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The Marriage (Introduction of Civil Celebrants of Marriages and General Amendments) Ordinance, which amends the Marriage Ordinance, Cap. 181, comes into operation today (March 13).
The amendments empower the Registrar of Marriages to appoint civil celebrants of marriages. They also enable a marriage to be celebrated before a civil celebrant at any time and at any place in Hong Kong, other than the office of the Registrar of Marriages or a deputy registrar of marriages (a marriage registry) or a place of worship licensed under the ordinance.
The Civil Celebrant of Marriages Appointment Appeal Board Regulation, Cap. 181A, which provides for the composition of the Appeal Board and its operations will come into operation tomorrow (March 14).
An Immigration Department spokesman said today that following the commencement of the Marriage Amendment Ordinance, the Registrar of Marriages would issue a Code of Practice for Civil Celebrants of Marriages to provide practical guidance in respect of the professional conduct of civil celebrants. Later this month, after the publication of the Code of Practice in the Gazette, the Registrar will start inviting applications from those wishing to be appointed as civil celebrants. The invitation will be published in the form of a public notice in local newspapers and will be available on the Immigration Department website at http://www.immd.gov.hk.
The spokesman added that in the meantime, couples should continue with the existing arrangements in giving a notice of intended marriage at a marriage registry or the Marriage Registration and Records Office. They may engage a civil celebrant to celebrate their marriage when the first batch of civil celebrants is appointed in the second quarter of this year.
Ends/Monday, March 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 14:55
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