Other types of ceremony

Civil partnership conversion ceremonies

Same-sex couples who entered into a civil partnership in England or Wales can choose to convert it to a marriage. This can be done either with a ceremony or a standard conversion appointment process.

Conversion with a ceremony

This process involves two stages:

Stage 1: The appointment

You'll both need to attend an appointment at a register office and bring the following documents. 

  • Proof of name and date of birth: A current passport or birth certificate.
  • Proof of address: A UK driving licence, council tax bill, utility bill, or bank statement 
  • Your original civil partnership certificate

Stage 2: The ceremony 

The second stage involves the signing of a legal declaration on the day of your ceremony. Ceremonies must be held at a register office or licenced venue. 

You'll have the opportunity to personalise your ceremony, further information will be provided once your booking has been confirmed. 

Standard conversion

This is a simple administrative process. You and your partner will attend an appointment at a register office to complete the legal declaration. 

You'll need to bring the following documents:

  • Proof of name and date of birth: A current passport or birth certificate.
  • Proof of address: A UK driving licence, council tax bill, utility bill, or bank statement 
  • Your original civil partnership certificate

Once you and your partner read and sign the declaration, your marriage will be registered on the computer and any marriage certificates already purchased will issued. 

Fees

Fees are payable in full at the time of booking. 

Civil partnership conversion fees
Standard conversion £50
Conversion with a ceremony £460*
Marriage certificates £12.50

*£30 admin fee + £430 celebration ceremony fee

Booking a civil partnership conversion

To book a civil partnership conversion  

Phone: 0345 60 80 198

Email: ceremonieshub@eastsussex.gov.uk  

Privacy notice

Here you can read our privacy notice.  It explains how East Sussex Registration uses your information and outlines your rights regarding that information. 

Urgent ceremonies

Urgent marriage and civil partnership ceremonies are possible in cases of serious illness. Either by special licence or a reduction of the waiting period. The options include.

  • Registrar General's Licence 

  • Reduction of the statutory waiting period - Waiver 

Registrar General's Licence (RGL) 

A Registrar General's Licence are issued in circumstances where one party is seriously ill, and isn't expected to recover. It allows the ceremony to be held at the location of the ill party and removes the usual waiting period.

Evidence to support the request for a Registrar General's Licence will be required.  

Please contact us as soon as possible.

Please note these numbers are for ceremonies taking place within East Sussex, not including Brighton and Hove. 

Reduction of the statutory waiting period - Waiver

In exceptional circumstances, the General Register Office can waive the legal waiting period. This is typically granted when one of the parties or a key person in the ceremony is seriously ill, and the standard waiting period could cause an issue.

You can apply for a waiver either when you give notice or at any time during the waiting period. You'll need to provide evidence to support your application. A fee will be payable on application. Applying for a waiver does not guarantee it will be granted.

If you believe you may need to apply for a waiver, please contact us as soon as possible. 

Phone: 0345 60 80 198

Email: ceremonieshub@eastsussex.gov.uk

Religious ceremonies

Marrying within the Church of England

If you are getting married in the Church of England, you must follow the religious preliminaries, this involves the reading of the Banns. Speak to the vicar to organise this. 

However, if either you or your partner is a foreign national, subject to immigration control you will be required to give notice at your local register office, as per the civil preliminaries.

Marrying in any other church or religious building

If you are getting married in any other religious building, you are required to give notice at your local register office, as per the civil preliminaries. 

Attendance of a registrar

If your church does not have an 'Authorised Person' to legally register your marriage, a registrar from that district must attend the ceremony. Please speak with your religious officiant to confirm if this is necessary. A fee is payable for the registrar's attendance. 

To book a registrar for your church ceremony in East Sussex, call the Ceremonies Hub on 0345 60 80 198.

Marriage certificates 

Marriage certificates are not issued on the day of your ceremony. You can order marriage certificates online either before or after the event. A fee is payable for each certificate. 

We can only issue your certificates once we have received the signed document from your vicar or religious officiant, which should be sent to the register office within 21 days of your ceremony. Once we have both the document and payment, your certificates will be posted to you. 

Ceremonies abroad

If you're planning a marriage or civil partnership abroad, you must follow the legal procedures of that country. The first thing you should do is contact the local authorities in that country to find out the specific requirements. 

For more information and guidance on who to contact, you can visit the GOV.UK website.

Certificate of No Impediment 

A Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) is a legal document that may be required if a British citizen is getting married or forming a civil partnership abroad. 

It is your responsibility to confirm whether this document is needed. You can find further information on the GOV.UK. It is also advised to contact the relevant foreign authorities to confirm all the necessary requirements.  

To get a CNI, you need to book a notice appointment at your local register office. Once you've given notice a statutory notice period of 29 days must pass before the CNI can be issued, so you should factor this into your timing. 

Before you book, you should contact the authorities in the country where your ceremony will be taking place to confirm:

This information will help you determine the appropriate time to book your notice appointment.  

Booking an appointment 

If you are a British citizen living in East Sussex (excluding Brighton and Hove) and need a Certificate of No Impediment, you can book an appointment by calling the Ceremonies Hub on 0345 60 80 198. 

A statutory fee of £42 is payable when you book the appointment. 

You'll need to provide certain identity documents at your appointment. 

Will it be legally recognised in the UK

Your marriage or civil partnership will be legally recognised in the UK if:

  • You follow the correct legal procedures in the country where your ceremony is taking place
  • It would be allowed under UK law