If you are planning on having your ceremony abroad there are some things you need to do to make sure your marriage, or civil partnership is legal.
You need to:
- check the legal process for marriage in your chosen country
- contact the relevant consulate or embassy for advice about the documents you need
Certificate of No Impediment (CNI)
If you have been asked to obtain a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) you can get this by attending a notice appointment with your local register office.
A CNI can only be issued to a British citizen.
After you attend your appointment, you need to wait 28 days before the certificate can be issued. You will need to allow enough time for your CNI to be issued before you travel abroad.
How to book an appointment
Book an appointment for a CNI marriage
Book an appointment for a CNI civil partnership
Before the appointment, you need to confirm the following details with the foreign country's authorities:
- how the place where you are having your ceremony should be listed (such as the town or city’s name, or the exact building where the ceremony will take place)
- how long before the ceremony the certificate needs to be issued (which can be anything from a few months to a year)
Getting married or registering a civil partnership abroad on GOV.UK website