Does marrying a foreign national cost more?

The fees that stay the same

Notice, ceremony and certificate fees are charged in exactly the same way whatever your nationalities, since they relate to the marriage process itself rather than immigration status.

Where extra costs can come in

A foreign partner may need to provide documents such as a birth certificate or evidence of the end of a previous marriage, and these often need a certified translation into English, and sometimes formal legalisation, before a register office will accept them. Both carry their own separate fees.

If either partner is subject to immigration control, the register office refers the case to the Home Office as part of the referral and investigation scheme, and this carries an additional fee on top of the standard notice fee.

Planning for it

Check early which documents the foreign partner will need, whether they require translation, and whether the referral scheme applies. Sorting this out well ahead of the notice appointment avoids both extra cost pressure and delay right before you'd hoped to marry.

• Confirm which of the foreign partner's documents need certified translation
• Check whether legalisation (an apostille or similar) is also required
• Ask the register office early whether the referral scheme will apply to your case