Marriage/civil partnership and immigration control

Immigration control

You are not under immigration control if you are:

• a British citizen
• an Irish citizen
• a person with leave granted under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) or a decision pending on an application for EUSS leave made before 1 July 2021

Immigration status 

If you are not a British or Irish citizen, or a person with leave granted under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) or a decision pending on an application for EUSS leave made before 1 July 2021 and want to marry or form a civil partnership you will need to fill in an Immigration Status Statement.

You can download and print out the status statement at the following link:

• Immigration status statement

Filling in the statement

There are three statements in the form; A, B and C. Read each statement carefully and fill in the one that applies to your circumstances.

Statement A

You have the right immigration status and one of the following applies to you:

• exemption from immigration control
• settled status in the UK

You must give certified evidence of your immigration status. For example:

• a 'Certificate of Entitlement to Right of Abode'
• passport with a valid 'Indefinite Leave to Remain'

If you’re not sure about your immigration status you should contact UK Visas and Immigration at the link below.

• Contact UK Visas and immigration - Inside and outside UK

Statement B

You hold a Marriage/Civil Partnership Visit Visa or a Fiancé/Proposed Civil Partner Visa that allows you to enter the UK to marry or form a civil partnership.

You must include the following:

• a certified copy of your passport showing that you hold the relevant visa
• a UK passport style and size photograph (for both parties)

If your visa application has not yet been decided, you must give details of your application.

• Visiting Northern Ireland to marry or form a civil partnership

Statement C

You do not have the right immigration status or a relevant visa.

You can give a statement and details of your immigration position, for example visitor visa or student visa, where asked on the form.

You must give the following:

• details and evidence of your usual address (for both parties)
• a UK passport style and size photograph (for both parties)

Evidence of your usual address can include one of the following:

• utility bill (dated within three months of the date of notice)
• bank or building society statement or passbook (dated within one month of the date of notice)
• rates bill dated within 12 months of the date of notice
• residential tenancy agreement
• mortgage statement dated within 12 months of the date of notice

Above is not a full list, you can find other forms of evidence accepted to show your usual address in the PDF of the statement at the link above.

Present the statement

You should present the statement and any supporting evidence along with your marriage/civil partnership notice form.

The minimum notice period in Northern Ireland is 28 days. However, if you do not have the right immigration status, the right visa, or evidence in support of your application, you will be referred to the Home Office for investigation and the period of notice may be extended to 70 days.

You can find out more about sending your notice form at the links below.

• How and when to give notice for marriage
• How and when to give notice for a civil partnership

Photographs

If you have finished Statement B or C, you must include a UK passport style and size photograph. It must have been taken no more than one year before the date on which you give notice.

You can get advice on passport style photographs at the following link:

• Photos for passports

More information

You can find out more about the immigration control at the following link.

• UK visas and immigration control