How does timing work if one partner lives abroad?
Each of you gives notice in the district where you've lived for at least the seven days immediately before your appointment, so a partner living abroad usually needs to travel to England or Wales and establish that residence period before they can give notice there. This residence requirement, not the 28-day wait itself, is usually what shapes the timeline for couples in this situation.
The residence requirement
Notice must be given in person at a register office covering somewhere you've lived for at least seven days immediately beforehand. A partner normally based abroad needs to plan a visit that allows for this seven-day period before their notice appointment, not just a flying visit to sign paperwork.
Building the visit into your timeline
In practice, this means the overseas partner needs a trip of at least a week before their notice appointment, and both partners' 28-day (or 70-day) clocks start from their own separate notice dates, which don't have to be the same day. Plan the trip with enough slack in case of travel delays affecting the seven-day residence count.
Documents to prepare before travelling
An overseas partner should bring passport identification and proof of the seven-day address (such as a booking confirmation and additional evidence the register office accepts) to the notice appointment, since missing evidence can mean rebooking and losing time from a limited visit.
- Plan a visit of at least seven days before the notice appointment
- Confirm with the register office exactly what counts as proof of that address
- Remember each partner's 28-day wait runs from their own notice date, not a shared one
What this means for you
- Build a trip of at least a week into your plan before the overseas partner's notice appointment, not just a day visit.
- Each partner's notice date, and their own 28-day (or 70-day) wait, can differ — plan around the later of the two.
- Confirm accepted proof of address with the register office before travelling, so the trip isn't wasted.
Official sources
- GOV.UK — Give notice at your local register office
- GOV.UK — Marriages and civil partnerships in the UK
Last reviewed: 17 August 2026 · Next review due 17 November 2026
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Simply Married is an independent planning service, not a register office or government department. Confirm current requirements and fees with your own register office and on GOV.UK.