3 STEPS TO GETTING MARRIED IN AUSTRALIA
3 Step Process
The Short Version
MEET N GREET
The first step is to find a celebrant you and your partner click with, that is where I come in. Its free and a good way get to know each other a little better and see how we click. Apart from a bubbly personality, you’ll also want your celebrant to be organised, professional, and punctual. That’s me!
I also take care of all the legal paperwork so you get to focus and enjoy the fun parts of planning your celebration. It’s what I do for a living, you’re in good hands.
THE PRACTICE RUN
We arrange a final meeting closer to the wedding date.
Here we run through a rehearsal to help you feel comfortable and familiar with the ceremony, but you won't have to memorise any of the details at this meeting, I've got your backs and on the day and guide you every step of the way so you. can just enjoy the emotions and the celebrations.
SHOWTIME
It’s all been building up to this moment. I always arrive early to facilitate that it all goes smoothly for you. The ceremony can take between 20-30mins on average, and once the ceremony is complete, the signing of the marriage register will take place.
Congratulations, you are now married! I’ll issue you with a certificate of marriage and take I’ll look after submitting all the legal documents to the Office of Births Deaths & Marriages.
A Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) must be lodged with your chosen Marriage Celebrant no less than one month and no more than eighteen months prior to the marriage being solemnised. Documents required when lodging your Notice of Intended Marriage Form (NOIM): • Australian Citizen’s – Original Birth Certificate and/or Australian Passport • Non-Australian Citizen’s – Overseas Passport (if you’re a citizen of a country other than Australia) Also needed if the following applies: • A Divorce Certificate or a Decree Absolute if you’ve been previously married • Death Certificate (if you are widowed) • All documents in a foreign language must be translated into English by an approved translator, with a statutory declaration from the translator. You can find a translator here; www.naati.com.au • If you were born overseas and you don’t have a birth certificate, then you can make a Statutory Declaration, a passport must be sited as well, click here to download a form • Under no circumstances may two people under 18 years of age marry each other, without relevant court approvals • Important advice about migration – Australia’s immigration laws offer visas to foreign people who are in relationships with Australian residents. However, the rules are very complex. Marriage does not automatically guarantee that your visa application will be approved. You should seek legal advice about your personal circumstances. Only a lawyer with immigration experience is qualified to give you the correct advice.
Other Important Information:
Overseas resident and planning to get married in Australia?
It's an easy process.
Here are some useful tips: Firstly, download a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) at www.ag.gov.au under the ‘Marriage Forms’ section (or I can email this form straight to you on request, so contact me here) Once you have completed all the required details you will need to have your signatures witnessed by an authorised person, those persons are listed on the Notice just below where you sign (page 4). IMPORTANT: It must be one of those persons otherwise the Notice will not be valid and your celebrant will not be able to accept it and lodge it for you. Best practice is to go to either an Australian Embassy in your country, or if this is not convenient, find a Notary Public. A Notary Public is a lawyer often found in a Solicitor’s office; however please remember that that not all lawyers are Notaries. Notaries are available worldwide. Your celebrant will require you to email the Notice of Intended Marriage form to them immediately, and will request that soon after, you post the original Notice to them via registered airmail.