Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM): translating an overseas birth certificate
To marry in Australia, each party must give the celebrant evidence of their date and place of birth, usually a birth certificate or passport. If that document is not in English, the Attorney-General's Department guidelines say the celebrant should ask the couple to get an official NAATI certified translation, even if the celebrant reads the language. The Marriage Regulations themselves only require an accredited translator for a parent's consent to a minor's marriage, but celebrants follow the guidelines, and the translation is sent with the NOIM to the state's Births, Deaths and Marriages registry. Plan the translation before your NOIM appointment.
What the celebrant needs from you
Before solemnising a marriage, the celebrant must receive evidence of each party's date and place of birth, usually a birth certificate or a passport. When that document is in another language, the guidelines for celebrants published by the Attorney-General's Department say:
When a party to a marriage produces a document in a language other than English, the celebrant (even if they can read and write in that language) should ask the couple to seek an official NAATI certified translation of the document.
The guidelines also explain why: marriage documents become part of the chain of documents you use to prove your identity for the rest of your life, and an accredited translation preserves your name in full, especially when the original uses another alphabet.
What is legally required, and what is expected
| Accredited translation required? | |
|---|---|
| A parent's consent to a minor's marriage, not in English | Yes, by the Marriage Regulations |
| Birth certificate or other evidence of birth, not in English | Not by the Regulations, but the guidelines say the celebrant should ask for a NAATI certified translation |
In practice, celebrants follow the guidelines. The translation is also sent with the NOIM and the marriage certificate to the Births, Deaths and Marriages registry of the state where you marry, and each registry has its own requirements.
Step by step
- Book your celebrant and ask which documents they need. The NOIM must be lodged at least one month before the wedding.
- Order the translation of your birth certificate early, with your name spelled exactly as in your passport.
- Bring the original and the translation to your NOIM appointment.
- If your name on the birth certificate differs from the name you use, tell your celebrant: the guidelines describe this case.
Names and dates
Translations keep names exactly as written on the original. If your certificate uses a non-Gregorian calendar (Nepali, Persian, Thai and others), the translation gives the Gregorian date, converted day by day.
FAQ
Is a NAATI translation legally required for the NOIM?
The Marriage Regulations only require an accredited translator for a parent's consent to a minor's marriage. But the Attorney-General's guidelines say the celebrant should ask for an official NAATI certified translation of any document in another language, and most celebrants do.
My celebrant speaks my language. Can they translate my birth certificate?
The guidelines say the celebrant should ask for an official NAATI certified translation even if they can read and write that language.
Which name goes on the NOIM if my birth certificate shows a different name?
The translation shows the name exactly as on the birth certificate. If you have used another name without changing it officially, talk to your celebrant: the guidelines give this exact example.
Can I use the free government translation service?
Possibly, if you are eligible (a listed visa granted in the past 2 years, in Australia). Allow up to 30 days, and check that your celebrant accepts its summary format.
Sources
- Attorney-General's Department, Guidelines on the Marriage Act 1961 for authorised celebrants
- Attorney-General's Department, Your responsibilities as a marriage celebrant
Rules change. Check with the authority you are applying to before you submit. We re-read these pages regularly and log changes below.
Change log
- 4 November 2026: First version, based on the Attorney-General's Department guidelines for authorised celebrants (section on evidence of date and place of birth and section 4.16, obtaining a translator or interpreter), read on 4 November 2026.