Celebrant Margaret River legal requirements

Legal Requirements/Overseas Couples/Apostille Stamp/Elopements
What a civil wedding must contain in Australia.

Australian law defines marriage as “the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.”
Your marriage may take place on any day, at any time and any place in Australia, or within Australian territorial waters.
At least two people over the age of 18 years must be present at the marriage ceremony to act as your witnesses.
You and your partner, must sign and lodge with your celebrant, the “Notice of Intended Marriage” form, a minimum of one calendar month and one day before the wedding date. The “Notice” is valid for 18 months, and requires proof of birth
- a birth certificate for a person born in Australia, or an overseas passport or birth certificate for a person born overseas.

PLEASE NOTE: The wedding cannot take place until your celebrant has seen these documents.
If either party has been married before, evidence of how that marriage ended is required- either a certificate of divorce, or a death certificate if the previous partner has died.

PLEASE NOTE: The wedding cannot take place until your celebrant has seen your original document.

You must both sign a “Statutory Declaration”, which will be prepared by your celebrant, stating that you believe there is no legal impediment to your marriage. This is signed as close as possible to your wedding date.
During the ceremony, the authorised celebrant must say to the parties, in the presence of the witnesses, the words:
“My name is…., and I am authorised by law to solemnise marriages in Australia according to law. Before you are joined in marriage, in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter. Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.”
The ceremony must take place in the presence of an Authorised Marriage Celebrant.
Both parties, the celebrant, and the two witnesses, must all sign each of the three marriage certificates.

From Overseas and want to marry in Australia?
Anyone can be married in Australia.
We can easily arrange the complete ceremony by email, and by the time we meet, we will feel that we have known each other for ever!
I must receive your completed Notice of Intended Marriage form at least one month and one day before the marriage takes place.
The front of the form must be accurately completed. This is a legal document. Y our signatures on the Notice must be witnessed by one of the following:

An Australian Diplomatic Officer
An Australian Consular Officer
A Notary Public - A person in any country publicly authorised to attest contracts and perform other formalities. Someone authorised to witness legal documents. A Notary Public is found in most legal firms.
An employee of the Commonwealth authorised under para 3(c) of the Consular Fees Act 1955 An Employee of the Australian Trade Commission authorised under para 3 (d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955

The easiest to locate is usually a Notary Public.
Once the Notice has been completed, and signatures witnessed, the Notice should be forwarded to me via fax or email, and the original by registered mail. However, if you will arrive in Australia more than one month before your wedding, and if we are able to meet within the required time, I can witness your signatures on the Notice when we meet.

Identification documentation must be viewed by your celebrant.

When you arrive in Margaret River I will view your Identification. If born in Australia, an Australian Birth Certificate is required. If born overseas – it is preferable that you have your birth certificate, but an overseas passport is acceptable. If not in English, it must be officially translated. www.naati.com.au

If either party has previously been married, you must show evidence of how that marriage ended. eg A divorce or death certificate.

Apostille Stamp.

Couples from some overseas countries, who marry in Australia, require an Apostille stamp placed on the official copy of their marriage certificate before their Australian marriage is recognised as a legal marriage in their home country. Please check with your own country to find what is currently required for your Australian marriage to be recognised in your country.

After your marriage, I will lodge all documents with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, for registration.
You then need to obtain a copy of your official marriage certificate from the registry by making application, and paying the appropriate fee. (Currently $44)
The official Marriage Certificate must then be delivered to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), in Perth with a request for an Apostille stamp to be affixed to the certificate. (The fee is currently $60).
You can get the certificate stamped while you wait, or have it posted to you in your home country or to an address in Australia.

Further details can be obtained from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. www.dfat.gov.au

Eloping? - I love elopements!
It makes no difference whether it is a small intimate gathering or a huge event, the ceremony is no less important, and the legal requirements are the same.
Refer to Legal requirements above.
If you have no witnesses, I will find 2 witnesses for you. If you are hiring a photographer, he/she will usually act as one of your witnesses.

Please contact me to discuss further.

Email - maureennicholson@iinet.net.au

Phone - +61 (8) 9755 2555

Fax - +61 (8) 9755 2555

Mobile - 0429 118155

Postal - PO Box 321 Dunsborough 6281

Booking Form - download & print

Marriage Form (NOIM) - download & print


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Legal Requirements/Overseas Couples/Apostille Stamp/Elopements What a civil wedding must contain in Australia. Australian law defines marriage as “the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.” Your marriage may take place on any day, at any time and any place in Australia, or within Australian territorial waters. At least two people over the age of 18 years must be present at the marriage ceremony to act as your witnesses. You and your partner, must sign and lodge with your celebrant, the “Notice of Intended Marriage” form, a minimum of one calendar month and one day before the wedding date. The “Notice” is valid for 18 months, and requires proof of birth - a birth certificate for a person born in Australia, or an overseas passport or birth certificate for a person born overseas. PLEASE NOTE: The wedding cannot take place until your celebrant has seen these documents. If either party has been married before, evidence of how that marriage ended is required- either a certificate of divorce, or a death certificate if the previous partner has died. PLEASE NOTE: The wedding cannot take place until your celebrant has seen your original document. You must both sign a “Statutory Declaration”, which will be prepared by your celebrant, stating that you believe there is no legal impediment to your marriage. This is signed as close as possible to your wedding date. During the ceremony, the authorised celebrant must say to the parties, in the presence of the witnesses, the words: “My name is…., and I am authorised by law to solemnise marriages in Australia according to law. Before you are joined in marriage, in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter. Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.” The ceremony must take place in the presence of an Authorised Marriage Celebrant. Both parties, the celebrant, and the two witnesses, must all sign each of the three marriage certificates. From Overseas and want to marry in Australia? Anyone can be married in Australia. We can easily arrange the complete ceremony by email, and by the time we meet, we will feel that we have known each other for ever! I must receive your completed Notice of Intended Marriage form at least one month and one day before the marriage takes place. The front of the form must be accurately completed. This is a legal document. Y our signatures on the Notice must be witnessed by one of the following: An Australian Diplomatic Officer An Australian Consular Officer A Notary Public - A person in any country publicly authorised to attest contracts and perform other formalities. Someone authorised to witness legal documents. A Notary Public is found in most legal firms. An employee of the Commonwealth authorised under para 3(c) of the Consular Fees Act 1955 An Employee of the Australian Trade Commission authorised under para 3 (d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955 The easiest to locate is usually a Notary Public. Once the Notice has been completed, and signatures witnessed, the Notice should be forwarded to me via fax or email, and the original by registered mail. However, if you will arrive in Australia more than one month before your wedding, and if we are able to meet within the required time, I can witness your signatures on the Notice when we meet. Identification documentation must be viewed by your celebrant. When you arrive in Margaret River I will view your Identification. If born in Australia, an Australian Birth Certificate is required. If born overseas – it is preferable that you have your birth certificate, but an overseas passport is acceptable. If not in English, it must be officially translated. www.naati.com.au If either party has previously been married, you must show evidence of how that marriage ended. eg A divorce or death certificate. Apostille Stamp. Couples from some overseas countries, who marry in Australia, require an Apostille stamp placed on the official copy of their marriage certificate before their Australian marriage is recognised as a legal marriage in their home country. Please check with your own country to find what is currently required for your Australian marriage to be recognised in your country. After your marriage, I will lodge all documents with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, for registration. You then need to obtain a copy of your official marriage certificate from the registry by making application, and paying the appropriate fee. (Currently $44) The official Marriage Certificate must then be delivered to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), in Perth with a request for an Apostille stamp to be affixed to the certificate. (The fee is currently $60). You can get the certificate stamped while you wait, or have it posted to you in your home country or to an address in Australia. Further details can be obtained from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. www.dfat.gov.au Eloping? - I love elopements! It makes no difference whether it is a small intimate gathering or a huge event, the ceremony is no less important, and the legal requirements are the same. Refer to Legal requirements above. If you have no witnesses, I will find 2 witnesses for you. If you are hiring a photographer, he/she will usually act as one of your witnesses. Please contact me to discuss further. Email - maureennicholson@iinet.net.au Phone - +61 (8) 9755 2555 Fax - +61 (8) 9755 2555 Mobile - 0429 118155 Postal - PO Box 321 Dunsborough 6281 Booking Form - download & print Marriage Form (NOIM) - download & print			images by www.russellord.com