give your notices of marriage of civil partnership, and/or to book your ceremony.
If both parties have not lived in Leicestershire for at least 7 clear days:
- If both parties live in Leicester, or have lived in the city for at least 7 clear days, please follow the guidance provided on the Leicester City Council website.
- If both parties live outside outside the county of Leicestershire (including outside the city of Leicester), you must contact your local Register Office at arrange an appointment to give notice.
What documents do I need to provide at my appointment?
We can only complete your notice if all required documents are produced at your appointment. You must bring evidence of your name, date of birth, address, nationality, marital status and, where applicable, your immigration status.
You will also need to provide accurate details of the venue where your legal ceremony will take place, as well as the time you intend to marry or form a civil partnership.
You will need to provide a valid full passport to prove your name, date of birth and nationality.
You will need to provide one of the following documents as proof of your current address:
- A utility bill dated within 3 months of your appointment
- A bank or building society statement dated within 1 month of your appointment
- A council tax bill for the current year
- A current residential tenancy agreement
- A valid driving licence or provisional licence showing your current address
- A letter from your landlord, dated within the last 7 days, confirming that you live at the address. The letter must include the landlord’s name, address and signature.
If your documents are not all in the same name, you will also need to provide evidence of any name changes, such as a change of name deed or a previous marriage certificate.
If you are unsure about whether your documents are acceptable, please contact us before your appointment to ensure we can take your notice.
If you have previously been married or in a civil partnership, you must also provide one of the following documents:
- A decree absolute or final order
- The name on this document must match the name shown on the other documents you provide. If the name differs, you may need to supply your original marriage certificate or an official name change document to link the records.
- If your divorce was granted outside of the United Kingdom, you must provide a scanned copy of the divorce documentation when submitting your request form. If the document is not in English, a signed translation must also be included. The original divorce documents must be presented at your appointment, as photocopies cannot be accepted.
- The death certificate of your former spouse or civil partner. Where the certificate is not in English, a signed translation must be provided. The original document must be presented at your appointment, as photocopies cannot be accepted.
Please only book an appointment once you have all the required documents ready.
Parents details
For historical record purposes, we will ask for your parents’ details during your notice appointment, including their full names, occupations and whether they are retired. Providing this information is optional, but please bring these details if you would like them included on your marriage schedule.
We can record information for natural, step or adoptive parents, and these details can also be included if your parent or parents are deceased.
Please be aware that some countries may not accept a marriage certificate unless parents’ details are included. If you intend to use your certificate overseas, you should check the specific requirements of the country where it will be presented.
Proving your immigration status
You will need to provide your immigration share code on your form. This allows us to securely check your immigration status with the Home Office. We will verify your share code before your appointment, so please ensure the code is accurate and valid at the time of submission.