Start Phone Assessment Start Online Assessment Our Service UNSURE OF YOUR NEEDS? CALL OUR ASSESSMENTS TEAM 24/7 ON 0203 384 4389Civil PartnershipYou can get married or form a civil partnership in the UK if you’re:16 or overfree to marry or form a civil partnership (single, divorced or widowed)not closely relatedYou need permission from your parents or guardians if you’re under 18 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.Only same sex couples can form a civil partnership.Same sex couplesYou can:form a civil partnership in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Irelandget married in England, Scotland and Walesconvert your civil partnership into a marriage in England, Scotland and WalesSpeak to our assessment team now to confirm your eligibility and options for free on 0203 384 4389.Further InformationWhat you need to do There are usually 2 steps to getting married or forming a civil partnership in England and Wales.Give notice at your local register office.Have a religious ceremony or civil ceremony at least 28 days after giving notice.There may be different steps for some religious ceremonies.Getting married or forming a civil partnership abroadYour overseas marriage or civil partnership will be recognised in the UK if you follow the correct process according to local law – you will not have to register it in the UK.Marrying in England or Wales if you live abroadYou may be able to give notice in the country where you’re living if that country has signed up to the ‘British Subjects Facilities Acts’. Your partner must be a resident of England or Wales. If you want to confirm whether you are able to give notice abroad, please speak with one of our friendly team who can check whether your country is a participating member of the scheme.Giving notice at your local register officeFor most marriages or civil partnerships you must give at least 28 full days’ notice at your local register office. You need to include details of where you intend to get married or form a civil partnership. Your notice will be publicly displayed in the register office for 28 days. You may also need to give notice here if you plan to marry or form a civil partnership abroad. Ask the overseas authority if you’ll need a ‘certificate of no impediment’. You can only give notice at a register office if you have lived in the registration district for at least the past 7 days. There are different rules for religious ceremonies. You must get married or register your civil partnership within one year, or 3 months if you’re in Scotland.Foreign nationalsThere are different rules if you or your partner are a foreign national from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.Documents to take to the register office When you go to the register office, you need to take proof of your name, age and nationality. For example your:valid passportbirth certificatenational identity card from the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerlandcertificate of registrationcertificate of naturalisationbiometric residence card or permittravel documentIf you’ve changed your name, you must bring proof – eg a copy of a deed poll. The registrar also needs proof of your address, for example a:valid UK or EEA driving licencegas, water or electricity bill from the last 3 monthsbank or building society statement from the last monthcouncil tax bill from the last 12 monthsmortgage statement from the last 12 monthscurrent tenancy agreementletter from your landlord confirming you live there and including your landlord’s name, address and their signature dated within the last 7 daysIf you’ve been divorced or widowedIf you’ve been married or in a civil partnership before, you need to take either:a decree absolute or final orderthe death certificate of your former partnerOverseas divorces and annulmentsA divorce will usually be recognised in England and Wales if it was valid in the country where it took place. You need to take your divorce or annulment documents to the register office if they were granted outside of the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man. The registrar may need to get in touch with the General Register Office (GRO) to confirm whether your marriage or civil partnership can go ahead. If they do, you’ll have to pay a fee of between £50 and £75. The fee will be confirmed once GRO have seen your documents.Foreign Nationals If either of you is from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland and subject to immigration control, you or your partner will need a visa to come to the UK to:give noticeget married or form a civil partnershipThis includes people who do not normally need visas for general visits (unless you’re already in the UK).Once in the UK (or if you’re already in the UK), you and your partner must give at least 28 days’ notice at a designated register office if both the following apply to either of you:you’re from outside the EEA or Switzerlandyou’re subject to immigration controlGet a visa if you’re outside the UKThe application process is different depending on your partner’s circumstances.If your partner is from the UK or settled in the UKApply for a family of a settled person visa (eg, as a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner) if you intend to stay in the UK for more than 6 months. Apply for a Marriage or Civil Partnership Visitor visa for a stay of less than 6 months.If your partner is from theEEA (excluding UK) or SwitzerlandIf your partner is a permanent UK resident (ie has a ‘document certifying permanent residence’), you can apply for a family of a settled person visa. If your partner is not a permanent UK resident, you can apply for an EEA family permit to accompany or join your partner in the UK. You’ll usually have to prove that you and your partner have lived together in a relationship for at least 2 years.If your partner is not from the UK, Switzerland or EEA, and not settled in the UKApply for a Marriage or Civil Partnership Visitor visa. You’ll have to leave the UK within 6 months.Giving Notice Both you and your partner must give at least 28 days’ notice at a designated register office in England and Wales. You can only give notice if you’ve both lived in England and Wales for at least 7 days. If you’re both exempt from immigration control you need to give notice at your local register office. You’ll need to show evidence of why you’re exempt, eg you have right of abode.When your notice period can be extendedYour notice period can be extended to 70 days if you or your partner:are from outside the EEA or Switzerlandhave limited or no immigration status in the UKdo not give the registrar enough evidence to show you’re settled in the UKYou’ll be told within 28 days if your notice period will be extended. The registrar will tell you if this applies to you and your proposed marriage or civil partnership will be referred to the Home Office. The Home Office may investigate to make sure your marriage or civil partnership is genuine. You may be interviewed by the Home Office or asked for more information as part of the investigation. You must comply with the investigation or you will not be allowed to get married or form a civil partnership. You must also tell the Home Office if you change your address during the notice period.Documents you need You need to take proof of your name, date of birth, nationality and address to the designated register office. You’ll also be asked about your partner’s immigration status if they’re from outside the EEA or Switzerland (or your partner will be asked about your status if you’re from outside the EEA or Switzerland).Fees and conditions You will have to pay a notice fee of £35 if your passport or immigration document shows that you:have settled status in the UK, eg indefinite leave to remainare exempt from immigration control, eg right of abodehave a Marriage or Civil Partnership Visitor visa (you both must also bring a passport sized photograph)a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner visa (you both must also bring a passport sized photograph)have an EU right of permanent residence in the UKIf you do not have any of the above documents, you’ll have to pay a fee of £47 and give:details of your normal address if it’s different from the address you’ve used to give noticedetails of a UK contact address if your normal address is outside the UKdetails of any previous names and current or previous names or identities that you’ve been known asa passport sized photographConvert a civil partnership into a marriageConverting in England and WalesYou can convert your civil partnership into a marriage at:a register officea local registration officea religious or approved premises where same sex marriages are allowed – a ceremony may followThere are different rules for Scotland. You can’t convert a civil partnership into a marriage in Northern Ireland. You’ll get a marriage certificate, dated when your civil partnership was formed.How much it costsYou’ll pay:£4 for a marriage certificate£45 to convert your civil partnership£27 for an appointment, if you have a ceremonyThe cost of the ceremony will vary by venue.What you needYou’ll need to sign a ‘conversion into marriage’ declaration. Make an appointment to do this with the superintendent registrar at your local register office. You’ll need your original civil partnership certificate and your ID – ask the register office what ID to provide.Converting with a ceremonyContact a registered venue to book a date for your ceremony. You’ll also be able to have the ceremony at venues where same sex couples can get married, for example:religious buildings registered for the marriage of same sex couplespremises where a ceremony according to the Jewish faith or the Society of Friends will follow immediately after the conversionYou can discuss the wording you want during your ceremony with the person conducting it. Your friends and family can attend but you don’t need witnesses. You and your partner must sign a ‘conversion into marriage’ declaration. The superintendent registrar must be in attendance and also sign the declaration.Converting abroadIf you got your civil partnership in the UK, you may be able to convert it into a marriage in some countries abroad. You’ll get a marriage certificate, dated when your civil partnership was formed.EligibilityYou can convert your civil partnership if all of the following apply:you’ve been living in the country for at least 28 daysyour civil partnership took place under the laws of England and Wales, or Scotlandat least one of you is a British citizenCountries you can convert inContact your nearest British embassy or consulate to find out if you’re eligible and to book an appointment.Documents you’ll needYou’ll need:your passportyour partner’s passportproof that you’re resident in the country you’re converting in (eg an employer’s letter or bank statement)the original civil partnership certificateHow much it costsYou’ll pay:£150 to convert your civil partnership – check how to pay with the embassy or consulate in the country£50 for a marriage certificate, usually in the local currencyRated excellent by our clients on: Start Online Assessment Now Get a FREE phone assessmentHow we work in 3 simple stepsCall us or submit your details onlinehReceive a FREE no obligation assessmentYou decide if you want our assistanceWHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF USING UK IMMIGRATION SOLICITORS?Immigration rules are complex and subject to regular changes and revisions. This itself presents problems as it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of and have complied with any changes to the routes, processes and evidence requirements. Failure to meet strict rules is likely to result in the application being refused which, in turn, is likely have an emotional and financial strain on you and your family. It is our job to ensure we are fully aware of the latest immigration rules, policies and procedures. We don’t leave matters to chance. Once you become a client of ours, we explain our strategy and tell you exactly how we propose to get you the right result. We will pinpoint the positives and negatives of your circumstances and explain where issues may arise and what would need to be done to fix them. We provide step by step guidance and advice throughout the entire process professionally. Our vast experience allows us to foresee problems before they arise and pro-actively adopt a strategic action plan.Our legal fees are always agreed and fixed with you right at the beginning of your case, so you have complete peace of mind and control over the costs to ensure there are no restrictions or unpleasant surprises.There are many online agencies, advisors and marketing companies who claim to be immigration experts but, provide very little expertise.Let us be very clear here, if you are paying for someone just to fill in the forms for you, you should think about how you can put that money to better use and avoid gambling with your future by using inexperienced and ineffective companies.We are a fully regulated nationwide, multi award winning law firm that specialises in immigration. Having more than 60 years of combined expertise and having handled more than 8,000 cases we have unrivalled experience and expertise to ensure you get the right result first time around – Don’t take our word for it though, check out our reviews to see why our clients trust us with their futures. We are rated 5* across the board and 98% of our clients have confirmed that they would recommend us to others. *We have illustrated our typical scope of service below so you can understand what we do for you as paid of our service: Our immigration specialists carry out a free detailed assessment with you to understand your circumstances and needs.The collated information is then reviewed by a senior immigration solicitor who will have no less than 8 years’ immigration experience.Based on the information collected, the senior solicitor will then confirm what your options are and will also confirm if we are able to help you.We will offer you an Agreed Fixed Fee quotation for us to handle your entire case until initial conclusion without obligation. If we have officially taken your instructions, we will create a client file for you and collect detailed initial information.We will then ensure you receive a personalised one-to-one legal consultation with a senior immigration solicitor who will take your full instructions by exploring your circumstances in detail and advise you on the best way to meet your objectives. The solicitor will explain the relevant legislations and provide you with advice on the steps that we would need to take to get a successful result.The senior solicitor who carried out your legal consultation will then send you detailed written legal advice explaining everything that needs to be done and which documents will be required as part of the process. We will tell you about any problem areas and formulate a strategy to overcome/mitigate these. We will carefully review any documents that you have provided in support of the application. These documents are then validated and formatted to ensure that they meet the UKVI specified evidence requirements. Where they do not, we will explain what needs to be done to address the issues.Where required, we will prepare any necessary written legal arguments or representations that are required to support your application and gain an approval. Often, we may be required to make discretionary submissions.We will complete a draft application and share this with you to ensure that all parties are happy with the representations that will be submitted to the Home Office.We advise you on what application processing routes are available. In some cases, there are fast track or premium processing routes available. We may be required to book a Home Office appointment on your behalf. Will also be able to confirm typical processing times for any processing centre in the world. We explain all options, routes and fees comprehensively allowing you to make the best choice.We lodge the application on your behalf using our secure authenticated processes. Whilst your application is pending, we continue to ensure you receive maximum legal protection and ensure that your rights and allowances are upheld throughout the processing stage. We ensure that you are aware of and remain compliant with the immigration rules and regulations during this period. We will also keep you updated on the progress of your matter.If any follow up work is required in response to any queries raised by the UKVI, we will also deal with these as part of the comprehensive service.We secure a decision on your matter and further advise you on the relevant implications of that decision. If required, we will also confirm if any secondary applications are required and brief you on the necessary process and procedure for those also.WHY SHOULD I USE UK IMMIGRATION SOLICITORS TO HELP ME?Here are just some of the reasons to choose us: * We are the UK’s #1 Immigration Specialist Law Firm* We are a fully SRA regulated law firm so you are working directly with our in house legal team* No agencies, middlemen or outsourcing* We have achieved 99% success rate across all application types* We have a 24 hour helpline that operates 7 days a week – 365 days a year* We have multiple offices across the UK but 90% of our clients are not required to visit in person* We have more than 60 years combined immigration expertise* Our team have handled more than 8,000 cases* We offer a free initial assessment which will explain your options and check your eligibility for your chosen route* We operate a 100% Agreed Fixed Fee model with all fees fixed and agreed before work is started* 98% of our clients would recommend us to family & friends* Our average rating is 4.6/5 across major review platforms (based on over 300 reviews).WHAT IS A FREE NEEDS ASSESSMENT?If you have an immigration related problem or question, you can have a free assessment with a member of our assessments team.The assessor will establish why you are calling and what you are looking for assistance with. The assessor will ask you a series of questions to determine your circumstances in relation to your objectives.The assessment is 100% private and confidential. As we are a private law firm, we work with our clients to overturn Government decisions daily. We do not share any information with any third party.Although the assessor will be a trained immigration specialist, they are not solicitors and therefore will not give you detailed legal advice or guidance.If you want to establish what your options are and the best way forward for you, your assessor will collate the necessary information and then speak with one of the resident senior solicitors at the firm to determine what your options are, if and how we could assist and confirm whether we would be prepared to take your case. If we can assist, you will be provided with an Agreed Fixed Fee quotation which is a single legal fee to cover the firms cost of representation agreed from the outset and binding for all parties.The free assessment is no obligation and you are merely given clarity on your position and options to move forward.If you have a complex matter or require legal advice regarding a specific issue, you will most likely require a legal consultation.This is a separate service and is chargeable at the prevailing rates.Please note, UK Immigration Solicitors are a private law firm and are not part of the Government. We do not accept legal aid instructions. Although we are happy to assist genuine callers, we are not a directory service and sadly are unable to provide you with Government telephone numbers.To get started you can either call us on 0203 384 4389 or complete the assessment form and one of the team will call youWhat do you want to do next? I want to speak with a specialist now for a free assessment I want you to call me back to discuss my needs I want you to look at my refusal and call me back with a solution I want you to provide me with a free quotation I want to start a free online assessment I want to know more about your firm