Ceremonies taking place outside England and Wales

If you are getting married or having a civil partnership overseas, you should contact the country's embassy or consulate who will advise you about their requirements.

We only need to see, and can only generate, certificates of non-impediment (CNIs) for British nationals.

There is no provision under English law to obtain a certificate of non-impediment for a ceremony in a Commonwealth country.

If a British person is marrying a foreign national abroad, then we only see the British person.

If you are both British nationals you must both attend an appointment in your local register office.  

The document/s will be available 29 days after your appointment. 

Do I need a Certificate of Non impediment? 

Information required at the appointment

• You must be able to state the town, locality and country where your ceremony will take place
• You must also know the full names, date of birth, address, occupation, marital condition and nationality of your partner.
• You should check all of the above with the local authorities in the country where you wish to have your ceremony.

Proof of identification and nationality

• a valid passport, or
• a valid British driving licence (both parts) plus a full British birth certificate if you were born in the UK before 01/01/1983. If born in the UK after 01/01/1983, you can bring driving licence plus your full UK birth certificate and your mother’s UK birth certificate

Proof of address

• a British driving licence (both parts), or
• an original (not self-printed) utility bill dated in the last three months or bank statement dated in the last month, or
• a council tax bill or mortgage statement (not self-printed) dated in the last 12 months

Proof that any former marriage or civil partnership has ended

• a court-stamped copy of the decree absolute or final order of divorce or dissolution. If your divorce document records your previous married surname but you wish to re-marry using your maiden or other surname, please also bring a linking document such as the previous marriage certificate
• a death certificate of your former partner. Any widows, widowers or surviving civil partners that are not mentioned on the death certificate as the partner of their previous spouse must also bring their former marriage or civil partnership certificate
• if any document was issued in a foreign language we will need a translated document as well as the original

Information required at the appointment

• you must be able to state the town, locality and country where your ceremony will take place
• you must also know the full names, date of birth, address, occupation, marital condition and nationality of your partner

Points to consider about Certificates of non impediment (CNIs)

• CNIs are not accepted in all countries, especially not in Commonwealth countries
• you may have to translate the certificate into the language of the country of the marriage or civil partnership
• you may have to have the certificate legalised (stamped with the Hague Apostille) by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office or the country concerned
• you may have to have exchange your CNI for one that's valid in the country at the nearest embassy or consulate to where your ceremony takes place
• the CNI will have an issue date and no stated expiry date on the document. However, the country where your ceremony takes place may stipulate that the marriage or civil partnership must be within, for example, three, six or twelve months of the issue date

You should check all of these factors with the local authorities in the country where you wish to have the ceremony.

Book a notice appointment for a certificate of non impediment (CNI)