Eloping in Queensland from overseas

With Love Elopements are a friendly, experienced and well-versed Elopement Celebrant duo in Queensland, Australia.

Over the years we’ve assisted many couples coming from overseas to elope in beautiful QLD, so whether you are planning a simple intimate elopement or a small wedding surrounded by loved ones, we can guide you through the process of getting married in Australia.

How to get married in Australia

To get married in Australia, a completed, signed and witnessed Notice of Intended Marriage form, commonly referred to as the NOIM form, must be lodged with one of us (your Celebrant) no less than 1 month before the date of your wedding.

As Authorised Celebrants, overseas based couples can legally elope with us in the beautiful Brisbane or tropical Palm Cove areas.

Eloping in QLD When one of you is based overseas

We frequently work with couples planning to marry in Australia, when one partner is currently based overseas and the other resides within Australia.

The good news is, as one of you is currently residing in Australia, your NOIM form can be lodged with us, via the normal easy and straight forward process, which is either during an in-person meeting or via video call – with only the person based in Australia signing the NOIM form at this time.

This is because under these circumstances we are permitted to lodge the NOIM form after witnessing just one of your signatures. Then the overseas based person is simply required to sign the same NOIM form that has been lodged with us, in person before your marriage takes place.

In summary, if one of the marrying persons is based in Australia, we can simply meet with them, for them to lodge the NOIM form with us, and the overseas based person’s signature to follow on their arrival in Australia.

If the person based in Australia is living in a different Australian state, you may like to refer to ‘Eloping in QLD from interstate‘ where the process of lodging your NOIM is outlined in more detail.

Book a meeting to lodge your NOIM

Eloping in QLD when you are both based overseas

You’re both based overseas and planning to arrive in Australia, shortly before your wedding, perhaps just days before your wedding date. We’ve got you!

With QLD being such a popular elopement destination, with a great variety of stunning Brisbane elopement and Cairns elopement spots to choose from, we have assisted many overseas based couples with getting married here, so we can happily and confidently guide you through the process.

Noting if you are both based overseas and will be visiting Australia during a prior trip or arriving in Australia more than 1 month before the date of your marriage, the standard process applies for lodging the NOIM form. In which case please advise us of this in the comments field when you submit your enquiry.

In Australia, a marriage can only take place if the official marriage form known as the NOIM form (Notice of Intended Marriage) is received by us, your Celebrant no less than 1 calendar month before the date of your marriage.

The process to elope in QLD from overseas

1. Complete the NOIM form via the online link we will send you.

For the convenience of our couples, we use an online system that you enter your details in to once, which will add your info to most of your marriage documents for you. Saving you so much time from having to tediously complete multiple forms.

By using this system, this gives us an opportunity to check your info has been added accurately and correctly (e.g. using Sentence Case, without acronyms in job tiles and addresses), before we return it to you by email as a PDF document to print.

2. Email us to confirm once you’ve completed this form.

We’ll check that your information has been added in the correct format, then convert this to a PDF file and email this to you.

3. We’ll return your completed NOIM form to you as a PDF document,

Please check your information is correct and print this ready for your meeting with an authorised person who will witness you signing this.

Please note the authorised person is required to witness you signing your printed NOIM form, so you are unable to sign this electronically or on a device or desktop.

4. Make an appointment to meet with one of the following authorised persons for them to witness you signing your noim form in their presence:

As you are based overseas and I am not able to witness your signatures, the Attorney General advises that one of the following may witness you signing your printed NOIM form:

A Notice of Intended Marriage form signed outside Australia must be signed in the presence of either:
– an Australian Diplomatic Officer;
– an Australian Consular Officer;
– a notary public;
– an employee of the Commonwealth authorised under para 3(c) of the Consular Fees Act 1955;
– an employee of the Australian Trade Commission authorised under para 3(d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955.

Overseas based couples usually make an appointment then take their printed NOIM form to either a Notary Public or the Australian Consular Office and both sign this in their presence with the Notary Public or a Consular Official as their witness.

TIP: We recommend contacting them in advance to see if they require you to make an appointment.

If it’s not possible for you both to attend this appointment to have your signatures witnessed, we can accept and lodge NOIM with just one signature, with the second persons signature to follow, when you arrive in Australia prior to your wedding.

5. Then scan and email pages 3 + 4 of your NOIM form to us.

Once we receive your scanned signed NOIM form, this is lodged with us from that date. You can get married as early as 1 month from the date we receive this by email. For example, if you email your completed signed NOIM form to us on the 18th of this month, your marriage can take place anytime from 18th of next month.

REQUEST THE LINK TO YOUR ONLINE NOIM FORM

In Summary, overseas based couples can get legally married in Australia, even if you are only arriving in Australia a day or two before your wedding, as the pre-marriage paperwork process can be completed via the process outlined above, with your signatures witnessed by an authorised person in the country you are based in (usually a Notary Public or a Consular Officer at the Australian Consulate Officer), with your scanned signed paperwork and ID emailed to us.

FAQ’s – marrying in Australia from overseas

QUESTION 1: Does one or both of us need to be a resident or citizen of Australia to get married in Australia?

There are no requirements to be an Australia resident or citizen to get married in Australia, so anyone whether living here temporarily, permanently, or simply visiting on a holiday to beautiful Queensland can get married.

Question 2: I am based in Brisbane, and my fiancé lives overseas, how do we both sign the NOIM form? & can you accept the NOIM form with my signature only?

If one of you is not reasonably able to have their signature witnessed by one of the above, (e.g. because they are based overseas) under these circumstances I am permitted to accept and lodge your NOIM form with just one witnessed signature, with the second persons signing your official NOIM form, with one of us (your Celebrant) once you’ve arrived in Queensland, Australia.

So yes, we can accept the form with the Australian based partners signature, however the second person must sign the NOIM form in our presence (with one of us, your Celebrant as your witness) before your marriage can take place.

Both of your photo ID will also need to be sighted (usually passports) and these can be emailed to us, to sight. Contact us to start planning your Brisbane elopement.

Question 3: Am I required to speak English to get married in Australia?

As your Celebrant, it is a requirement that we are satisfied that both persons planning to marry clearly understand the marriage paperwork and the legal words spoken in the marriage ceremony. Therefore, you must either be able to speak and understand English, or you must engage a translator who needs to be present at your marriage ceremony.

If engaging a translator, there is a formal process which must be followed, and they will be required to sign a legal declaration at the ceremony which we can provide.

Question 4: Do my witnesses need to be Australian Citizens?

Witnesses are not required to be Australian citizens or residents; however, they are required to speak and understand English.

Question 5: I am applying for a visa and require a letter from my Celebrant confirming my marriage booking.

We are happy to provide this letter to support your visa applications, once your NOIM form has been lodged with us, and your booking fee or full payment have been received. A small fee is payable as outlined in our fee schedule.

Question 6: Once the NOIM is lodged, what other paperwork do we need to action?

Before your marriage takes place, you will be asked to sign a form called ‘The Declaration’ declaring that to the best of your knowledge, that you can legally marry one another. We will have this form printed and pre-completed with all your details ready for you to sign.

You will also be given the option to complete a marriage certificate application form, which we can submit to BDM QLD (the department that officially registers your marriage), on your behalf, along with your marriage documents, so they can post by mail your official registry issued marriage certificate.

Question 7: Can our registry issued marriage certificate be posted to an overseas address?

Yes, your official ‘registry issued marriage certificate’ can be posted to an overseas address if you wish. An overseas postal fee applies which is payable to BDM QLD (the department that register your marriage and issue your certificate) when you apply for this. There is also the option to choose to have this mailed to you by international registered post if you wish.

Enjoy the best day ever for your QLD elopement!

We hope you found our guide to eloping in Brisbane or Queensland from overseas, informative and helpful. As Queensland elopement Celebrants, either of us would love to be the Celebrant for your special day and assist you with planning your wedding in QLD.

Contact us to start planning your QLD wedding

Cara and Jamie – With Love Elopements

Image credits: Still Wild Love, Infinity Collective & Your Story Images.