The Marriage (Northern Ireland) Order 2003

Relevant consents required

22.—(1) A person shall not solemnise the marriage of a person over the age of 16 but under the age of 18 (“a young person”) unless the relevant consents have been given or an order has been made under Article 23.

(2) The relevant consents are—

(a) subject to sub-paragraphs (b) to (d), the consent of—

(i) each parent (if any) of the young person who has parental responsibility for him; and

(ii) each guardian (if any) of the young person;

(b) where a residence order is in force with respect to the young person, the consent of the person or persons with whom he lives, or is to live, as a result of the order (in substitution for the consents mentioned in sub-paragraph (a));

(c) where a care order is in force with respect to the young person, the consent of the Health and Social Services Board or Health and Social Services trust designated in the order (in addition to the consents mentioned in sub-paragraph (a));

(d) where neither sub-paragraph (b) nor sub-paragraph (c) applies but a residence order was in force with respect to the young person immediately before he reached the age of 16, the consent of the person or persons with whom he lived, or was to live, as a result of the order (in substitution for the consents mentioned in sub-paragraph (a)).

(3) The relevant consents shall be—

(a) in the prescribed form; and

(b) produced to the registrar before the issue of the marriage schedule.

(4) In paragraph (2) “care order”, “Health and Social Services trust”, “parental responsibility” and “residence order” have the same meaning as in the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (NI 2) and in sub-paragraph (a)(ii) of that paragraph the reference to each guardian of the young person is a reference to each person falling within the definition of “guardian of a child” in Article 2(2) of that Order.

(5) Nothing in this Article or Article 23 shall dispense with the necessity of obtaining the consent of the High Court to the marriage of a ward of court.