Translation And How Long

[Jockstar]

Ok.Firstly . Me and the missus have signed the paper. So we are legally married. But my question is this. How long and how much does it cost to register our marriage at the UK embassy? The missus has just asked me this and i have no idea.

[the scouser]

The embassy has step-by-step advice on the procedure here. However, you are under no obligation to have your marriage recorded in the UK and failure to do so does not detract from its legality. My personal opinion is that it's a waste of money for no tangible benefit other than being able to get certified copies from the GRO.

Scouse.

[lungbing]

That's the General Records Office for you non-genealogists. Many years ago held at Somerset House (only wills are held there now) then at St. Catherine's House on the Aldwych in London and then a few years ago they moved to The Family

Records Centre, 1 Myddelton Street, London . Records of birth, deaths and marriages go back to 1837 and the indices are on open shelves available for searching. Before 1937 you have to use other sources like church registers which can go back to the mid 1500's. Scotish records are held in Edinburgh and there you get to see the original documents, not the indices

Scouser, as always, is right. There is no benefit in recording your wedding at the embassy. In fact I think there is a slight drawback in that you have to give them the original of your wedding certificate and it isn't returned.

The only benefit is that in many years to come your descendants searching for your wedding will be able to find it from the UK and think what a lucky ancestor you were.

Not recording your wedding at the British Embassy has no effect on the wedding's validity.

Derek