Getting Married in Jersey

Getting married? Where? The choice is yours

It is very important that as soon as possible after you decide to get married you make a decision about where the marriage ceremony is to take place and the date which is most suitable to you. Other couples could be considering the same place and venue.

Arranging a civil marriage

In order for the civil ceremony to be held in either the Register Office or an approved premises, a marriage licence must be obtained from the Superintendent Registrar. Having decided on the date of your marriage, if you live in the Island, please call at the Register Office (between 9.00 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. Monday to Friday) to make a booking in the diary.

If you live outside the Island, you should write to the Superintendent Registrar informing her of the date, time and place of the marriage. If you are not sure of a venue, it is possible to ask for the leaflet, Getting Married in Jersey, which lists all the approved premises as well as giving details of whom to contact for the non-Anglican churches. On receipt of this initial letter, the Superintendent Registrar will send out a standard letter detailing all you might need to know before going further and asking for a Ł80.00 booking fee, which is non-refundable. You will then receive a receipt for your payment and a Notice of Marriage form which you must complete and return to the Register Office about one month before the date of your marriage. The Notice of Marriage form must arrive at the Register Office not later than fourteen days before the date of the marriage. It must be signed by one of the parties to the marriage and be accompanied by the following documents : full birth certificates showing details of parents and if previously married, either a Divorce Decree Absolute or, if widowed, the death certificate of the late spouse.

All documents in a language other than English must be accompanied by an officially certified translation into the English language. Those who have changed their name by deed poll or statutory declaration must send a copy of that document.

Upon receipt of the Notice of Marriage Form, the fee and all your necessary documents, the Superintendent Registrar will enter the details into the Announcements of Marriage Book and display the names of both parties to the marriage on the notice board outside her office for a minimum of seven clear days following which a licence may be issued.

You must present yourselves at the Office of the Superintendent Registrar no fewer than three working days prior to the marriage to collect the marriage licence and to complete the formalities.

The marriage may then take place no sooner than the following day and no longer than 14 days after the issue of the licence.

Please do not send any monies or documents with your initial enquiry and please only send money when you are asked for it.

Arranging a church wedding

First, approach the minister or priest of the church. If it is an Anglican church, the marriage will be celebrated either by Banns or by Licence of the Dean. All arrangements will have to be made through the Church of England.

The rector or vicar will advise on the procedures that have to be followed. As you could be marrying outside of your parish, you may be required to attend public worship at the church 'regularly'.

For a marriage in a church of any other denomination once you have seen the minister or priest of the church, you will have to call on the Superintendent Registrar to arrange for your marriage licence. You will be required to produce your full birth certificates with details of parents recorded on them. If either of you have previously been married you must produce your Divorce Decree Absolute, or if widowed the death certificate of your late spouse.

Minors wishing to marry

People under the age of 16 are not allowed to marry. Those under the age of 18 years will require the written consent of both parents or guardians before a marriage licence may be issued. If the parents or guardians live in Jersey, their consent must be given in the presence of the Superintendent Registrar. If they live outside the Island, their consent must be given on a form provided by the Superintendent Registrar.

Non-British citizens wishing to marry

If you or your partner are not United Kingdom citizens, you should make sure that the laws in your own country are observed, to ensure that any marriage contracted in Jersey is recognised. The advice of the consul for your own country should be sought.

If you are a citizen of a country outside the European Economic Area and you wish to marry a British Citizen you should also ensure that your immigration status permits you to marry. You should also check that you have the necessary immigration clearance before coming to Jersey.

All such people should contact the Customs and Immigration Department at Maritime House, La Route du Port Elizabeth, St Helier, Jersey, JE1 1JD or by telephone on 00 44 (0) 1534 441335.

Recognition of foreign divorces

A divorce decree issued outside the United Kingdom is only recognised in Jersey if, at the date of the institution of the divorce proceedings in the country in which it was obtained, either spouse was habitually resident in, or if that country uses domicile as a ground of jurisdiction in matters of divorce, domiciled in that country, or was a national of that country; or if the divorce is recognised as valid in the country of the spouse domicile.

Fees

Where notice is given in person, the fees and charges payable in respect of a civil marriage in the Register Office total Ł200.00 unless the wedding happens later on a Saturday afternoon. For a marriage in approved premises the fees are Ł210.00 or Ł230.00, and for a marriage in a non-Anglican church the fees are Ł140.00. Additional charges may be made by the church or the approved premises.

Where an application is made by post, the total fees and charges amount to Ł280.00 for a civil marriage in the Register Office and Ł290.00 or Ł310.00 for a civil marriage in approved premises. For a marriage in a non-Anglican church the fees are Ł220.00. Again, additional charges may be made by the church or the approved premises.

All fees and charges are subject to regular increases. Cheques should be made payable to The Treasurer of the States and be in pounds sterling, drawn on a British bank.

Times

Marriages may take place in the Island between the hours of 8.00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m.

The Register Office is available for marriages of non-residents from Monday to Saturday between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. Half an hour is allocated for each marriage.

The Register Office is closed on Sundays and all public holidays. All marriages in the Register Office take place at the discretion of the Superintendent Registrar.

In the summer it might be possible for you to marry at the Register Office at a later time on a Saturday afternoon. Again this is at the discretion of the Superintendent Registrar and the total fees will be higher: Ł270.00 or Ł290.00 if you live in the Island (dependent on the time) and Ł350.00 or Ł370.00 if you live outside the Island.

Marriage in non-Anglican churches take place at the discretion of the minister or priest of the church concerned, and marriages in approved premises take place at the discretion of the management of the premises concerned.

For further information and application forms please contact Ms Sue Groves at:
10 Royal Square
St Helier
Jersey
JE2 4WA
Channel Islands


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