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Newsletter for celebrants: September 2015

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Jeff Montgomery
General Manager and Registrar-General; Births, Deaths, Marriages and Citizenship.

Message from the Registrar-General

I am really excited that we are launching celebrants online. 

Renewing your celebrant licence will be quick and easy – just like online banking.  You will need a RealMe verified account – you can set this up online and then visit a Postshop to have your photo taken. 

I urge you to do this now if you haven’t already – so you will be able to quickly renew your celebrants licence in October.  As well as being fast and easy for you, the new process will assure couples that they are hiring a legitimate and capable celebrant.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Celebrants Online

We're happy to announce that Celebrants Online will go live on Thursday 1 October 2015. 

From then on, existing celebrants will be able to easily renew their celebrant’s appointment online using their RealMe Verified Identity.

This will be followed up by giving members of the public the ability to lodge their new celebrant application online

Existing independent celebrants will be able to update their contact details, and the other information they wish to publish on the DIA website.

Over the last few months a small group of existing celebrants and potential celebrant applicants have helped us test the new service to make sure they are user friendly - we're sure you'll agree.
 
 
 
 
 
 

New look Celebrant search on DIA website

It is now easier to locate a celebrant on the DIA website. Using the search function, users can now either search for an independent or an organisational celebrant on the same page. If you notice any errors with details, please don't hesitate to contact us through the feedback button.
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Locate a celebrant here
 
 
 

2016 Celebrant Renewal Timeline
 
 
 

Reminders

  • If your couple plans to have an outdoors ceremony in a public area such as a park, we recommend that the appropriate authorities (Department of Conservation or local authorities) are contacted to check if a permit or permission is required for the ceremony.
  • It is important that no parts of the Copy of Particulars are completed prior to the ceremony.  Pages 12 and 13 of the Guide to the Role of Celebrants in New Zealand (available on the DIA website) offer guidance on how the ceremony paperwork should be completed.
 
 
 

Q&As

Over the last few months we have received a few overseas related questions from celebrants; here are your answers:

Can NZ appointed celebrants marry Kiwis in other countries e.g. Cook Islands, Australia? 

No, celebrants are appointed by the Registrar-General under the New Zealand Marriage Act 1955. 

What is the process for Kiwis living overseas to get a licence to marry in NZ?

Couples residing overseas wishing to get married in NZ can either complete the necessary paperwork while they’re overseas or when they arrive in New Zealand.  It is important that couples understand what the fees are as well as the processing times.  Couples can find all they need to know about the process on our website, How to Get a Marriage Licence, or by contacting our office.

Can non-NZ residents get married in NZ?

Yes, anybody can marry in New Zealand, as long as they are legally free to marry.  Under New Zealand law this means that:

  • They are not already married or in a civil union with a person other than the person they will be marrying (or if they have been married, the marriage has been dissolved by a court of law).
  • They are old enough (16 or over, although parental consent is required if either party is 16 or 17 years old).
  • They are not closely related by blood, marriage, civil union or adoption. 
 
 
 
Set up your RealMe account
 

RealMe - What is it?

RealMe was created by the Department of Internal Affairs and New Zealand Post. It’s officially backed by the NZ government and designed to give you control over your information.

RealMe is free for consumers. Use it in two ways: to prove who you are when you’re online, and to log into lots of New Zealand sites and services.

RealMe gives you a single login to multiple online services including Celebrants Online.  When you add your verified identity to your RealMe account, it also works as your online ID.

I have a RealMe username and password, how do I know if I have a verified identity to use for Celebrants Online? 

To find out if you have a RealMe verified identity, you can log on to your RealMe account at realme.govt.nz
 
 
 
 

If you have a Green tick with your identity details this means you are verified.
 
 
 
 
 

If there is no tick, then a button to verify your identity will be available instead.

What else can I use my Verified Identity for? 

You can use your RealMe Verified Identity to:

  • Update your celebrant details with Births, Deaths and Marriages
  • Enrol to vote or update your enrolment details online with the Electoral Commission
  • Order birth, death, marriage and civil union certificates

For a full list of services where you can use your RealMe verified information, go to realme.govt.nz