Birth, marriage, civil partnership, citizenship and death

If you or your partner has been married or in a civil partnership before

If you or your partner has already been married or registered as a civil partner, you must produce evidence that the marriage or civil partnership has been ended by death, divorce, annulment, or dissolution.

If you were divorced or your separation was legally granted outside of the UK, you must complete either a:

• foreign divorce questionnaire if you were previously married
• foreign dissolution or annulment questionnaire if you were previously in a civil partnership

If your former partner has died

You’ll need to provide us with a death certificate of your former spouse or civil partner if they have died.

How to order a death certificate. 

If you or your partner is a non-UK national

If you or your partner is a non-UK national, you may need to complete a Declaration of Status by Non-UK Nationals form.

Find out more about getting married if you or your partner is a non-UK national (National Records of Scotland website).

If you live outside the UK

If your permanent residence is not in the UK, you may need to provide a:

• certificate of no impediment (CONI) from your country to say you can get married
• marriage visa.

You'll need to get a certified translation of the document if it is not in English.

You do not need a certificate if you are a UK citizen living outside of Scotland.

You can get married or form a civil partnership in Scotland if you’re:

• over 16 years old and a resident in Scotland, otherwise you must be over 18
• in a mixed sex or in a same sex relationship
• not already married or in a civil partnership
• not related to one another in a way which would prevent you marrying each other
• able to understand the nature of a marriage or civil partnership ceremony and consent to marry or form a civil partnership

You can also get married in Scotland if you live in another country and your marriage or civil partnership in Scotland will be valid in your country.

If you've been married in another country, you cannot get married again in Scotland.

Check if you can get married or form a civil partnership (mygov.scot).

If you are experiencing loss or dealing with grief following the death of someone close to you, or the loss of something that is important to you, you can get support from us.

We are a network of local organisations including:  

• ACCORD Hospice
• Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership
• Renfrewshire Council

By joining up in this way, we can respond more quickly. 

We can also give more specific support, tailored to your personal circumstances.

If you're an adult living in the Renfrewshire area, we can help you.

We'll listen and help you find the most appropriate advice, guidance, and counselling available for your situation. 

If you are referring yourself or someone else to our network, we’ll need to know your:

• contact details
• details of the bereavement
• if you’ve had support from any other organisations.

If you’re a professional and referring someone else, we’ll also need to know:

• if the person is aware of the referral, and if no, what the reason is
• your referrer details.

Make a referral

You can complete and send us a Renfrewshire Bereavement Network self-referral form.

If you're referring someone to us, complete and send us the Renfrewshire Bereavement Network referral form for professionals.

We’ll contact you by phone or email to arrange support or to direct you to another appropriate support service.

A renewal of vows ceremony is for any couple who wish to renew their marriage vows or civil partnership pledge.

These ceremonies are often associated with a special or significant marriage or civil partnership anniversary, but it can be held at any stage of a marriage or civil partnership.

It’s also suitable for couples who’ve married abroad and wish to have a celebration in Renfrewshire.

An authorised registrar or assistant registrar usually conducts it. 

However, these ceremonies have no legal standing and are not legally binding on those who take part. 

In Renfrewshire, you can have a renewal of vows ceremony at: 

• Paisley Marriage Suite (Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays)
• Johnstone Marriage Suite (Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays)
• Paisley Town Hall, Renfrew Town Hall, or Johnstone Town Hall (Mondays to Fridays)
• another venue with a registrar (Mondays to Sundays).

Ceremonies at Paisley Town Hall, Renfrew Town Hall and Johnstone Town Hall are managed by OneRen.

Find out about these venues on the OneRen website.

If you want a renewal of vows ceremony with a registrar at another venue of your choice in Renfrewshire. Contact us first so we can let you know if the venue is suitable and available for your ceremony.  

You’ll need to produce your marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate when booking your ceremony in person. 

If you phone to book, you will need to produce your marriage or civil partnership certificate before the renewal ceremony.

How to order a marriage or civil partnership certificate.

After your ceremony, you’ll receive a ceremonial pack which includes a:

• renewal of civil marriage vows certificate, or renewal of civil partnership pledge certificate
• copy of the ceremony speech
• presentation wallet.

Contact us if you have any questions about booking a renewal of vows ceremony

You can book a renewal of vows ceremony up to 1 year in advance.

The balance of your ceremony fees must be paid at least 29 days before the ceremony date.

Renewal of vows at a registry office

On a Thursday or Friday, during office hours:

• renewal of vows pack £44
• conduct of ceremony £55
• accommodation fee (Thursdays and Fridays) £77

This is a total of £176. 

On a Saturday:

• renewal of vows pack £44
• conduct of ceremony £55
• accommodation fee (Saturdays) £235

This is a total of £334. 

Renewal of vows at another venue

Monday to Friday, during office hours:

• renewal of vows pack £44
• conduct of ceremony £55
• administration fee £171

This is a total of £270. 

On a Saturday:

• renewal of vows pack £44
• conduct of ceremony £55
• administration fee £286

This is a total of £385. 

On a Sunday or public holiday:

• renewal of vows pack £44
• conduct of ceremony £55
• administration fee £376

This is a total of £475. 

As part of our investment to improve our cemeteries we are carrying out significant upgrades to Hawkhead Cemetery.

The works include drainage, road resurfacing and kerb improvements to enhance the experience for those visiting their loved ones.

How long it'll take

Works will take place from Monday 25 May 2026 and are estimated to last six weeks.

Where the work is being done

You can see a map below outlining which roads and pathways are unavailable during this time, although diversions are in place to ensure all areas of the cemetery remain accessible.

The main entrance on Hawkhead Road is open for visitors.

However, The Scots Road entrance is not open to the public while works are going on.

Visiting the cemetery

We’re working closely with local funeral directors to ensure that all appropriate arrangements can be made and facilitated during the works.

All areas of the cemetery will be open for funerals and visitors using the signposted diversions.

Diversions will be in place to direct you to all areas of the cemetery. This may require you taking a longer route than normal.

During this time, we ask all visitors to:

• not enter areas that are coned off
• be respectful and stay on the main routes, taking care not to drive over graves or pedestrian paths.

Paisley Registration Office has a purpose built marriage suite at Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley. 

The marriage suite seats 64, including the bridal party.

It is a no smoking venue.

If your wedding is at the Paisley Marriage Suite the guests, including the 2 witnesses, should arrive 20 minutes before the ceremony. 

The wedding party should arrive 15 minutes beforehand.

We can issue a replacement certificate for a birth, death, or marriage that was registered in Scotland (from 1855 until the last full calendar year) or a civil partnership certificate (from December 2005 until the last full calendar year).

If the birth, death or marriage was registered in the current year, you can only get a certificate from the local authority where the registration took place.

If the registration took place outside of Scotland, certificates must be ordered from the country where the event took place. 
 

You can order 5 separate certificates and can order up to 10 copies of each certificate.

At the end of each online request, you’ll be asked how many copies of that certificate you require and if you require another certificate.

If you require more than these amounts, you’ll need to complete and submit the online form again.

The information you need to provide depends on the type of certificate you want.

Birth certificate

You'll need to tell us the:

• name
• date
• place of birth
• father's or parent's name
• mother's name (maiden surname).

Death certificate

You'll need to tell us the:

• name of deceased
• date of birth or age at death
• and date and place of death.

Marriage certificate

You'll need to tell us the:

• name of bridegroom
• name of bride (maiden surname)
• date and place of marriage.

Civil partnership certificate

You'll need to tell us:

• the names of the civil partners
• the date and place of the civil partnership registration.

Adoption certificate

Contact the National Records of Scotland to order a replacement adoption certificate.

Order a replacement certificate online

We'll post your certificate first class, and your request should be completed within 20 working days. There is no extra charge for posting your certificate.

If you've provided an email address, we'll send you confirmation of your order and another email when you order has been processed. Wait at least 20 working days before contacting us to check the progress of your order.

If we're unable to issue any certificates, we'll contact you by telephone.

The costs for replacement certificates are:

• Full birth, death, marriage or civil partnership extract (completed index) £15
• Full birth, death, marriage or civil partnership extract (no completed index) £10
• Second and subsequent certificate; of the same entry ordered at same time £10
• Abbreviated birth or death extract (completed index) £15
• Abbreviated birth or death extract (no completed index) £10 (free at time of registration)
• Special purpose birth, death, marriage or civil partnership extract £10.

Re-registration or a birth or stillbirth is the creation of a new birth entry to add the:

• father's or other parent's details
• details of the parents' marriage or civil partnership details, if it took place after the birth was originally registered.

You can re-register at our registration office in Paisley, or in any other registration office in Scotland. It does not have to be the same office as the first registration.

If the child is under 16 years of age, anyone with parental responsibilities for them can re-register.

If the person is 16 years of age or over, they must apply for themselves.

If the child was stillborn or has died, a birth can be re-registered by:

• the mother, or her husband if he is the natural father  
• the mother, if she is not married
• a person who has been registered as the father or other parent in the birth entry, if the mother had died.
   

You can change a child’s name to the same name as their father or other parent. 

If the child has the mother’s surname, this can be changed to a forename. 

There is a separate process if you want to change a forename or surname to something else. 

You’ll need to download and complete a Form RR1 for re-registration (National Records of Scotland website).

If you are adding a marriage or civil partnership

Book an appointment with us to re-register the birth.

 We’ll need to know the date and place of the marriage or civil partnership. 

If the marriage or civil partnership took place outside of Scotland, you’ll need to provide us with a marriage or civil partnership certificate, and a certified translation if it’s not in English. 

If you are adding the father’s or other parent’s details

If the father or other parent has not been named on the original registration, you’ll need to apply to re-register through the National Records of Scotland.

There are different forms to complete, depending on who is re-registering the birth.

If the mother is adding the father or other parent

You’ll need to complete and return these forms:

• Form 26  - Declaration as to parentage by the mother of a child
• Form DPF  - Declaration as to parentage by father / parent

Form 26 must be signed by the child's mother and witnessed by a registrar or assistant registrar in any registration office in Scotland.

Form DPF must be signed the child's father and witnessed by a notary public, justice of the peace, or a local councillor.

Download the declaration forms from the National Records of Scotland website.

If the father or other parent is applying

You’ll need to complete and return these forms:

If you are the father or other parent, you need to complete and return these two declaration forms:

• Form 27  - Declaration by father or another parent of a child
• Form DPM  - Declaration as to parentage by mother.

Form 27 must be signed by the child's father or other parent and witnessed by a registrar or assistant registrar in any registration office in Scotland.

Form DPM must be signed the child's mother and witnessed by a notary public, justice of the peace or a local councillor.

Download the declaration forms from the National Records of Scotland website.

What happens next

Once the application has been processed by the National Records of Scotland, you'll get a letter confirming the re-registration has been authorised. 

You can then contact us or the registration office where you have chosen to re-register the birth. 

You have 3 weeks to re-register the birth. If you’ve not done this, the registrar will write to you to ask you to re-register within another 3 weeks.
 

To re-register a birth at our registrar office, you can make an appointment by:

• email at registrar.cs@renfrewshire.gov.uk
• phone at 0300 300 0310

Your appointment can be over the phone or in person.

We’re available by phone: 

• Mondays to Thursdays from 8:45am to 4:45pm
• Fridays from 8:45am to 3:55pm.

This does not include public holidays.

Your appointment

Appointments usually take about 30 minutes. 
If your appointment is by phone, please be ready 5 minutes before we call you. If you're not able to take the call, you'll probably have to reschedule your appointment.

If your appointment is at our registration office, please come to our registration office 5 minutes before your meeting time.

Please bring the signed and witnessed declaration forms (if applicable) and the re-registration form with you to your appointment

If your appointment is by phone, please send them in advance of your appointment to registrar.cs@renfrewshire.gov.uk.
 

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, you can email us at registrar.cs@renfrewshire.gov.uk or phone 0300 300 0310.

Once you’ve re-registered the birth, you can buy a full certificate for £10. 

If you re-registered in person, we’ll give you the full certificate when you attend your appointment. 

If you’ve re-registered by phone, we’ll send it to you by first class royal mail within 24 hours (excluding weekends and public holidays). 

There is no cost to re-register a birth. However, if you want a new birth certificate, you can buy one for £10.