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Giving notice of marriage
Unless you are getting married in an Anglican church and not subject to immigration control, you must give notice at a register office.
Please note this applies only to those living in England and Wales. Carefully read the following 6 options that fit your circumstances:
- If both you and your partner are British or Irish nationals then you must both give at least 28 clear days' notice at the register office for the local authority where you live (this will mean if you live in different districts then you will need to go separately to the appropriate register offices).
- If both you and your partner re-enrolled on the European Settlement scheme with settled or pre-settled status or have an application pending made before 30 June 2021; then you must both give at least 28 clear days' notice at the register office for the local authority where you live (this will mean if you live in different districts then you will need to go separately to the appropriate register offices).
- If you are British or Irish and your partner is enrolled on the European Settlement scheme with settled or pre-settled status or have an application pending made before 30 June 2021; then you must both give at least 28 clear days' notice at the register office for the local authority where you live (this will mean if you live in different districts then you will need to go separately to the appropriate register offices).
- If you or your partner have indefinite leave to remain; then you must give at least 28 clear days' notice together at the register office for the local authority where one or both of you live (this will mean if you live in different districts then you will need to go together to one of those register offices).
- If you or your partner have acquired a marriage visa to marry in this country; then you must give at least 28 clear days' notice together at the register office for the local authority where one or both of you live (this will mean if you live in different districts then you will need to go together to one of those register offices).
If you or your partner are subject to immigration control, that is where at least one of you are:
- not British or Irish
- without indefinite leave to remain or indefinite leave to enter
- have not enrolled on the European Settlement scheme with settled or pre-settled status or have an application pending made before 30 June 2021
- have not acquired a visa to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK
- other exemption from immigration control
you must give notice together at the register office for the local authority where one or both of you live (this will mean if you live in different districts then you will need to go together to one of those register offices). You both will be referred to Home Office Immigration under the 'referral and investigation' scheme. This may mean that you may have your notice period extended from 28 to 70 days if the Home Office has reasonable grounds to investigate their circumstances and will increase the fee per person from £42 to £57.
Fees for giving notice
Standard hours fee per notice: £42 or £57. So for a couple giving notice the fee would be: £84 or £114.
If you were divorced or dissolved a prior civil partnership outside of the UK you may be subject to an additional fee of either £55 or £83 depending on the country concerned.
Out of hours supplement fee per notice: £10
(Standard hours: Monday to Wednesday 09:00-15:30)
Book an appointment
Appointments are available at Merton Register Office from Monday to Wednesday between 9.30am - 4pm (except the 3rd Thursday of the month) and occasional weekends.
To book an appointment please telephone 020 8274 5777.
Book an appointment to give notice
What to take to your notice appointment
To reduce the number of documents are staff are required to handle please scan or take high quality photos of your documents and e-mail copies these to register.office@merton.gov.uk once you have booked an appointment.
You must also bring the original documents with you.
You must each bring the following to your notice appointment:
- your current valid passport (original document)
- the name and address of your marriage or civil partnership venue
- proof of address - this must be one of the following original documents:
| Item | Validity period |
|---|---|
| Utility bill | Must be dated within the last three months |
| Bank statement | Must be dated within the last month |
| Council Tax bill | Must be dated within the last year |
| Mortgage Statement | Must be dated within the last year |
| Driving licence | Must be valid and in date. |
Other original documents you must bring, depending on your circumstances:
| Your circumstances | What to bring |
|---|---|
| You or your partner are enrolled on the European Settlement scheme with settled or pre-settled status or have an application pending made before 30 June 2021. |
|
You or your partner are not British, Irish or enrolled on the European Settlement scheme with settled or pre-settled status or have an application pending made before 30 June 2021. You or your partner has acquired a marriage visa to marry in this country. |
|
| Divorced or dissolved civil partnership |
|
| Widowed or are a surviving civil partner |
|
| Changed name |
|
| Under 18 |
|
| If you are British, do not have a valid passport and were born in the UK before 1 January 1983 you are automatically British. |
|
| If you are British, do not have a valid passport and you were born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983 you might not automatically acquire British Nationality; it is taken from your parents. This is extended to grandparents if your parents were born on or after 1 January 1983. British Nationality is obtained by one of the following ways: | |
| If your parents were married or in a civil partnership at the time of the birth, nationality is taken from either parent. |
|
| If your parents have married or formed a civil partnership since your birth, nationality is taken from either parent. Proof of the marriage or civil partnership needs to be provided. |
|
| If you were born before1 July 2006 and your parents are not married or in a civil partnership, nationality can only be taken from the mother. |
|
| If you were born after 1 July 2006 nationality can be taken from either parent.. |
|
| If you were adopted they you can take the nationality of either adopted parent, irrespective of whether they are married or not. You will need to produce your adoption certificate together with the birth certificate of the relevant adopted parent |
|
Converting a civil partnership to a marriage
Civil partners can convert their civil partnership to a marriage provided that it was formed:
- in England or Wales
- at a British Consulate
- by British Armed Forces Personnel (only where their civil partnership has been formed overseas under the provision of the Civil Partnership Act 2004, not under local law)
The completed, conversion will automatically end the civil partnership and the couple will be treated as having been married since the date the civil partnership was formed.
Where both the couple can attend a register office, the conversion can be completed without requiring the usual consents, notice periods, witnesses, residency requirements or reciting of statutory words (though the Superintendent Registrar is required to state statutory words during the conversion process). This is because the civil partners are already in legal relationship. Please note there are exceptions to this standard process so please telephone us for clarification of your circumstances.
The actual process will involve an appointment during which the (Deputy) Superintendent Registrar completes a declaration document that must be signed by the couple.
Appointments are available at Merton Register Office from Monday to Friday between 9.30am - 4pm. Please contact us to book an appointment.
Ceremonies
In Merton, marriage ceremonies can take place at:
- Merton Register Office
- Approved premises for civil marriage and civil partnership
- Anglican churches
- other religious buildings that are registered for the solemnisation of marriage
Same-sex couples can marry in a religious building where permission has been given by the organisation and the building has been registered for the marriage of same sex couples.
Clergy Letter for us taking Notice
Fees for marriage certificates
If the event occurred in Merton we can produce copies of certificates for the following fees:
| Service | Cost per certificate excluding postage | Postage - Tracked | Postage - Special | Postage - European | Postage - Worldwide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At registration | £12.50 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Standard 5 day | £12.50 | £3.50 | £8 | £10 | £11 |
| 24 hour | £38.50 | £3.50 | £8 | £10 | £11 |
| 1 hour | £48.50 | Collection only |
Changing your name in your passport
You can get a new passport in your new name either before or after the ceremony. The name on your passport must match the one you use when you book your travel.
You can apply for a change to your name in your passport before getting married by completing a ‘passports for newly weds and civil partners’ form. It must be signed by the religious minister or registrar who will conduct the ceremony. If we at the register office need to complete it, we can do so free of charge if posted to us or £35 in person.
Change your name or personal details on your passport (GOV.UK)
Terms and conditions
Merton Registration Service Terms and Conditions
Search our marriage records
Related websites
Opening hours
Monday to Friday 9am - 4.30pm, except for the third Thursday of every month when the office closes at 12.30pm.
Contact us
Merton Register Office
Morden Park House
Morden Park
London Road
Morden
SM4 5QU
Email: register.office@merton.gov.uk
Telephone: 020 8274 5777