Legalities
Formalities / Legal
Requirements
• You should be at least 18 years of age to marry in Australia.
• Marriage of persons who have attained the age of 16, but are under
18,
require a Magistrate's Order, as well as parental consent.
• If both parties are under the age of 18, no marriage can take place.
A Notice of Intention to Marry (NIM) must be lodged with the Celebrant at
least one
month and one day prior to the wedding day, and no longer than 18 months prior.
Couples from Overseas can have their NIM witnessed by a Notary or Australian
Consular Officer, which is then sent to the Celebrant by mail.
If you are bringing your partner into Australia on a Prospective Spouse Visa,
I can provide you with the necessary letter for the Immigration Department..
Documents Required: to be sighted only and noted by the celebrant
•
For a person born in Australia...an
original Birth Certificate or Birth Extract
• For a person born Overseas ....
as above or Passport from the country of birth
• If Divorced ............................... "
plus Certificate of Divorce
• If Widowed .............................. "
plus Death Certificate of previous spouse
Actual
documents or certified documents are required.
Photocopies or certified photocopies are
not acceptable.
Witnesses
You are required to have 2 witnesses to the
ceremony, anyone over the age of 18
is acceptable as a witness, even your childen if you wish.They can be related
to
you or not, even from overseas.
Legal Requirements in a Marriage Ceremony
The couple's full names must be stated, at least once during the ceremony.
The Monitum must be said by the Celebrant
- these are the words required under
the Marriage Act, in which the Celebrant reminds the couple that marriage
is a
serious undertaking and must not be regarded lighty.
The words "husband and wife" must
also be used in the promises made to one
another for the future (The Vows).
Notice of Intention to Marry (NIM)
The NIM can be emailed to you if you wish.
Please use the Contact Page
Code of Practice for Marriage Celebrant
As a Registered Marriage Celebrant I am bound
by the Code of Practice as set
out by the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department.
For the Code of Practice for Marriage Celebrants, see web-link below.
Making a complaint about a Marriage Celebrant
If you have any concerns about a Marriage
Celebrant you can lodge a complaint
with the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department.See web-link below.
Links to helpful websites
The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages ............... click here
Department of Immigration and Citizenship ................ click here
Family Law Courts ................................................... click here
Relationship Support Services .................................... click here
Code of Practice ...................................................... click here
Making a Complaint .................................................. click here