The Marriage (Northern Ireland) Order 2003

Introductory N.I.

Title and commencement N.I.

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Marriage (Northern Ireland) Order 2003.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), this Order shall come into operation on such day or days as the Department may by order appointF1 .

(3) This Article and Article 2 shall come into operation on the expiration of one month from the day on which this Order is made.

F1 fully exercised by SR 2003/466

Interpretation N.I.

2.—(1) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 (c. 33) applies to this Order as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

(2) In this Order—

• [F2 “2014 Act” means the Immigration Act 2014;]

• “civil marriage” means a marriage solemnised by a person appointed under Article 31;

• “the Department” means the Department of Finance and Personnel;

• “district” means a registration district within the meaning of Article 30(1);

• [F3 “governing authority”, in relation to a religious body, has the meaning given by Article 9A;]

• “marriage notice” has the meaning given by Article 3(2);

• “marriage notice book” has the meaning given by Article 4(2);

• “medical practitioner” means a fully registered person within the meaning of the Medical Act 1983 (c. 54);

• “officiant” means a person registered under Article 11 or temporarily authorised under Article 14;

• “prescribed”, except in relation to a fee, means prescribed by regulations and in relation to a fee means prescribed by order under Article 37;

• “registrar”, except in Article 8, has the meaning given by Article 3(2);

• “regulations” means [F4 , other than in Articles 3A to 3E,] regulations made by the Department;

• [F5 “relevant national” means—

  (a)

  a British citizen,

  (aa)

  [F6 an Irish citizen, or

  (ab)

  a person who is not an Irish citizen and who—

  (i)

  has leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom which was granted by virtue of residence scheme immigration rules within the meaning given by section 17 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020, or

  (ii)

  is an applicant for the purposes of regulation 4 of the Citizens’ Rights (Application Deadline and Temporary Protection) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (applications which have not been finally determined by the deadline) where the relevant period within the meaning of that regulation has not expired;]

  (b)

  F7 ...

  (c)

  F7 ...]

• “religious body” means an organised group of people meeting regularly for common religious worship;

• “religious marriage” means a marriage solemnised by an officiant;

• “statutory provision” has the meaning given by section 1(f) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 (c. 33);

• “young person” means a person who is over the age of 16 but under the age of 18.

(3) Regulations may provide for references in this Order to a person solemnising a marriage to be construed in prescribed cases as such person as may be prescribed.

F2 Words in art. 2(2) inserted (1.3.2015) by The Referral and Investigation of Proposed Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Northern Ireland and Miscellaneous Provisions) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/395), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 2(a) (with art. 1(3))

F3 Words in art. 2(2) inserted (1.9.2020) by The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/742), regs. 1(2), 4(2)

F4 Words in art. 2(2) inserted (1.3.2015) by The Referral and Investigation of Proposed Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Northern Ireland and Miscellaneous Provisions) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/395), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 2(b) (with art. 1(3))

F5 Words in art. 2(2) inserted (1.3.2015) by The Referral and Investigation of Proposed Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Northern Ireland and Miscellaneous Provisions) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/395), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 2(c) (with art. 1(3))

F6 Words in art. 2(2) inserted (1.7.2021) by The Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020 (Consequential, Saving, Transitional and Transitory Provisions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1309), regs. 1(2)(c), 14(2)(a) (with Sch. 5 para. 7)

F7 Words in art. 2(2) omitted (1.7.2021) by virtue of The Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020 (Consequential, Saving, Transitional and Transitory Provisions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1309), regs. 1(2)(c), 14(2)(b) (with Sch. 5 para. 7)