1. Summary

• A licence must be obtained to marry in the Office of the Superintendent Registrar or in a non-Anglican Church.
• To give notice of marriage, birth certificates and, if applicable, documentary proof of freedom to marry (divorce papers, spouses death certificate) must be produced.
• Persons between the ages of 16 and 20 must produce written consent from parents/guardian.
• Licence applications can be made in person or by post.
• Non-British nationals should seek advice from their consul as to legality in their home country and, if appropriate, apply for emigration entry clearance.
• The Register Office is available for marriages from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm. Saturdays are reserved for local residents.

2. General

In order to marry in the Office of the Superintendent Registrar or in a non-Anglican Church in Jersey a Licence must be obtained from the Superintendent Registrar.

3. Documents required in order to give notice of marriage

Copies of both full Birth Certificates must be produced as well as documentary proof of freedom to marry if either party has been previously married. A widow must produce her marriage certificate as well as her late husband's death certificate. A widower, however, need only produce his late wife's death certificate. A divorced person must produce a Court sealed and certified copy of the Decree Absolute or Final Decree. All documents in a language other than English must be accompanied by officially certified translations into the English language.

4. Minors wishing to marry

A person wishing to marry who has attained the age of sixteen years but is under the age of twenty years must obtain written consent of parents or guardian before the Superintendent Registrar's Licence can be issued. If the parents/guardian are living in the Island the consent must be given in the presence of the Superintendent Registrar. If the parents/guardian live outside the Island the consent must be given on a Form which is provided by the Superintendent Registrar for this purpose.

5. Procedures

Persons wishing to marry in Jersey either in the Office of the Superintendent Registrar or in a non-Anglican Church may proceed in either of the following ways -

(i) One or both of the parties to the marriage may call in person at the Office of the Superintendent Registrar and give formal notice of their intention to marry. They must, at that time, produce the original copies of the documents required as per paragraph 2 above. The names of both parties to the marriage will then be displayed on the notice board outside of the Office of the Superintendent Registrar for a minimum period of seven clear days, after which a licence may be issued. The marriage may then take place no sooner than the day following the day on which the licence is issued. The notice will be valid for a period of three months and the marriage must take place within that time, or

(ii) alternatively a couple may apply to the Superintendent Registrar for an application form and then make formal application by post. The completed form must then be returned to the Superintendent Registrar during the three months preceding the date of the marriage but must arrive at the office of the Superintendent Registrar no later than 10 days before the date of marriage together with the required documents as per paragraph 2 above and the appropriate fees. Upon receipt of the application form and fees the Superintendent Registrar will post the names of both parties to the marriage on the notice board outside his office, where they must remain for a minimum period of seven clear days. The parties to the marriage will then be advised to arrive in the Island not less than three days before the date of the marriage in order that they may complete the necessary formalities. The originals of all documents will be returned to the applicants by registered mail.

6. Non-British persons wishing to marry

The Superintendent Registrar advises all parties giving notice of a marriage between persons other than British Citizens that there may be laws in their own country which, if not observed, might render the marriage null and void in that country. In this connection, the advice of the consul or Consular Agent for the country in question should be sought. In addition non-British citizens travelling to Jersey for the purpose of marriage may well require the issue of an emigration entry clearance prior to travelling from abroad. Therefore, such persons are advised to make contact with the Chief Inspector of Immigration, Albert Pier Road, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3NE, well in advance of seeking entry so that their case may be examined.

7. Recognition of foreign divorces

The validity of overseas divorce is only recognised in Jersey if, at the date of the institution of the proceedings in the country in which it was obtained, either spouse was habitually resident or, if the law of that country uses domicile as a ground of jurisdiction in matters of divorce, domiciled in that country, or was a national of that country; or if the divorce is recognised as valid in the country of the spouses' domicile.

8. Forbidden degrees of relationship

A man may not marry his -

     grandmother                        son's wife
     grandfather's wife                 sister
     wife's grandmother                 son's daughter
     father's sister                    daughter's daughter
     mother's sister                    son's son's wife
     mother                             daughter's son's wife
     stepmother                         wife's son's daughter
     wife's mother                      wife's daughter's daughter
     daughter                           brother's daughter
     wife's daughter                    sister's daughter

A woman may not marry her -

     grandfather                        daughter's husband
     grandmother's husband              brother
     husband's grandfather              son's son
     father's brother                   daughter's son
     mother's brother                   son's daughter's husband
     father                             daughter's daughter's husband
     stepfather                         husband's son's son
     husband's father                   husband's daughter's son
     son                                brother's son
     husband's son                      sister's son

Note: The terms "brother" and "sister" include brother and sister of the half-blood.

The term "husband" and "wife" include former husband and former wife. The above prohibitions apply to illegitimate as well as to the legitimate relationships.

9. Fees

Where notice is given in person, the fees and charges payable in respect of a marriage in the Office of the Superintendent Registrar are £107 and in a non-Anglican Church £72. Where application is made by post the total fees and charges are £157 and £122 respectively.

10. Times

The Register Office will be available for marriages of non-residents from Monday to Fridays between the hours of 11.00 p.m. and 1.00 p.m. A time of twenty minutes will be allocated to each marriage. Saturdays are reserved for local residents. The Register Office will be closed on Sundays and Public Holidays. All marriages in the Register Office take place at the discretion of the Superintenent Registrar.

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Explanatory notes issued by the Superintendent Registrar for the guidance of persons intending to marry in the Island of Jersey (excluding marriages solemnised by the Church of England Clergy).

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This information is for general guidance only and should not be treated as a complete and authorative statement of the law.