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Getting Married??
 
What is the procedure for getting married in Victoria?

A summary of the most relevant info:

To be married in Victoria, or any other Australian State or Territory, you must complete a 'Notice of Intended Marriage' form, which is available from the marriage celebrant who will be performing your marriage ceremony.    ALL ABOUT THE 'NOIM'

The form must be completed and given back to the marriage celebrant at least one month and no more than eighteen months before the intended date of your marriage.
 

Who can perform my marriage ceremony?

Your marriage ceremony can be performed by an authorised minister of religion or a civil marriage celebrant, or you can marry at a Registry Office.

Information about marriage in other Australian States and Territories or in New Zealand may be obtained through the Australasian Registries web site.
 

What documents must I produce to the celebrant when booking my marriage?



You must produce:

  • A birth certificate or current foreign passport
  • If previously married and divorced, a decree absolute of the divorce.
    If divorced in Australia, this is obtained from the Family Court of Australia; or
  • If previously married and widowed, a death certificate.
At what age can a person marry?


A person can marry at 16 years, but the other person must be at least 18 years of age.
A person aged 16 or 17 years must obtain parents' consent and an Order from a Judge or Magistrate allowing the marriage.

What proof of marriage will I get when I marry?

You will be required to sign 3 marriage certificates following the ceremony. The first is the official certificate which the celebrant will send to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to officially register the marriage, the second is a duplicate which the celebrant keeps as his/her record of the marriage and the third is a keepsake certificate, often referred to as the parties' certificate, which you will be given.

The parties certificate can be used as proof of the marriage for some organisations such as Banks, Driver Licensing etc. but the Australian Passports Office require a certified copy of the official certificate (as issued by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages) for passport applications.

 
How do I arrange a marriage overseas?

You should contact the Embassy, Consulate or local representative of the country where you intend to marry to find out the legal requirements for that country. It is no longer possible to marry in an Australian Embassy.

Some countries require a certificate certifying that you are free to marry. If you require such a document, you can apply to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages for a
Single Status Certificate


 
Can I register an overseas marriage in Australia?

Marriages that occur in a foreign country cannot be registered in Australia. You should follow the necessary registration procedures in the country where you marry and obtain your marriage certificate before you leave that country so that you have it when you return to Australia.

If your intended spouse is not an Australian citizen or resident, but you will be requesting residency on the basis of your overseas marriage, you will need to have official copies of your overseas marriage certificate to lodge with the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA). You should contact DIMIA directly for advice as to their requirements.
 

The info is a summary taken from:  Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Look  for their link to 'Getting Married'
 

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