The following pages contain answers to some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about marriages.
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How far in advance must I notify a celebrant of my intent to marry?
You must lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage form (NOIM) at least one calendar month plus one day, and no more than 18 months, before the date you wish to marry.
For example, if you want to get married on 11 January 2010 you should lodge your NOIM form after 11 July 2008 and no later than 10 December 2009.
Can I get married less than one month after lodging my Notice of Intended Marriage form (NOIM)?
Under the
Marriage Act 1961, you may only get married less than one month after lodging your NOIM if you are granted a shortening of the notice period by a prescribed authority.
Prescribed authorities include Registrars and Deputy Registrars at major regional courts and the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
A prescribed authority can only consider an application for a shortening of the notice period if you:
- meet one of the five circumstances under the Marriage Act (see table below)
- provide evidence supporting your application (speak with your celebrant or contact the Registry for more information)
- present the completed and witnessed Notice of Intended Marriage that you have lodged with your celebrant (you will need to get this back from your celebrant).
Note.You need to lodge your NOIM with your celebrant before applying for consideration of a shortening.
Some prescribed authorities will charge a fee to grant a shortening of the notice period.
If you apply to the Victorian Registry and your application is successful you will need to pay a
shortening fee.
| Circumstance | Example |
| Employment-related or other travel commitments | - The bride or groom is moving overseas due to work commitments for at least three months and wishes to marry with family or friends present before departure.
- A close relative or friend of the bride or groom is in Australia but the relative or friend has a non-redeemable ticket for departure from Australia in less than a month, and the bride or groom wants that person to be present at the wedding.
|
| Wedding or celebration arrangements, or religious considerations | Arrangements and non-refundable payments of a considerable sum have been made for the proposed wedding, or for any celebration associated with the intended marriage, and the date for the wedding or celebration cannot be changed. |
| Medical reasons | The bride or groom, or the bride or groom's parent or close relative, has a serious illness that will prevent them from attending the wedding unless it is held in less than a month. |
| Legal proceedings | The bride or groom is subject to a pending court proceeding and is at risk of imprisonment. |
| Error in giving notice | - The bride and groom have given significant verbal notice to the authorised civil celebrant or religious minister, and arrangements for the proposed wedding have been made, but written notice was not given in the required time because the celebrant or minister failed to explain the notice requirements properly.
- The bride and groom have given written notice in the required time, and arrangements for the proposed wedding have been made, but the notice is invalid because the person to whom the notice was given was not yet registered as a marriage celebrant.
- The bride and groom have given written notice in the required time, and arrangements for celebrations have been made to follow the marriage ceremony, but the notice was lost by the authorised civil celebrant or religious minister.
|
If you have any questions about shortenings or evidence required, please
contact the Registry.
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What does "conjugal status" mean?
Conjugal status indicates whether someone has been married and if so, how that marriage ended.
- If you have not been previously married or your marriage was annulled your conjugal status is 'Never validly married'.
(Note: Do not use the term 'single' on a Notice of Intended Marriage form or marriage certificate, as it does not indicate whether you have been married previously).
- If you have been previously married and divorced your conjugal status is 'Divorced'.
- If you have been previously married and your spouse passed away, your conjugal status is 'Widow' (women) or 'Widower' (men).
Are witnesses required at a wedding?
Yes. You must have two witnesses attend your wedding ceremony, to witness the ceremony and sign the marriage certificates. Witnesses can be any family member or friend who is at least 18 years of age.
What proof of marriage will I receive on my wedding day?
On your wedding day you will receive a certificate known as the 'party certificate'. This certificate is for your own records. The party certificate may not be accepted as proof of marriage for official purposes, such as updating your driver licence or passport to your married name.
If you need a certificate as official proof of marriage, you should apply for a
standard marriage certificate.
You can apply for your standard marriage certificate any time after your wedding ceremony. Please note that the Registry can only issue a standard marriage certificate once your marriage is registered. It is your celebrant's responsibility to ensure the marriage is registered by lodging the documents within 14 days of your wedding ceremony.
What do I need to do to change my surname after marriage?
If you were married in Australia and want to update your driver licence or passport to your married name, you do not need to register a change of name. Instead, you will need to present a
standard marriage certificate as proof of marriage and your new surname.
If you were married overseas, you may need to apply to
register a change of name. Different organisations have varying requirements. Check with the relevant organisations before submitting any application to the Registry.
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