Marriage license bc where to get

Marriage Registration At any wedding in British Columbia, the couple, two witnesses and the officiant marrying them must sign the Marriage Licence and Registration of Marriage after the ceremony has been performed. Marriage Certificates Every couple marrying in British Columbia receives a marriage certificate by mail once Vital Statistics has registered their marriage. Search of Marriage Records to Prove Freedom to Marry If you are planning to marry abroad, the country where you are marrying may require you to prove that you are free to marry.

Getting married abroad If you are getting married in another country, you must follow the marriage laws of that country. Performing marriage ceremonies The Vital Statistics Agency provides the following guidebooks for individuals who are registered to perform marriage ceremonies in British Columbia:.

Contact us To complete transactions in person, find a Service BC location near you. Copy Cancel. Did you find what you were looking for? Thank you for your response. Help us improve gov. Organizations A-Z. You may order a replacement Marriage Certificate in the same way as a first time Marriage Certificate see above. The application form is the same for both types of orders. You must be at least 19 years old to be married in British Columbia without parental consent.

If you are between the ages of 16 to 18, you may marry if you have the written consent of both parents. Anyone under the age of 16 who wishes to be married needs the consent of the Supreme or County Court. Marriage Certificate A Photocopy of Marriage Registration is a photocopy of the registration completed at the time of marriage, by the marriage officiant and the bride and groom. There is always an official raised seal and red stamp on the back stating it is a certified true copy of the original registration.

Photocopies are rarely needed by citizens and are, by law, for restricted use only. They are generally only required for genealogical, court or consulate purposes. They are not for use as identification. Marriage Certificates are issued using the information from the original Registration of Marriage, completed at the time of marriage. If you are not certain of the date of marriage, you are required to fill out the estimated date of marriage on the Marriage Certificate application.

If a record cannot be found, a search will automatically be carried out and the applicant will be notified. You must have an original government issued Marriage Certificate or Certified Copy of Marriage Registration to apply for a divorce in Canada. The certificate you received at the church or any other place you were married will not be accepted by the Divorce Registry.

A British Columbia Registration Photocopy costs:. The only payment currently accepted is credit card Visa and MasterCard. A Marriage Certificate will take business days with the Regular Service option or business days with the Rush Service option. A Registration Photocopy will take business days with the Regular Service option or business days with the Rush Service option.

Bill C codifies a definition of marriage for the first time in Canadian law, expanding on the traditional common-law understanding of civil marriage as an exclusively heterosexual institution.

Bill C was passed by the Senate on July 19, , by a vote of With its enactment, Canada became the fourth country to legislate same-sex marriage, the others being the Netherlands , Belgium and Spain Federal vs.

Provincial Jurisdiction. There is some confusion about the roles of different levels of government involved in the marriage issue. The federal government can pass legislation to define marriage and to set out who can marry whom, which means that a Province must recognize any marriage that is valid in Canada. Although Provinces do not have the freedom to choose which marriages may be solemnized, they are required to provide a process by which people can be married.

This means that provincial governments must provide a process for the solemnization of same-sex marriages.

If you are following up on the status of an already ordered certificate, as the applicant, you will need to contact the government agency directly. Photo by Emily Nicole Photos. Neither can your mom, your wedding planner of your best friend.

This one is on you. You must obtain your marriage licence in the province in which you are getting married. Not your favourite province. Not the province where marriage licences are the cheapest. Your marriage licence is valid for 90 days. Licences must be applied for in person by at least one member of the couple who has primary ID for both members of the couple. To find a marriage licence issuer, click here. Comments will be sent to 'servicebc gov.

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