Surprisingly, it is easy to get married in Australia while visiting the country on a Tourist Visa.
However there are some important things to know.
Firstly, you definitely can get married in Australia on a tourist visa, whether you are visiting for either 3 months or 6 months.
Also, there is no residency qualification required to marry in Australia.
The only real requirement is that you are free to marry; and are both at least eighteen years of age.
You may like to know that same-sex marriages are now also legally conducted in Australia.
So that’s all great news.
Yet the single most important thing to know, is this: A one-month legal “notice period” applies to getting married in Australia.
This means that both Bride and Groom have to sign a “Notice of Intended Marriage” form (NOIM) in front of an authorized witness (for example Police Officer) and lodge it with their chosen celebrant at least one month before the wedding.
While lodging the NOIM (ie providing the NOIM to an authorized Celebrant), the couple must prove their age, identity, nationality and address with certain documents, such as passport, birth certificate, driver’s license etc.
Prior to the actual wedding ceremony, the couple would have to sign a declaration that they are legally free to marry and that each partner is giving his/her consent to marry the other.
Finally, the couple will take part in a legal wedding ceremony where they will exchange legal vows and sign further marriage documents in front of at least two witnesses (whom must be supplied by the couple).
Simple Weddings is a celebrant service offering Australia’s easiest, fastest and most affordable way to get married.
You can contact Simple Weddings if you’re looking for the most straightforward way to take care of the “getting married” part. They will help you sort out the NOIM form and legal requirements to ensure you get married without delay.
Please be aware – getting married does not automatically confer any right to remain in Australia beyond the Visa expiry date.
In fact, your tourist visa will offer no extensions, without exception!
So even if you marry in Australia, your new marriage partner/husband/wife will almost certainly have to return to his/her country of origin, before an Australian-residency Partner visa application would be accepted.
You can then apply for an Australian partner visa for your new spouse to return to Australia to live with you.
Of course there’s more to know; and this article does not constitute professional migration advice. On the other hand, it’s a good overview of what to expect.
If you’re planning to marry in Australia, have a chat with Simple Weddings, they will be very happy to make it all come true.
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