Fringe Box

Socialize

Twitter

Surrey’s Register Offices Open For Marriage and For New Baby Backlog

Published on: 5 Jul, 2020
Updated on: 6 Jul, 2020

From tomorrow (July 6), work begins to register the backlog of more than 3,700 births of babies born in Surrey in the past three months since the coronavirus lockdown began.

Registration services are reopening with residents able to book appointments from July 6 to register births and get married.  appointments can be made at Guildford, Leatherhead and Weybridge register offices while Camberley and Reigate offices remain closed.

Artington House, Guildford’s District Register Office

Although a law was passed that allows deaths to be registered over the phone, birth registrations, marriage notices and ceremonies have not been allowed since register offices closed in March due to coronavirus.

Although the 42-day time frame to register a birth was relaxed, the law still required births to be registered face to face.

To keep everybody safe, if the child’s parents are married or in a civil partnership then only one parent should attend the appointment. Children or additional adults should not attend.

Anyone with a marriage or civil partnership booked in Surrey in the next three months can now make an appointment from July 6 to give notice. Giving notice of intent to marry is a legal requirement and it is important to prioritise those who have marriages or civil partnerships booked imminently.

Marriage ceremonies and civil partnerships can now be held at register offices in Guildford, Leatherhead or Weybridge, but they might not be as lavish as the couple had originally planned.

The government fixed a maximum of 30 people can attend, including the couple, witnesses, registrars and any staff not employed by the venue such as photographers and catering staff.

This maximum number is allowed only where it can be safely accommodated with social distancing in a Covid-secure venue.  In ceremony rooms at open register offices only an additional four to six guests are allowed, depending on the office.

The government has also advised that ceremonies and services should be concluded in the shortest reasonable time. They will be limited to the parts of the marriage or civil partnership legally binding under the law of England and Wales.

For more information about registration services in Surrey please visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/birth-death-and-ceremonies

Share This Post

Leave a Comment

Please see our comments policy. All comments are moderated and may take time to appear.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *