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Just off the call with the London Borough of Barnet (LBB) Registry Office . Enquiried about marrying my partner. I am European he is illegal here. He has no valid passport. LBB Registry office require a valid passport which he does not have. Expired some year ago. I understand Certificate of Approval is no longer required but what to do if you have no valid passport. Does anyone know the Registry in London that can marry us without valid passport? Perhaps with the Birth Certificate for him only? Or how do we go about this situation??? Totally lost. Please help. xx

You cannot get married at registrar's office anymore unless your partner has a valid passport. COA is abolished, however, registrars are more cautious when taking notice from parties with no leave to remain. You may want to contact a local church of england and see if you can get married under christian faith (if you are christian ofcourse). You may also want to consider getting married in Ireland where there are no border controls. Alternatively, your partner can go back voluntarily to his/her homecountry and come back on a family permit which is prertty straightforward.
Hope this helps.

I think ( but do your search also) your partner can have a slip from his embassy or apply for a passport there and go back to his country taking volunteer departure and apply for marrige visa from his country. Too much risk in this situation.

There should be a way where he can apply within the uk.

Thanks

I shall try and contact other Regitry offices now. soo disappointed. on one hand its easier without CofA on the other hand without valid passport you are stuck. please can anyone advise if anyithing else can be done?!

Sorry but you will find that all registrars in the UK use the same database (national record of births deaths and marriages) and record all enquiries about marriages. Therefore you most probably will get the same reply. You can attempt to renew the passport (difficult without a valid visa) or if you can prove a durable relationship, apply for an Residence card (EEA2), once you get a COA you can take that and give notice to get married.

Thank you for your replies. Just more headache wherever I go. What if I try to approach the Church of England. I have a church near my house. However I never been there and have not been baptised. Can they refuse us then? Or what they might require? What questions be asked? How long is the waiting time?

Re; marrying in Ireland. Whom should I approach re: marrying there. How long is the waiting time? Shame as I was hoping my friends and family be around. But smth to think about.

I know how you feel, it is frustrating at the least. Church usually wants you to be a member of the church for a few months or so. Then you have to meet with the pastor and give your intention of marriage. S/He will take the details (and may still ask for ID but they are not legally required or authourised to do so). If this stage goes well, the your banns will be read out on 3 consecutive sundays and then you can get married. This is usually a risk free process as UKBA tends to check the registrars office for any known illegal immigrants attempting a sham marriage or kin.
In ireland, you will follow notice process as UK but again the laws are very much relaxed and you can get married quickly there. Another suggestion is that you can give your notice in Jersey (see website with good info available) by post, arrive there 3 days before the wedding date and then get married on the island. It may cost around £700 in fees etc but that is another option to consider.

i think i try to contact the church nearby. if they say i should be a member then we can attend church for a couple of months there then. dont really want to marry aborad unless no other options. prefer here where my friends and family can attend too. its not that i am planning 50 weddings during my life time. thank you for your kind replies

Have you tried renewing the passport at the embassy? My embassy took only 8 days to issue me with a new one.

have you renewed your passport wholst being in UK illegal? Embassy made nio probs of it>?

Yes. No problems at all. Appointment over the phone, three days later face to face "interview", put your hand in the reader, smile for photograph, sign here, pay, come back in 8 days (specific date was given to me).
On the way out of the Consulate I was asked if I'd like to register for the coming elections in my country.

I had overstayed for a significant amount of time.

alekos wrote:Yes. No problems at all. Appointment over the phone, three days later face to face "interview", put your hand in the reader, smile for photograph, sign here, pay, come back in 8 days (specific date was given to me).
On the way out of the Consulate I was asked if I'd like to register for the coming elections in my country.

I had overstayed for a significant amount of time.

I think it's in-depends which country you are from and for the most of embassy wouldn't issue a new passport or renew passport if you don't have a valid visa.

dasjoker wrote:
I think it's in-depends which country you are from and for the most of embassy wouldn't issue a new passport or renew passport if you don't have a valid visa.

I agree. I can only vouch for my experience.

My consulate also didn't ask or look for any valid visa at all, so worth giving a try

Although it took much longer than 8 days