We need YOU to do registry ceremonies
We are looking for people in locations outside of Auckland, Manukau, Wellington and Christchurch CBD's to perform registry type marriage and civil union ceremonies from 1 July 2019.
Interested? This is an opportunity for you to start the application process now.
At the end of this newsletter there is a short survey for you to complete.
What's happening
As stated in the last edition of this newsletter, more customers are transacting with us online and as a result there will be a reduction in couples needing face-to-face services from BDM or courthouses, and fewer registry office locations across NZ.
From 1 July 2019, we need marriage and civil union celebrants to provide registry type ceremonies in the regions outside of the Department's four offices.
To be approved for this work, you need to have completed the application process before 1 April 2019, but we will continue to add names after 1 April.
BDM is working closely with the Celebrants Association of New Zealand (CANZ) to create a pool of specially selected celebrants that can provide registry type ceremonies. The celebrants will need to be validated CANZ members (VCANZ) that have been acknowledged for their ongoing professional development.
Criteria
Are you a marriage and civil union celebrant and wish to be involved in performing registry type ceremonies? Are you a Registrar that wants to continue performing registry type ceremonies?
To perform marriage and civil union type registry ceremonies from 1 July 2019 you will need to:
- Be available some weekdays, and
- Have access to a venue (e.g. local hall, beach, park, your home or the couples) for the ceremony; and
- Live more than 1 hours drive outside of the Auckland, Manukau, Wellington and Christchurch CBD's, and be
- Registered as a marriage and civil union celebrant, and be
- A financial member of CANZ and have achieved VCANZ.
Steps towards applying
- If you are not already appointed as a marriage and civil union celebrant, apply at https://www.govt.nz/organisations/births-deaths-and-marriages/information-for-marriage-celebrants/,
- Have joined CANZ at https://www.celebrantsassociation.co.nz/join-canz/,
- Opt in and achieve VCANZ (see 'Pathway to VCANZ' below),
- Apply to the Registrar-General to be approved to perform registry type ceremonies.
Note: Fees will apply.
Pathway to VCANZ
- Be or apply to be a member of CANZ (Celebrants Association of NZ)
- Successfully complete online test on the CANZ Code of Ethics and Professional Standards
- Opt into VCANZ
- Pay $200 fee
- Access Professional Development record
- Begin entering your reflections on five ceremonies that you've created and led and your professional development experiences relating to the Body of Knowledge requirements.
- When all validation requirements are covered submit your portfolio of evidence to Validation Board
- If requirements met VCANZ status is awarded for a 4 year period. If requirements not fully met you will be asked to address these and resubmit. You may resubmit as many times as necessary at no additional cost and help will be available at each CANZ branch
Further information is available at www.celebrantsassociation.co.nz
How might it work
We're still working through the details but we expect that you will be sent the paperwork by email. You will need to contact the couple to confirm the venue, date and time. The couple will pay you $90. After the ceremony you will need to email one copy of the completed marriage papers for registration to bdmtoregister@dia.govt.nz.
The ceremony follows the registry type script, and is therefore a very short event. The couple provide their own witnesses and the celebrant cannot add any extra charges (e.g. for travel or the venue) or frills.
We expect numbers to be relatively small outside of the main centres.
Benefits
Joining CANZ
- YOU receive a free listing, including photo, on the CANZ website
- YOU gain access to resources on the Members’ Only section of the CANZ website
- YOU gain access to the CANZ Facebook page and CANZ Chat to share ideas & resources
- YOU receive the CANZ logo on your BDM listing
- YOU may use the CANZ logo on your marketing material
- YOU belong to your local branch to network with other celebrants
- YOU have Public Liability Insurance Cover
- CANZ supports celebrants to deliver high-quality services
- CANZ promotes celebrancy as a professional, societal role
- CANZ influences the place of ceremony and ritual in New Zealand
- CANZ maintains professional standards with our Code of Ethics
- CANZ provides ongoing Professional Development through Branches & National Education Events
- CANZ shares information and news through Panui, President’s Voice, & Website
Opting in to achieve VCANZ
- YOU gain all the benefits of CANZ membership as listed above
- YOU are eligible to use the membership status indicator, VCANZ
- YOU receive priority listing on CANZ website
- YOU receive VCANZ listing on the BDM website (in development)
- YOU receive preferential placement at national education workshops, conferences etc.
Short survey
If you are interested in performing registry type ceremonies please complete this short survey:
Where to ask questions
If you have questions email MarriageDesk-Auckland@dia.govt.nz
Reminder - Celebrant renewal for 2019
While the celebrant renewal for independent celebrants closed on 29 October 2018, we've extended the renewal period by two weeks until midnight of 12 November, so act now if you haven't already. The renewal for organisational celebrants is from 5 November to 3 December 2018.
Electronic verifications is live
In September's edition of Ngātahi we advised that couples would soon be able to make an electronic verification when applying for their marriage licence online. That means they can make the usual declaration online instead of traveling to a registry office. Couples can apply and pay online to get married, pre-order a marriage certificate and get their licence emailed to them - all without needing to front up in person. This went live on the afternoon of 31 October.
in the same edition we also mentioned that couples would be able to save their partially completed marriage licence application for up to 30 days using their RealMe login. That service improvement went live on 23 October.
