Proof of Identity and Marital Status

Proof of Identity and Marital Status if you were born in Australia:

If you have never been validly married - I will need to sight your ORIGINAL Birth Certificate (Full or Official Extract is satisfactory).  If you were born in Australia, this is the only document accepted.  I also ask couples if they could allow me to take a photocopy as well, that I keep until after the wedding is registered.

If you have been divorced - I will need to sight your ORIGINAL Birth Certificate (Full or Official Extract is satisfactory), AND the ORIGINAL Certificate of Divorce/Decree Absolute.

Keep in mind, if you are waiting for a decree absolute (divorce) from the Family Court in your state, do not rely upon it to be posted to you by set dates.

The Absolute Divorce Decree must be least one day old, it cannot be used on the day it was issued as proof for the wedding ceremony.

If you have been married more than once previously, I will only need to sight the Certificate of Divorce/Decree Absolute, from the ending of the last marriage.

If you have been previously married, but widowed - I will need to sight your ORIGINAL Birth Certificate (Full or Official Extract is satisfactory), and the ORIGINAL Certificate of Death.

Proof of Identity and Marital Status if you were born outside of Australia:

If you have never been validly married – I will need to sight your ORIGINAL Overseas Birth Certificate, or your Valid (Non Australian) Passport or Australian Citizenship Certificate, this MUST show your country, city and date of birth.

If you have been divorced - I will need to sight your ORIGINAL Overseas Birth Certificate, or your Valid (Non Australian) Passport or Australian Citizenship Certificate, this MUST show your country, city and date of birth, AND the ORIGINAL Certificate of Divorce/Decree Absolute. If you have been married more than once previously, I will only need to sight the Certificate of Divorce/Decree Absolute, from the ending of the last marriage.  

If you have been previously married, but widowed - I will need to sight your ORIGINAL Overseas Birth Certificate, or your Valid (Non Australian) Passport or Australian Citizenship Certificate, this MUST show your country, city and date of birth, and the ORIGINAL Certificate of Death.

Name Changes:

If you have changed your name by Deed Poll or usage, even many years ago, then a ‘Change of Name’ Certificate will be required in lieu of a Birth Certificate.  The ONLY names which can appear on the NOIM and therefore the Marriage Certificate, are those which appear on your Birth Certificate, or Change of Name Certificate.

Form 14 Declaration -  a Commonwealth Statutory Declaration:

In addition to signing and completing the NOIM, you are required by law to declare in accordance with the prescribed form, completed individually by both parties –

- the  party’s conjugal status

- the party’s belief that there is no legal impediment to the marriage

- and such other matters as are prescribed

I will prepare and officially witness this for you.

Witnesses:

The law requires that two witnesses, aged 18 years and over, must be present at the marriage.  Any person can act as a witness, even your parents.  The celebrant, however, cannot act as a witness.

On the day of your wedding, towards the conclusion of your ceremony, we will need to sign and have your chosen witnesses sign all of the following forms, which are prepared for you by your celebrant:

- the certificate retained by the Marriage Celebrant for their records (usually kept in their hard cover ‘Marriage Register’.

- the certificate that I will forward to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages for the registration of your marriage. Together with the NOIM and the Statutory Declaration that you completed at the very beginning of the process. This is the only official record the Government recognises.  When the paperwork arrives at Births, Deaths and Marriages, the Marriage Certificate is given an official number and then it is digitally scanned and entered into the records.  The originals are forwarded to the Federal Government statist, after which it is archived.

- the certificate that you will be given as your record of the marriage

Please note that getting married in Australia does not automatically change the surname of the bride.  A certificate of marriage is not a proof of identity document, but it is evidence of the marriage and change of marital status.  In most cases a copy of the marriage certificate and an official certificate of registration is needed to provide evidence of the new name.  A bride can immediately choose to use her new name, or keep her maiden name, and can even swap between them when she likes, however the official certificate of registration is still often required.  A marriage certificate given by the celebrant may no longer be considered proof of identity for banking institutions, driver’s licence or passport applications etc.  I always recommend that the bride apply to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to obtain an official copy of the document. This registered copy is stamped by Births, Deaths and Marriages in the state in which you were married, and is usually just a copy of the one the celebrant has sent in.