Canadian getting married in uk

[Scoopmuckdizzy]

I'm on my phone so apologies if this is muddled.

Just tried to make an appointment to give notice of marriage- very last minute wedding at the end of June this year. Canadian partner has right to abode, has been in UK over 20 years. I have been informed he will require an in date passport and the right to abode stamp transferred (costing around £500) - is this correct? The registrars were not sure themselves and have come back with this information.

It's already a rush getting the 28 days notice of marriage in and now have to sort a passport renewal too, it's unlikely we'll be marrying at the end of June isn't it?

So my reading of this is that you must have a right of abode cert (cost 144 quid, good god) and it can only exist within a valid passport.

What worries me more about this page is that it says it can take up to 6 months to be granted right of abode - now, he's obv had it before but now that it's lapsed by not renewing I hope that doesn't mean he has to start that process again?

I think you (or rather he) needs to speak to UK Visas and Immigration and clarify with them.

You shouldn't need to get the right of abode stamp transferred - I travelled for years with my (work) visa in an expired passport and travelled on the in-date one. There was no need to transfer them - just checked and UKBA still say no need to transfer. I can't see why the council registrar would need it all in one passport if UKBA don't require it for entry/exit?

I think the £500 is what you need to transfer the stamp at an on-the-day appointment (so you'd have it same day) rather than £100 to do it by post (and have it take forever).

However I think you may well need an in-date passport no matter what - but that should be very quick to do via the Canadian High Commission?

Trib - I didn't know that about Right of Abode vs other immigration documents. Bah.

Thank you, it's all very confusing! He wasn't aware that his right to abode expired with his passport, and that he would need a valid passport to give notice as he was planing on using driving license and birth certificate as proof of ID.

I'm a registrar and the rules about non-EEA citizens giving notice of marriage changed very recently (2 March) so there is still a bit of confusion. Does your partner have a current Canadian passport? If so, then he will need to bring that along with the expired one with the right of abode document. He shouldn't need to have the right of abode doc tansferred to his current passport. The Registrar can ring the Home Office to check on his immigration status if there is any doubt. The only other evidence you would both need to bring to the Notice of Marriage appointment is proof of your current home address. There's a list here of acceptable evidence here. Are you a British citizen with a current passport?