Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships

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Last updated 26 November 2020

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has introduced the below measures for the Registration Service as part of its response to COVID-19:

Death Registration

Legislation came into force which allows death registrations to be carried out without the attendance of an informant at the registration office which reduces/removes face to face contact with the general public.  The legislation relates to the registration of all deaths and will continue in this method until further notice. 

Birth Registration

Council’s Birth Registration Service operates strictly by appointment - see office opening hours at bottom of this page.  A risk assessment is in place which is kept under review in line with government restrictions.  It is a legislative requirement for parents to register a birth within 42 days. 

We would request that parents scan and email the GRO4 form (see below link) or post to the relevant registration office. 

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/publications/birth-registration-form   An editable version of the GRO4 form is available below. 

On receipt of the form a Registrar will make contact to arrange an appointment. 

Marriage and Civil Partnership

Currently you can only give notice for your marriage or civil partnership by post. Please send your original completed marriage or civil partnership notice forms to the relevant office, along with actual full birth certificates and photocopies of your passports.  For religious marriages and civil marriages officiated by a humanist celebrant you can send a cheque for £52.00 (£22.00 per notice and £8.00 for the marriage certificate) made payable to Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, or we can contact you for payment by telephone.  You will be able to collect your schedule in person once ready.  After the marriage ceremony takes place, please return schedule by post or leave in secure post box at the relevant office location.  Staff will register and post out your marriage certificate.  A COVID-19 ceremony advice sheet is available below.

We are now accepting new civil ceremony bookings.

Following the NI Executives announcements on 6 and 9 July in relation to marriages and civil partnerships, it is now possible from 10 July to hold these events indoors.  The Executive Office guidance is available below.  It provides detail on what can happen at the ceremony and should be read by all registrars, celebrants, officiants and venue managers.

A link to the NI Executive document ‘Guidance to venues and couples organising marriage, civil partnership and other celebratory events’ is provided below.   

Please be aware that your marriage/civil partnership ceremony must be conducted under the current NI Executive restrictions. 

Latest Government Restrictions:

Marriages & Civil Partnerships:  27 November – 10 December (restrictions currently end at 23.59 on Thursday 10 December):

During the restricted period it is not possible for a marriage or civil partnership to take place at any venue that is licensed to sell alcohol, provides accommodation or is currently prevented from opening under the Coronavirus regulations which includes venues that provide any form of service.  These premises are not permitted to open for events regardless if the bar is closed and no alcohol or food is sold - the restriction includes any outside locations at these venues.  The following restrictions will apply in relation to marriages and civil partnerships during this period:

Registrars are not permitted to issue any schedules to couples for marriages and civil partnerships that will be taking place, unlawfully, in hotels, licensed premises or any other restricted venue.  Venues included on the restricted list include restaurants, cafes, social clubs, bed & breakfast establishments, theatres, concert halls, museums, galleries, visitor and other cultural attractions and outdoor visitor attractions.

Registrars are not permitted to participate in marriages or civil partnerships at hotels, licensed premises or any other restricted venue.

Marriages and civil partnership ceremonies can continue to be held at registration offices and places of worship.

The following restrictions that are currently in place will continue to apply:

No mixing of households is permitted at a private dwelling therefore it will not be possible for a ceremony to be held indoors as the registrar/officiant would not be permitted to enter the premises. 

Outdoor gatherings at a private dwelling (including the garden of the dwelling) is restricted to six people from two different households.  Children aged 12 and under from those two households are discounted from this total.  If all other participants at the ceremony are not from the same or linked household the ceremony cannot proceed as the registrar/officiant can be the only person from a separate household. 

Can take place in a person’s home if one of the parties is terminally ill with up to 10 people in attendance (this includes the couple, two witnesses and the officiant).

Guidance that can be issued to the couple is attached.

Click here for the most up to date information.

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Information booklets & leaflets are available at the Registration Reception. Forms are available to the Public for Name changes, Adoptions, Re-registrations, Marriage and Civil Partnership Application, Birth and Death registration.

Please find below forms which are on the NI Direct website www.nidirect.gov.uk and links to where they can be found:

 

Each office can only provide certificates for a Birth, Death, Marriage or Civil Partnership when you are registering the event.  You can order certificates for previously registered events in one of the following ways:

  • Online: www.nidirect.gov.uk
  • Telephone: 0300 200 7890
  • Post: Ask a member of staff for an application form
  • In Person: The General Register Office (GRO), Colby House, Stranmillis Court, Belfast BT9 5RR

GRO holds records from 1845 for non-Roman Catholic marriages and 1 January 1864 onwards for all marriages, births and deaths.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Registration Offices are located in Ballycastle, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Limavady.

Office opening hours are:

Monday – Friday: 9.30 am – 12.30 pm and 2.00 pm – 4.30 pm (Ballycastle Office open morning only)

Bank and Public Holidays excepted.

An appointments system operates.

Contact Details -

Ballycastle:

Sheskburn House, 7 Mary Street, Ballycastle BT54 6QH

Tel 028 2076 2225 / 028 2076 1657

Email: stephanie.mclaughlin@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

 

Ballymoney:

Riada House, 14 Charles Street, Ballymoney, BT53 6DZ

Tel: 028 2766 0200 / 028 2766 0206

Email: janet.mccaughey@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

 

Coleraine:

Cloonavin, 66 Portstewart Road, Coleraine, BT52 1EY

Tel: 028 7034 7034 / 028 7034 7020 / 028 7034 7021

Email: gwyneth.kerr@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

Email: elaine.kane@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

 

Limavady:

7 Connell Street, Limavady, BT49 OHA

Tel: 028 7772 2226 / 028 7776 0309 

Email: monica.anderson@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

Email: pamela.mccollum@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

 

OUT OF HOURS CONTACT NUMBER: 07714627171 – Janet McCaughey

Guidance - Marriage, Civil Partnership, Other Celebratory Events - Published by The Northern Ireland Executive Office - 10 July 2020 last reviewed 30 October 2020
Download
GRO4 Birth Registration Form - editable version
Download
COVID-19 Ceremony Advice
Download
Marriage Restrictions Guidance - General Register Office - 26 November 2020
Download