Getting married in NSW

The first two pages of the notice of intended marriage form, also known as a NOIM, explain the privacy notice and how to complete the form.

It is important to read this information prior to completing the form. You can fill in the NOIM by either printing a copy and handwriting your responses in block capitals, or by typing the required information directly into the boxes provided.

Question one asks how you would like to be referred to for your marriage and on your marriage certificate. Tick the appropriate response.

Question two asks for your family name. This is your family name as it is written on your passport or birth certificate. Leave this blank if you do not have a family name.

Question three asks for your given name. This is your given name or names according to your passport or birth certificate, including any middle names you may have.

Question four asks for your gender and is an optional field.

Question five asks for your usual occupation. If you are not currently working, you may choose to put down your regular occupation. If you're retired, you may also put down what your regular occupation was.

Question six, ask for your usual place of residence. This is the full address of where you live at the time of filling in the form. This can be changed later on the marriage certificate.

Question seven asks for your conjugal status. Tick the appropriate answer. Never validly married means you have never been married before either in Australia or overseas.

Question eight asks for your birthplace. This is your birthplace as it is written on your passport or birth certificate. If you were born in Australia, write down the suburb city and town as well as the state or territory.

If you are born outside of Australia, your birthplace is the city or town, state or province if applicable, and country.

Question nine asks for your date of birth.

Question 10 asks if you are both related to each other by blood, by marriage, or by adoption. Tick the appropriate box. If you and your partner are related to each other, complete the box asking how you are related.

Questions 11 to 16 are related to your parents. This section is important as it forms a continuation of your personal identity documentation. You will need to fill out each box.

If one or either of your parents' names have remained the same since birth, you will have to write their name in full twice.

If you don't know your parents' names and they are not on any of your personal identification documents such as your birth certificate, you can write unknown in the box.

You'll also need to write down the country of birth for each parent. If a parent is unknown, you can write unknown in that box.

The next section of the form is the signatures of parties and witnesses section. The signing of this notice must be witnessed by an authorized witness. The witness must watch you sign and date the notice. They will then write their full name, their qualification as an authorized witness, and they must also sign the notice.

For example, if a JP is signing your notice, they'll also put their JP number. Or if a police officer is, they are required to write the police station which they work at.

Your witness is making a declaration that they have identified you as the parties wanting to be married. If you both visit the same witness at the same time, the witness must sign both sides of the notice to show that they have witnessed both signatures of the parties to be married.

If you are signing the notice while in Australia, the following people are qualified to be your witness: an authorized celebrant, a justice of the peace, a barrister or solicitor, a medical practitioner registered by the Medical Board of Australia, or a member of the Australian Federal Police or the police force of any state or territory.

Please note that a pharmacist, a psychologist, a nurse, a physiotherapist, or a dentist, do not qualify to be your witness.

If you're signing the notice while you are outside of Australia, the following people can be this witness: a notary public, an Australian consular officer, an Australian diplomatic officer, an employee of the Commonwealth authorized under paragraph three C of the Consular Fees Act 1955, or an employee of the Australian Trade Commission authorized under paragraph 3D of the Consular Fees Act 1955.

Note that you may need to book an appointment to see any of the above witnesses.

These are three examples of an invalid notice.

These are three examples of a valid notice.

The remainder of the notice should be kept blank for the celebrant to complete.

Once you have completed your notice of intent to marry, make sure you keep it in a safe place until you can give it to your authorized marriage celebrant. And if you're having any trouble filling out your NOIM, speak to your authorized, marriage celebrant as they're trained in exactly what information is needed.