New marriage forms have been released, on schedule for the first same-sex weddings to take place on Monday. Same-sex couples need to lodge the forms on Friday if they want to get married on Monday. “The new notification of marriage form includes the terms ‘bride’, ‘bridegroom’ and ‘partner’,” says Registrar-General of Births Deaths and Marriages, Jeff Montgomery. “Couples need to fill out the form and then one of the couple needs to bring the form to a Registry Office, make a statutory declaration in front of a Registrar of Marriages and pay the fee. Three days later we will issue the couple a marriage licence.” Montgomery is expecting a strong level of demand from same-sex couples to get married. “We think there will be a lot of interest from same-sex couples in New Zealand and also from overseas, to get married. Same-sex couples in a civil union may also decide to change their civil union to a marriage. It’s really important that same-sex couples read up on the process so they know what they have to do.” Montgomery says from Friday night, Births Deaths and Marriages will be able to say how many same-sex couples are intending to get married on Monday, and how many marriage licences it will issue. “The Department is on track to deliver all the changes required to support the requirements of the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013. We are confident everything will be ready.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 12th August 2013 - 1:04pm