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HOW
TO GET MARRIED IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
Step
1.
Applying
for a Marriage Licence
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The
Marriage Act requires that you obtain a Marriage Licence
before getting married in British Columbia. The licence
does not mean that you are married, but that you may get
married any time during the three-month term of the licence.
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The
bride or groom must apply in person to the Marriage Licence
Issuer in your community
-
Only
one member of the couple needs to apply for the licence,
but you will be asked to provide identification for both
the bride and the groom. Information required with identification
will include:
-
A
fee must be paid at the time of application.
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The
licence will be issued at the time of application, and
is valid for three months from the time of issuance.
-
Marriage
Licences are not refundable.
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Anyone
over 19 years of age is eligible to apply for a marriage
licence in British Columbia.
-
·
Anyone under 19 years of age must first obtain the consent
of both parents. Your local Marriage Licence Issuer has
the required consent forms.
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No one under the age of 16 years can be married without
the consent of the Supreme or County Court.
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You do not have to be a B.C. resident in order to be married
here, but the licence is only valid in this province.
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Blood tests are not required under B.C. legislation.
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If one or both of the intended parties was recently divorced
(within the last 31 days), proof of divorce must be provided.
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No licence may be issued until a divorce has been finalized
by the courts (this is normally 31 days after the divorce
decree has been issued by the courts).
Step
2.
The
Marriage Ceremony
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In
B.C., couples can choose a religious or civil ceremony.
Either type of ceremony must be witnessed by two people.
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Religious
ceremonies are performed by a religious representative
of your choice, as long as they are registered with the
British Columbia Vital Statistics Agency under the Marriage
Act.
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Civil
ceremonies are performed by Marriage Commissioners who
are appointed by the Executive Director of Vital Statistics.
Contact the Marriage Commissioner directly to make an
appointment and arrangements.
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After
marriage, you gain the right to use your spouse's surname.
You can choose to continue using your own surname. This
does not result in a legal change of name, or in any automatic
change to birth records, and you can decide to return
to your own surname at any time.
-
To
use hyphenated surnames a legal Change of Name is required.
Step
3.
Registering
the Marriage
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The
religious representative or Marriage Commissioner who
performs the wedding ceremony will also help to complete
the necessary Marriage Registration Form.
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This
form is then sent within 48 hours of the marriage ceremony
by the religious representative or Marriage Commissioner
to the Vital Statistics Agency, where the marriage is
registered and a legal record is kept.
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At
the time of the ceremony, your Religious Representative
or Marriage Commissioner may provide you with a statement
of marriage - this interim document can be used temporarily
to prove that you are married.
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After
the marriage, and following the receipt and registration
of the Marriage Registration Form, a permanent Marriage
Certificate will be automatically mailed to the bride
and groom from the Vital Statistics Agency.
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