If you need to marry or form a civil partnership urgently due to a serious illness you can apply for either a:
- Registrar General's Licence
- Waiver of the legal notice period
Registrar General's Licence (RGL)
If someone wanting to marry or form a civil partnership is seriously ill, not expected to recover and are unable to be moved to a register office or licensed venue an RGL allows a wedding or civil partnership to take place quickly, without having to wait for the usual statutory notice period to pass.
If you require an RGL please contact us as soon as possible.
- Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm 0345 60 80 198
- In the event of an extreme emergency which cannot wait until we are next open, call 01273 337040. This number is only for ceremonies that will take place in East Sussex (excluding Brighton and Hove).
Wavier - Reduction of the statutory waiting period
Normally once notice has been given a statutory waiting period must pass before a couple are able to marry or form a civil partnership.
The statutory waiting period is either 29 or 71 days (depending on immigration status).
There are provisions which allow for this waiting period to be reduced in exceptional circumstances. Such as, one of the parties to the marriage/civil partnership is seriously ill, or somebody important to the ceremony is seriously ill and the usual waiting period my pose a problem.
The request to reduce the waiting period can be applied for at the time of giving notice or at any point during the waiting period. There is no guarantee that a waiver will be granted and evidence to support the application will be necessary. An application fee is payable.
If you think you may need to apply for a waiver, please contact us as soon as possible 0345 60 80 198.