Is a Marriage Certificate the same thing as a Marriage Licence?
A Marriage Certificate is a different type of document from a
Marriage Licence. Marriage Licences are
issued to couples before they marry, whereas Marriage Certificates are issued
as records of marriages that have already occurred.
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How long does it take for a birth to be legally registered in Ontario?
Registration
takes approximately 10 weeks from the date of marriage. You can apply for an Ontario Marriage
Certificate once you receive notice that the marriage has been registered with
the Vital Statistics agency.
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What is the minimum age to get married in Ontario?
You must be
at least 18 years old to be married in Ontario by licence or under the
authority of the publication of banns (an announcement of the details of your
intent to marry in your church, mosque or synagogue) without parental
consent. If you are 16 or 17 years old,
you may marry if you have the written consent of both parents. Other restrictions may apply.
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Who is allowed to perform marriages in Ontario?
If you are
getting married in Ontario, you may have a religious marriage or a civil
marriage.
A religious
marriage is performed by an official of a recognized religion who has received
authorization from the Office of the Registrar General to perform marriages in
Ontario. The marriage can be solemnized
under the authority of a marriage licence or the publication of banns,
depending on the religious body.
List of Religious Officials
Note: Banns
shall not be published where either party to the intended marriage had a
previous marriage which has been dissolved or annulled.
A civil
marriage may be performed by an Ontario judge, justice of the peace or a
municipal clerk under the authority of a marriage licence. Each municipality
will set its own fees and can even offer civil marriage services. Contact your
municipal office for more information.
List of Ontario Municipalities
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Do I need to get a Marriage Licence in Ontario?
In most
cases, if you are being married in a religious or civil ceremony, you must
obtain a Marriage licence through your local municipality. However, if you are being married in a
religious ceremony, you may be eligible to be married by a publication of banns
(making an announcement of the details of your intent to marry in your church,
mosque or synagogue). Speak
to your religious official for more information.
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How do I apply for an Ontario Marriage Licence?
In most
cases, if you are being married in a religious or civil ceremony, you need a Marriage
Licence. However, if you are being
married in a religious ceremony, you may be eligible to be married by a
publication of banns (making an announcement of the details of your intent to
marry in your church, mosque or synagogue). Speak to your religious official for more
information.
You can
apply for a Marriage Licence at the municipal offices in your city, town,
village or township if there is a licence issuer or you can download the Marriage Licence Application Form and bring it with you to your
nearest municipal office.
Fill out
the application and then apply for the Marriage Licence in person. Make sure you and your partner bring
identification, such as a birth certificate (along with any change of name
certificates), current Passport, Record of Immigrant Landing or Canadian Citizenship
Card and photo ID to prove your current legal name and age.
There is a Marriage
Licence fee. Cost is subject to change
by each Municipality, but is currently $100 to $125. Contact your local municipal office for the
current fee. The Marriage Licence is
valid anywhere in Ontario for three months from the date of purchase. If the licence expires, you will have to
purchase another one.
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What if I want to get married outside Ontario?
When you
get married outside of Ontario, your marriage won’t be registered in the
Province. You may need to purchase a
licence from the place where you get married.
Check with
the Vital Statistics Office in the Province or Territory in Canada where you
want to get married. If you’re getting
married in another country, check with the Canadian representative there. You may need to prove that you are not currently
married and you may be required to apply for a marriage search letter. In many places, this letter is commonly
referred to as a Letter of Non-Impediment.
This letter only confirms whether or not a marriage is registered for
you in Ontario.
You can
apply to do a marriage search online. If
you need a search letter, fill out the Marriage Certificate Application Form
and check off the box that says “Search”.
Be sure to write on the form the years you would like searched. If you don’t know what years to search, check
with the country that is requesting the information.
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What if I want to remarry after a divorce?
If you were
divorced in Canada, you must bring the original or court-certified copy of the
final decree, final judgment or certificate of divorce to your local municipal
office when you are purchasing the marriage licence.
If you were
divorced outside of Canada, you must obtain authorization from the Ministry of
Government Services before you can purchase a marriage licence.
For
authorization, collect the following documents:
- A completed Marriage Licence Application.
- A Statement of Sole
Responsibility
for each divorce signed by both parties of this marriage.
- An original or court-certified copy of the divorce
decree or annulment. If the decree is in a language other than English or
French, include a translated copy together with an affidavit sworn by a
certified translator.
- A legal opinion from an Ontario lawyer, addressed
to both applicants to the marriage, giving reasons why the divorce or
annulment should be recognized in the Province of Ontario. The Office of
the Registrar General will fax a sample legal opinion letter to your
lawyer if you call (807)-343-7492 or toll-free at 1-800-461-2156.
And send
them to:
The Office
of the Registrar General Marriage
Office P.O. Box
4600 189 Red
River Rd. Thunder
Bay, ON P7B 6L8
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How do I order a first time Ontario Marriage Certificate?
Immediately
after the marriage ceremony, the couple may receive a Record of Solemnization
of Marriage from the person who performed the ceremony. This document includes the couple’s names,
the date of the marriage, the names of the witnesses and whether the marriage
was performed under the authority of a licence or the publication of
banns. This is not a Marriage
Certificate or a legal record. You still
need a Marriage Certificate.
The person
who performed the marriage must forward a completed and signed Marriage Licence
to the provincial Vital Statistics office for registration. The marriage must be registered before you
may apply for a Marriage Certificate.
Apply for a
Marriage Certificate online:
1. Click
"Select Certificate Type" or "Get It Now" button on home
page. Follow the prompts to select the proper certificate and
Province/Territory the marriage occurred in.
2. Click the
"Apply Online" button.
3. Complete
the information on the Online Application which will guide you through several
Steps and pay using your credit card.
4. You will
receive an order confirmation email from us within an hour. We will then
go on to process your application according to the service option you have
chosen. If there are any problems with your application, a representative
will contact you via email with the required corrections.
5. Your
Marriage Certificate will either arrive in the mail, or by courier, depending
on the service option chosen.
Please
note: Marriage Certificates are issued
using the information from the original Registration of Marriage, completed at
the time of Marriage. If a record cannot
be found, a search for a three year period is carried out automatically and the
applicant will be notified.
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How do I order a replacement Ontario Marriage Certificate?
You may
order a replacement Marriage Certificate in the same way as a first time Marriage
Certificate (see above). The application
form is the same for both types of orders.
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How will my Ontario Marriage Certificate be sent to me?
Your Marriage
Certificate will be sent to you directly from the Office of the Registrar
General. It will arrive in the mail with
the Regular Service option, or by courier with the Rush Service option.
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Can I make an amendment to an Ontario Marriage Certificate?
Yes. Occasionally marriage records need to be
amended, such as when an error has been made to the original Registration of
Marriage.
Applicants may apply to correct an
error to an original registration by completing a Form 23 and providing
satisfactory evidence that proves the original registration was incorrect.
The
application for a correction to a Marriage Registration (Form 23) is not
available online. You must
contact Service Ontario directly at 1-800-461-2156 for all of North
America (areas outside of Toronto)
or 1-416-325-8305 in the Greater Toronto
Area and Internationally, to request the form.
Form
23 must be signed in the presence of a commissioner for taking affidavits for
oaths.
Depending
on what information is being corrected, original copies of evidence required to
make the correction may include one or more of the following:
- Hospital
record of Birth (letter from the hospital)
- Copy of
baptismal register certified by a church official or Cradle Roll
certificate issued within four years of birth
- School
record of registration for early elementary years (Grades 1 – 4)
- Canadian
Record of Immigrant Landing
- Canadian
Citizenship
- Copy of the
church marriage register, certified by a church official
- Birth
Certificate of subject
- Census
record
- Change of
Name certificate (copy)
- Copies of ID
used at the time of the event
All
forms, packages and evidence must be submitted with the application. All original certificates provided as
evidence will be returned to the applicant. Copies will not be returned
Amendments to the original Marriage Registration cost
$22.00. The fee for the correction
does not include a new Marriage Certificate once the correction has been made.
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What information is contained on an Ontario Marriage Certificate?
The
Marriage Certificate (File Size 7”x 8.25”) contains basic information such as
names, date and place of marriage.
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What is a Certified Copy of Statement of Marriage?
A Certified
Copy of Statement of Marriage is a photocopy of the registration completed at
the time of marriage, by the marriage officiant and the bride and groom. There is always an official raised seal and
red stamp on the back stating it is a certified true copy of the original
registration.
Photocopies
are rarely needed by citizens and are, by law, for restricted use only. They are generally only required for
genealogical, court or consulate purposes.
They are not for use as identification.
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What if I am uncertain of the date of marriage?
Marriage
Certificates are issued using the information from the original Registration of
Marriage, completed at the time of marriage.
If you are not certain of the date of marriage, you may order a search
letter. A search letter only states that
according to the Office of the Registrar General, an event either is or is not
recorded. No actual information is
provided or confirmed. Fill out the estimated
date of birth on the Marriage Certificate application. That entire year will be searched, plus two
years before and after, for a total of five years. You may also request a search of additional
years, in increments of five years.
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Is an Ontario Marriage Certificate required to apply for a divorce?
Yes. You must have an original government issued
Marriage Certificate or Certified Copy of Marriage Registration to apply for a
divorce in Canada. The certificate you
received at the church (or any other place you were married) will not be
accepted by the Divorce Registry.
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How much does an Ontario Marriage Certificate cost and how can I pay?
Regular Service (15-20 business days) Marriage
Certificate: $67.00 Certified
Copy of Statement of Marriage: $76.00 Search
(each 5 years searched): $60.00
Rush Service (5-10 business days) Marriage
Certificate: $100.00 Certified
Copy of Statement of Marriage: $110.00 Search
(each 5 years searched): $80.00
Rush
service is NOT available under the following circumstances:
- International
Orders: Rush Service is not available for
delivery outside Canada.
- Recent
Marriages: A Marriage Certificate will be
issued upon completion of the Marriage Registration. The registration takes approximately 10
weeks from the date of marriage.
Rush service is not available for marriages that took place within
the last 10 weeks. Please contact
the Office of the Registrar General at 1-800-461-2156 (Ontario Only) or
416-325-8305 if you do require a certificate for a recent marriage on a
rush basis.
- Marriages
Prior to 1991: Marriage Certificate
applications where the marriage took place prior to 1991 normally take
longer to process and therefore, rush service is not available.
- Marriages
Prior to 1965: Marriages prior to 1965 may not be in
electronic format. When applying
for a Marriage Certificate for a marriage prior to 1965, it can take up to
an extra 6-8 weeks for the registration to be converted into electronic
format before processing can be completed and therefore, rush service is
not available.
The only
payment currently accepted is credit card (Visa and MasterCard).
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How long will it take to receive my Ontario Marriage Certificate?
It will
take 15-20 business days with the Regular Service options or 5-10 business days
with the Rush Service option.
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What is the law in Ontario regarding same-sex marriage?
Bill C-38
codifies a definition of marriage for the first time in Canadian law, expanding
on the traditional common-law understanding of civil marriage as an exclusively
heterosexual institution. Bill C-38
redefines civil marriage as “the lawful union of two persons to the exclusion
of all others,” thus extending civil marriage to conjugal couples of the same
sex.
Bill C-38
was passed by the Senate on July 19, 2005, by a vote of 47-21. The Civil
Marriage Act then came into effect with Royal Assent on July 20, 2005, as
Chapter 33 of the Statutes of Canada.
With its enactment, Canada became the fourth country to legislate
same-sex marriage, the others being the Netherlands (2001), Belgium (2003) and
Spain (2005).
Federal vs. Provincial Jurisdiction
There is
some confusion about the roles of different levels of government involved in
the marriage issue.
The federal
government can pass legislation to define marriage and to set out who can marry
whom, which means that a Province must recognize any marriage that is valid in
Canada.
Although
Provinces do not have the freedom to choose which marriages may be solemnized,
they are required to provide a process by which people can be married. This means that provincial governments must
provide a process for the solemnization of same-sex marriages.
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How do I find the status of my Ontario Marriage Certificate application?
If you are
following up on the status of an already ordered certificate, as the applicant,
you will need to contact the government agency directly. They will only discuss the status of the
application with the applicant. Please
contact the Office of The Registrar General: Toll Free:
1-800-461-2156 (Ontario only) Telephone:
416-325-8305
You can also check the status
of your application online.
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Who is entitled to apply for an Ontario Marriage Certificate?
You can
apply for an Ontario Marriage Certificate if you are:
- The bride or the groom;
- A parent of either the bride or
the groom;
- A child of the marriage
(natural or adoptive);
- Children or parents of the
deceased bride or groom may obtain a Certified Copy of the Marriage
Registration.
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When I get married, do I have to take my husband’s last name?
No. Changing a last name upon marriage is a
custom only and it has never been a legal requirement. When you get married, there are several
options available to you. You may keep
your own last name, you may take your husband's name, or combine both of your
last names into a hyphenated last name.
It is also
possible to use your husband's last name for social purposes while continuing
to use your own last name for legal purposes, such as your passport, bank
accounts, driver's licence and so on.
The important thing is that you must not use both names in an attempt to
defraud someone.
The benefit
of assuming a married name instead of doing a legal name change is that it does
not change your last name on your Marriage Certificate. Later, if you wish to use your own last name
again, it is already on your Marriage Certificate and you won’t have to pay to
change it back.
If you do
decide to use your husband's last name, it is not necessary to inform the
Department of Vital Statistics. However,
you will have to arrange to have all your personal documents changed to reflect
your new name. You should contact your
bank to arrange to change your name on your accounts, credit cards and banking
cards, and the federal government to deal with documents such as your social
insurance number and passport. Your driver's
licence should also be changed. Do not
forget such important documents as insurance policies and your health care
number. Note also that marriage
automatically invalidates a will, unless the will specifically mentions that it
has been made with an upcoming marriage in mind. You should make a new will immediately after
marriage.
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My fiancé and I want to get married in a foreign country. Can we do this?
Yes. You may marry in a foreign country as long as
you meet all the requirements of the authority responsible for marriage in the
country where you want to get married.
If you are getting married overseas, most countries will require a
statement in-lieu of certification of non-impediment to marriage abroad. You can apply for one by mail to the
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Authentication and Service of
Documents section
before your departure. If you are already abroad, you may obtain a
"Statement in lieu of Certificate of Non-impediment" from the nearest
Canadian government office abroad.
Additional
information regarding marriage in a foreign country is available on the Canadian Consular Affairs website.
Please
note, only marriages that took place in Ontario are registered by the Ontario
Office of the Registrar General. Your
marriage will be registered in the country where it took place as long as you
met all the local requirements. Your
Marriage Certificate, issued by the country's authority responsible for
marriage, is proof of your marital status.
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I married someone who is a foreign citizen. Can my spouse automatically enter Ontario?
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Who is allowed to perform marriages in Ontario?
Marriages
in Canada can be either civil or religious.
Marriages may be performed by members of the clergy, marriage
commissioners, judges, justices of the peace or clerks of the court.
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