英国结婚¶
How to register a marriage in the UK?
Question: Can international students who got married in their home country get divorced in the UK?
Answer: It is possible if certain conditions are met. In England and Wales, if you got married abroad (outside the UK), there are specific requirements for getting a divorce in the UK. You must meet at least one of the following criteria to be eligible for divorce in the UK:
When the divorce proceedings start, either you or your spouse is settled in England and Wales.
The respondent (the person against whom the divorce is filed) usually resides in England or Wales.
The petitioner (the person filing for divorce) usually resides in England or Wales and has lived there for at least one year immediately before the application is made.
The petitioner is domiciled and habitually resident in England or Wales and has lived there for at least six months immediately before the application is made.
Either you or your spouse had a substantial connection with England or Wales in the past, and one of you still resides there.
Please note that divorce processes can be complex, and it is advisable to seek legal advice for specific situations.
Reminder 1: The concept of "Habitual residence" is not explicitly defined as it is a legal concept. It is recommended to discuss with a lawyer during the divorce process to determine how it applies.
Reminder 2: England and Wales share the same jurisdiction, while Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate legal systems. Therefore, the requirements for divorce may differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Can Chinese international students in the UK get married?
Answer: Both of them are Chinese international students holding UK student visas, and they haven't graduated yet. They don't want to get married in China and prefer to get married in the UK. Yes, it is possible. The specific process is as follows:
Plan the wedding.
Make an appointment for giving notice.
Submit the required documents and pay the fees.
Have the wedding ceremony.
Obtain the marriage certificate.
Get the marriage certificate notarized by the embassy.
Please refer to the article below for more detailed information.
International students can register their marriage in the UK. If both you and your partner are studying in the UK, and neither of you are UK permanent residents or UK citizens but hold Chinese citizenship, you can still register your marriage in the UK. The process may vary in different regions of the UK. Non-UK nationals are allowed to marry in the UK; however, not all marriage registration centers accept foreign passports for marriage registration. It is advisable to inquire in advance. Additionally, it is necessary to give a notice of marriage at least 29 days in advance and hold the wedding ceremony within one year after giving the notice. Registering your marriage in the UK holds legal validity worldwide, including in China. You only need to authenticate it at the embassy and there is no need to obtain a separate marriage certificate in your home country.
Marriage in England or Wales
Step 1: Check if you meet the requirements to get married in the UK.
Firstly, verify if you are eligible to get married or form a civil partnership in England or Wales. To get married in England or Wales, you need to meet the following conditions:
You must be 16 years old or above. If you are under 18, you will need permission from your parents or guardians to get married.
You must be single and not currently in a civil partnership, which includes being unmarried, divorced, or widowed.
There should be no close familial relationship, meaning you should not be closely related by blood.
Among them, in England or Wales, same-sex couples can get married.
link：https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships
Designated Register Offices in England and Wales
：
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/224796/DROs_GOV_UK..pdf
Step 2， Plan your ceremony
Before you make an appointment for the "Notice" at the local registry office, you must first decide where you intend to have your wedding or civil partnership ceremony. Once you have given the notice, you will be required to sign a legal declaration at the local registry office, stating your intention to marry or form a civil partnership. This step must be included as part of the final wedding ceremony or ritual. Additionally, you must hold the ceremony within 12 months after giving the "Notice."
Other specific considerations include selecting the type of wedding ceremony, whether it is a religious or civil ceremony, determining the number of witnesses required, and identifying any restrictions on where the ceremony can take place.
，link：https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/plan-your-ceremony
Step3， Give notice
You must sign a legal declaration at the local registry office, indicating your intention to marry or form a civil partnership. This is known as the "Notice." Furthermore, you must give a minimum notice period of at least 29 days before the wedding. For example, if you give notice on May 1st, the earliest date you can get married or form a civil partnership would be May 30th. The price for booking an appointment to give notice and sign the declaration varies but is typically several tens of pounds. You can make the appointment at your local registry office.
After signing the marriage legal declaration and giving notice, you must hold the ceremony within 12 months of the "Notice." Please note that the notification procedure for a Church of England wedding may differ.
Give notice：https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/give-notice
Documents required for marriage registration:
Before going to the registry office to give notice and sign the legal declaration, you will need to bring the following documents:
Details of the final arrangements for the wedding ceremony or ritual.
Valid passport, UK birth certificate, national identity card, or foreign passport from the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland. However, please note that some UK registry offices may not accept foreign passports for marriage registration. Therefore, it is advisable to inquire in advance when making an appointment with the registry office.
Proof of your residential address.
Proof of name change, if applicable.
Among them, to prove your address, you can bring one of the following:
Valid UK, EU, European Economic Area, or Swiss driving license.
Recent utility bills (gas, water, or electricity) from the past three months.
Bank or building society statements from the previous month.
Council tax bills from the past 12 months.
Mortgage statements from the past 12 months.
Current tenancy agreement.
Letter from your landlord (dated within the last 7 days) confirming your residence, including their name, address, and signature.
If your regular address is outside the UK, you will need to provide a detailed contact address in the UK. For example, the address can be that of your partner, friend, or family member.
link：https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/documents-youll-need-to-give-notice?step-by-step-nav=724aa735-c4cc-4ffc-9136-dcb43668982b#content
The European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) refer to:：
EU countries
The EU member states include:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The European Economic Area (EEA)
The European Economic Area (EEA) includes the EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. This makes them part of the EU single market. Switzerland, on the other hand, is neither an EU member nor a member of the European Economic Community (EEC). However, it is part of the single market, which means that Swiss citizens enjoy equal rights to live and work in the UK as other EEC citizens.
link：https://www.gov.uk/eu-eea
Step 4， Get married or form a civil partnership
After successfully registering your marriage, you can obtain a marriage or civil partnership certificate. The price for the certificate is £11, and it is typically sent out within around 4 days. If you need an additional copy of the certificate in the future, you can order it online.
Step 5， Update your details
It is important to promptly update your marriage or civil partnership information at government agencies, banks, private pension providers, and other relevant institutions.
Finally, if you are a woman and wish to change your name through a marriage certificate, taking your partner's name, please refer to the official website link for details regarding the name change process.
：https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll?step-by-step-nav=724aa735-c4cc-4ffc-9136-dcb43668982b
Scotland, Northern Ireland
The requirements for getting married in England and Wales differ from those in Scotland and Ireland. For specific information on registering marriages in these two regions, please refer to the link provided below:：
1，Scotland marriage information
：https://www.mygov.scot/getting-married
2，Northern Ireland marriage information
：https://www.mygov.scot/getting-married
