Births, marriages, deaths and nationality Organise a marriage

Non-EEA nationals

If you are entering the UK to get married or to enter into civil partnership you must check with the UKVI that you have the correct visa to do so; this is usually a marriage or civil partnership visa.  We cannot advise you about immigration matters. 

 

Referral and investigation 

The referral and investigation scheme will refer cases to the Home Office for further investigation for: 

  • All non-EEA nationals without settled status or a marriage or civil partnership visa   
  • Anyone that cannot provide evidence of the appropriate immigration status 
  • Anyone whose case is referred may have this waiting period extended from 28 days to 70 days if their case is still being considered. 

If your notice is referred for further investigation, the Manchester Register Office team will not be able to update you or provide progress reports. You should contact the Home Office about it at MarriageReferralTeamGeneral@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk 

Abuse of immigration laws 

We work with the Home Office to identify marriages and civil partnerships that seek to abuse UK immigration laws. 

Anyone found to be arranging, facilitating or entering into a marriage or civil partnership in order to get permission to stay in the UK risks arrest or prosecution. Foreign nationals may also face deportation and be barred from re-entering the UK for up to 14 years. 

European Economic Area (EEA) countries

For the purposes of giving notice of marriage or civil partnership, you are a non-EEA national if you are not British and are not a national of one of the EEA countries listed:

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia 
  • Cyprus*
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Irish Republic
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Slovak Republic
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland (Switzerland is treated as an EEA country for these purposes)

* If your travel document is from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), you must also be able to produce a document showing that you are entitled to citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus.

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