Marriage in Northern Ireland

Spouses are considered to have a duty of care towards each other, and certain social security benefits are calculated differently from those for single people.

From 1 February 2005, a visitor who wishes to be married in the UK who is a citizen of a country that is not a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) must apply for a visa before they travel.

From 4 April 2011, the requirement for Certificate of Approval was abolished by the United Kingdom Parliament through a Remedial Order under Human Rights Act 1998.

In the initial 2017 judgment, the High Court ordered that the words "or belief" be "read in" to references to religion in marriage law to allow humanists to conduct legally binding humanist marriages; a similar decision was taken by the Scottish Registrar General in 2005.

Humanists UK celebrants in Northern Ireland became authorised to conduct legal marriages shortly after.