Legal Requirements for Marriage in Australia

Establishing  Your ID (Overseas Citizens)

 If you are a citizen of a country other than Australian you must satisfy your celebrant of your identity by providing:-. 

1. Evidence of birth -  an original birth certificate (where possible) and/or a valid passport from another country. You must also be able to provide the celebrant with full details of:-
   1. Name Given at Birth
   2. Date of Birth
   3. Place of Birth
   4. Father’s Full Maiden Name & Country of Birth - generally not found on passports.
   5. Mother’s Full Maiden Name & Country of Birth - generally not found on passports.
       
2. Proof of Conjugal Status -  where a person has never been married it is not necessary to provide proof . If a previous marriage has ended through death of a spouse, divorce or annulment of a previous marriage supporting documents (eg., death certificate, letter of divorce, decree absolute or certificate of annulment) will be required.
   A person who has never been married is afforded the conjugal status of – never validly married.
    
3. Evidence of Changed Names – where your current name is different to that on your birth certificate it is required that you demonstrate to your celebrant the trail of your changed names. In most cases this will be Change of Name Certificate, previous marriage or divorce papers.

All documents that Graham sights have to be original (not certified copies or photocopies). Once I have  established your formal ID, then Graham must use that name on all official paperwork associated with the marriage. Where special circumstances might apply discuss this with your Graham AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Without the above documentation your marriage cannot proceed.

Do not have , or cannot possible get above evidence?

Contact Graham as soon as possible with the details.

Additional Information

In addition to the above information your celebrant may require you to make a statutory declaration in support of the evidence you might have provided which is not fully supported by documentation. An intentional false statement on a Statutory Declaration is a serious offence carrying a penalty of up to four (4) years imprisonment

Translation of Documents

 If your documents of identification and conjugal status are not in English, Graham will require that you have the documents officially translated and certified as genuine by an authorised translator or Government agency.  If you are already in Australia and you need documents translated contact NAATI at:- http://www.naati.com

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