To get legally married in Australia, firstly you will need to complete the Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM), have your signatures witnessed by one of the authorised witnesses, and lodge this with your chosen celebrant at least one month before the wedding (and it is valid then for 18 months).

Download the Notice of Intended Marriage here 

Who can witness the NOIM

Your celebrant is an authorised witness however, there are also some other authorised persons who can witness your signatures

If you are in Australia

  • an authorised celebrant,
  • a Commissioner for Declarations under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959,
  • a Justice of the Peace (many shopping centres have JP’s – (QLD JP’s can be found here)
  • a barrister or solicitor,
  • a legally qualified medical practitioner (this means a licenced practitioner with the Medical Board of Australia eg, doctor). It does not include registered nurses, dentists, physiotherapists or pharmacists
  • or a member of the Australian Federal Police or the police force of a State or Territory;

If you are overseas

  • an Australian Diplomatic Officer
  • an Australian Consular Officer
  • a notary public
  • an employee of the Commonwealth authorized under paragraph 3(c) of the Consular Fees Act 1955
  • an employee of the Australian Trade Commission authorised under paragraph 3(d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955.

Do we both need to have our signatures witnessed to lodge the NOIM

If one party cannot conveniently sign the NOIM at the time it is intended to give notice of the intended marriage, the other party may sign the NOIM and give it to the proposed authorised celebrant. However, in that case, the party who has not signed the NOIM must sign it in the presence of that celebrant or another authorised celebrant before the marriage is solemnised.

 

What identification documents do we need

  • An Australian or overseas passport
  • OR an official (original) certificate of birth, or an official extract of an entry in an official register showing the date and place of birth of the party PLUS photo ID
    • one of these is acceptable: a driver’s licence, a proof of age/photo card, or a Certificate of Australian Citizenship along with another form of photo ID.

How do I lodge the NOIM

You can lodge the NOIM in person with your celebrant, post the NOIM to your celebrant, or you can email a copy to your celebrant.

 

What if one or both of us have been married before

If either party has been previously married, you will need to provide evidence of death, nullity or dissolution

  • Decree Absolute or Divorce Certificate
  • If you are a widow or widower, the Death Certificate of your late spouse

For example, if neither of you have never been married before, all I need to see is your passports and we are good to go!

 

What if any of my documents are in a different language other than English

If any certificates or identification are written in a language other than English (which is the language I speak), a certified translation by an accredited translator is required.

Here are some options in Brisbane

https://www.naati.com.au/

https://brisbanetranslation.com/

 

How old do we have to be to get married in Australia

  • Both parties are to be over 18, or if under 18, parental or court consent is required

Can we get married in less than one month’s time

In certain circumstances, you can get married in less than one month’s time, and for this, your celebrant can assist you with a Shortening of Time application.

There are five circumstances where an exception can be made (listed below) to the due date, however, the prescribed authority has no discretion to grant a shortening of time outside the circumstances covered by these categories, and the granting of a shortening of time is not automatic.

  • employment related or other travel commitments
  • wedding or celebration arrangements, or religious considerations
  • medical reasons
  • legal proceedings
  • error in giving notice

This application for a shortening of time must be made with a prescribed authority and the couple will need to provide detailed evidence to support their request.  Your celebrant will provide you with further details about this.

Here is where you can find a list of prescribed authorities in Australia.

Email your completed NOIM to Natasha here.

Please get in touch if you have any questions!