Frequently Asked QuestionsDeeds & Probate FAQs | Land Registry FAQs | Civil Registry FAQsDeeds & Probate FAQs|
Q
| Where is the Deeds & Probate Registry situated? |
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| A | The Deeds & Probate Registry is situated in the Registries Building, Deemsters Walk, Bucks Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3AR. |
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Q
| During what time is the Deeds & Probate Registry open to the public? |
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| A | Monday to Thursday: 9.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. Friday: 9.30 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. |
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Q
| How can I contact the Deeds & Probate Registry? |
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| A | You can contact the Deeds & Probate Registry by any of the following methods:- |
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Q
| What documents are held in the Deeds & Probate Registry? |
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| A | All deeds recorded from 1911, and all Grants of Probate from 1950, to the present day. All deeds and Grants of Probate recorded prior to 1911 are housed in the Manx Museum. Grants of Probate from 1911 to 1949 (inclusive) are housed offsite and can be ordered by Registries Section staff. The file will normally be available within 3 working days |
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Q
| Are the documents held in the Deeds & Probate Registry indexed and available for public inspection? |
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| A | All documents held in the Deeds & Probate Registry under the Registration of Deeds Act are available for public viewing and on payment of the prescribed fee. Certified and Court sealed copies can be provided. Access to the vast majority of the information is via name based indices (both paper and electronic) and therefore it is extremely unlikely that an individual deed, e.g. relating to a property, can be located from the address alone. Please note that the deeds and Grants of Probate relate only to property situated on the Isle of Man. Registries Section staff are prohibited from undertaking searches - for deeds and Grants of Probate - on behalf of customers. |
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Q
| When viewing deeds, will staff be able to confirm whether my interpretation of the deeds is correct? |
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| A | No. The Registries Section staff are prohibited from giving legal advice or opinions about the contents of any documents. |
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Q
| Can I receive a copy of a person's Will? |
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| A | Providing the person has died and a probate application, enclosing the Will, has been processed the Registries Section staff will be able to provide a copy of the Will on payment of the prescribed fee. |
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Q
| I would like a copy of the deeds to a property but I only know the property's address. Can I get a copy? |
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| A | Access to the vast majority of the information is via name based indicies (both paper and electronic) and therefore it is extremely unlikely than an individual deed, e.g. relating to a property, can be located from the address alone. If you do not know the registration number of the deed you wish to see, you will need to attend the office (or ask someone to do so on your behalf) to search the various indices to find the reference number. Registries Section staff are prohibited from undertaking searches - for deeds and Grants of Probate - on behalf of customers. |
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Q
| How do I find out who owns a dwelling/property? |
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| A | The Government Rates Department (Tel: +44 (0) 1624 685661) holds details of the owner(s)/occupier(s) of all properties with a rateable value. |
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Q
| What if the property is derelict and does not have a rateable value or just appears to be an abandoned piece of land? |
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| A | Where land has no rateable value, such as on some derelict properties or on farmland, enquiries can be made to the Planning Section at the Department of Infrastructure to see whether any planning applications have been submitted on the land from which owner/contact details might be obtaibned. In the case of agricultural land, avenues of inquiry include local knowledge, e.g. from nearby land owners, local Commissioners of by establishing a historical owner from the Woods Atlas. The Woods Atlas was compiled in 1867 and identifies the extent of individual landowners in each parish in the Isle of Man at that time. The name of the landowner in 1867 can then be used to search forward through the deeds housed in the Manx Museum up until 1910 and thereafter in the Deeds & Probate Registry up to the present date. |
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Q
| Will the deeds relating to my property show exactly where the boundaries lie and who owns them? |
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| A | No. The deeds may contain a description of the extent of land purchased but will not provide conclusive evidence of either where the exact boundaries lie or who owns them. |
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Q
| I have a dispute with my neighbour over where the boundary lies. Can you tell me who is right? |
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| A | No. Registries Section staff are not permitted to give legal advice and are prohibited from giving opinions about the contents of any documents presented to them. |
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Q
| Can I find out where public footpaths/rights of way are? |
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| A | The Registries Section holds at its public counter a copy of the Public Footpaths and Rights of Way Definitive maps for customers to view, free of charge, upon request. If further information is required, the Department of Infrastructure holds detailed information of each public footpath and right of way. |
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Q
| How do I go about changing the names on the deeds to my property? |
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| A | As original deeds cannot be altered, a new deed will have to be registered. Unless you have the necessary legal knowledge to prepare a deed, you will have to contact an Advocate. |
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Q
| My partner has just died and our property was in joint names on the deeds. Do I need to do anything? |
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| A | The Registries Section staff are unable to offer legal advice and would therefore suggest that you seek appropriate advice. |
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Q
| How do I go about making an application for probate? |
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| A | All probate enquiries and applications should be addressed to Probate and Administration of Estates. The Deeds & Probate Registry is responsible for the safe-keeping of probates once they have been administered and do not deal with the actual applications. |
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| How do I go about changing my name or my child's name? |
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| A | You should seek appropriate legal advice. |
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Land Registry FAQs|
Q
| Where is the Land Registry situated? |
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| A | The Land Registry is situated in the Registries Building, Deemsters Walk, Bucks Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3AR. |
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Q
| During what time is the Land Registry open to the public? |
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| A | Monday to Thursday: 9.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. Friday: 9.30 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. |
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Q
| What information is held in the Land Registry? |
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| A | When land is registered, information about that land is kept in the Title Register. This includes the address and description of the land, ownership details, information relating to appurtenant rights and burdens on the land and any charges affecting the land. |
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Q
| Is the information held in the Land Registry available for public inspection? |
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| A | Yes. Access to the information is via the digital index map. Certain brief information is available at no cost. However, further detailed information is only available on payment of a prescribed fee. |
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Q
| Can I receive a copy of a registration? |
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| A | An office copy of the registered title is available on payment of the prescribed fee. |
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Q
| How do I find out who owns a property? |
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| A | Once a property is registered, the details of ownership will be added to the database. It will then be possible to identify the ownership details by the address, title number, national grid co-ordinates, application number or property reference. If the land is unregistered then the search would need to be made in the Deeds & Probate Registry and can only be made by establishing an owner's name, whether current or historical. This can be done by contacting the Government Rates Department (Tel: +44 (0)1624 685661). The Rates Department holds details of owner(s)/occupier(s) of all properties with a rateable value, and some agricultural land. |
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Q
| What if the property is derelict and does not have a rateable value or just appears to be an abandoned piece of land? |
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| A | Enquiries can be made to the Planning Section of the Department of Infrastructure to see whether any planning applications have been submitted on the said land from which one may obtain a name. Other avenues of inquiry include local knowledge, local Commissioners, etc. or by establishing a historical owner from the Woods Atlas which is held in the Deeds & Probate Registry. |
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Q
| Where can I go to establish my own property's boundaries? |
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| A | If the land is registered, the filed plan will show the legal boundaries of the property. The Title Register is not conclusive as to boundaries or extents of the land. |
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Q
| I have a dispute with my neighbour over where the boundary lies. Can you tell me who is right? |
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| A | No. The Registries Section staff are not permitted to give legal advice and are prohibited from giving opinions about the contents of any documents presented to them. |
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Q
| Can I find out where public footpaths/rights of way are? |
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| A | The Deeds & Probate Registry holds a copy of the Public Footpaths/Rights of Way Definitive maps for customers to view, free of charge, upon request. If further information is required, the Department of Infrastructure hold details of each public footpath and right of way. |
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Q
| How long does land/property have to be maintained/occupied before it can be claimed by possession? |
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| A | 21 years. |
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Q
| How do I go about changing the names on the title to my property if registered? |
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| A | You should seek legal advice as to the appropriate application to be made to the Land Registry. |
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Q
| My partner has just died and our property was registered in joint names on the title. Do I need to do anything? |
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| A | The Registries Section staff are unable to offer legal advice and would therefore suggest that you seek appropriate advice. |
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Q
| What land is owned by the Government? |
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| A | A list of Government owned properties and the deed reference relating to the original conveyance has been compiled by the Attorney General's Chambers. A copy of which is held in the Deeds & Probate Registry. Some Government owned property is registered and can be viewed on the digital map. |
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Q
| Where does the ownership of rivers end? |
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| A | The deeds or Office Copy of Title pertaining to the land should identify whether the boundary follows the river bank, includes or excludes the river or whether the boundary is taken to run down the centre of the river bed. More information can be obtained from the Department of Infrastructure. |
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Q
| At what point does the public highway become private (pavement to hedge)? |
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| A | Any hedge, fence or wall is built wholly on the landowners property (unless otherwise stipulated in the deeds), therefore, usually the public highway extends up to the roadside face of that hedge, fence or wall. |
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Q
| Who maintains the alley/lane behind/alongside my property? |
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| A | If the alley, lane or road has been adopted by the Department of Infrastructure or the local authority then they will have responsibility for the maintenance of it. If it has not been adopted then the responsibility of maintenance may be referred to in the deeds of the property. The Registries Section staff are unable to offer legal advice and would therefore suggest that you seek appropriate advice. |
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Civil Registry FAQs|
Q
| How can I get a copy of a Birth/Death/Marriage/Civil Partnership Certificate? |
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| A | Providing the event took place on the Isle of Man, you can obtain a copy of the relevant certificate on payment of the prescribed fee by either calling into the Douglas Civil Registry, completing our application form or by making a request in writing. Please do not send cash through the post. All payments must be made in Sterling with cheques and Postal Orders made payable to 'Isle of Man Government' . It is not necessary to provide a stamped, self addressed envelope. |
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Q
| How can I register a birth if the parents are not married? |
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| A | A non-marital birth must be registered in one of the following ways:- - On the information of the mother alone. Only the details of the mother can be entered in the Register. A line will be drawn through the spaces in the Register for the details of the father.
- On the joint information of the mother and the father of the child. Both the parents must attend the office together and give the information required by the Registrar. The details of the father will be recorded and the Register signed by the father and the mother.
- The mother can produce a statutory declaration signed by the father in the presence of a Commissioner for Oaths. The details of the father will be recorded and the Register will be signed by the mother and a note of the statutory declaration made.
- The father can produce a statutory declaration signed by the mother in the presence of a Commissioner for Oaths. The details of the father will be recorded and the Register will be signed by the father and a note of the statutory declaration made.
- The Court can issue, to either parent, an Order naming a person as the father of a child. This should be presented to the Registrar to include details of the father in the Register. The Register will be signed by the informing parent and details of the Court Order made.
- On the information of the occupier of the house, place in which the birth occurred or by someone who was present at the birth.
- A non-marital birth can be registered by the father alone in the capacity of a person in f. above, but his details cannot be added as father of the child.
If the mother and father of a non-marital child marry each other after the birth but before the birth is registered, the registration should be on the joint information of both parents as described in b. above. The mother's surname at the time of the birth and her new married surname will be registered. Steps may then be taken to re-register the birth. |
Q
| What is the cost of registration? |
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| A | Registration is free. You will be required to pay £7.00 if you require a full copy of the entry. A full Birth Certificate is required for Passport applications, setting up a bank account, claiming for Child Benefit, etc. |
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Q
| How long do I have to register a birth and what details will the Registrar require? |
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| A | The birth must be registered within 42 days from the date of the birth at either the Douglas, Castletown, Peel or Ramsey Registry Office. The Registrar requires: - The date and place of birth.
- Full names and surname of the child.
- Full names and surnames of the parents, including the maiden name and any other surnames of the mother.
- Place of birth of both parents (country if not the Isle of Man).
- The occupations of both parents and the parents' address.
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Q
| I am not married to the father of the child, can I register the birth alone? |
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| A | If the parents are not married to each other, both need to attend the office together to sign the Register if they wish the father's details to be entered in the Register. There are facilities where either parent can attend along but he/she must produce a statutory declaration made by the other parent, or either parent can produce a Court Order stating the other person to be the mother or father of the child. Parents should be proof of identity with them. Passport, Driving Licence or Birth Certificate are acceptable. |
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Q
| The parents of a child born in the Isle of Man have married since the birth, what should they do? |
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| A | If the mother and father of a non-marital child marry each other, the marriage may legitimise the child in terms of the Legitimacy Act, provided the birth is re-registered. Both parents must do this and they should consider doing it as soon as possible after their marriage to avoid the difficulty which may prevent re-registration at a later date if one of the parents dies or cannot be traced. On re-registration, a new entry is made in the Register similar in form to a marital birth. Details will be taken from this entry for new Birth Certificates issued from thereon. Thus, Birth Certificates issued after re-registration do not reveal that the child's birth was non-marital. |
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Q
| The father was not named on the birth entry and is now willing to be named. What can the parents do? |
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| A | A birth may also be re-registered if the father's details have not been entered at the time of registration and the parents wish it to be added at a later date, even if they have not married. The birth may also be re-registered to add the father's details on production of a Court Order. Either parent can apply to the Registrar for the declaration forms and the Chief Registrar or Assistant Chief Registrar will consider the application and authorise the re-registration. |
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Q
| Why must a death be registered? |
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| A | The registration of deaths provides three principal functions: - It enables evidence of a death to be provided when necessary, for example, for insurance or pension purposes or, for a widow or widower, as evidence of freedom to re-marry.
- It is part of the system which ensures that certain deaths are properly investigated prior to burial or cremation.
- It provides statistics on the numbers of deaths by cause, age and sex which are used for medical research, for compiling population estimates and for determining trends in mortality.
A death must normally be registered within 5 days unless the Coroner is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death. |
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Q
| Who must register the death? |
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| A | One of the following persons has a legal obligation to register the death - A relative of the deceased.
- A person present at the death.
- A person arranging the funeral (not the Funeral Director).
- In certain circumstances others, such as the administrator of an elderly persons home.
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| What details do I need to provide to the Registrar when registering a death? |
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| A | The details that the Registrar would need are: - Full legal name(s) and surname(s) of deceased (plus any other names or details of names changed by deed poll etc.).
- Maiden name if applicable.
- If the person who has died was married, the full legal names and occupation of the spouse.
- Date and place of birth (country if not Isle of Man).
- Occupation and usual address.
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Q
| Do I need to bring any documents with me when registering a death? |
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| A | The informant needs to bring a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death which would be given to them by the doctor or hospital ward. It is also useful to have either a Birth Certificate, Passport, or medical card as this will verify the deceased person's legal name and date of birth. |
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Q
| How do I register a still-birth? |
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| A | A Certificate of Still-Birth will be issued to the parent by the doctor or midwife. You should then contact the Douglas Civil Registry and an appointment will be made for a Registrar to attend to the registration at your home or a mutually agreed place. |
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Q
| We live in the UK - can we get married in the Isle of Man? |
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| A | Yes, if one of the parties getting married takes up residence in the district that the marriage is to take place in for a full 15 days prior to giving notice of marriage. 3 working days must elapse for the notice to be open to the publice (by licence) and then the marriage can take place within 3 months. Once notice has been given, you can resume residence in your home town. |
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Q
| I would like a Church of England wedding ceremony. What do I need to do? |
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| A | You should contact the Church of England Registrar on +44 (0)1624 661211. |
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Q
| If other than a Church of England ceremony, what would I need to do? |
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| A | There are various different requirements depending on individuals circumstances. Please contact the Civil Registry for advice. |
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Q
| I live in the Isle of Man but I want to get married abroad. What, if anything, do I need to do? |
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| A | It will depend on where you are marrying and advice should be sought from the Consul or Authority where the marriage is to take place. They may require a certified result of a search which states that you have not been through any form of marriage on the Isle of Man since: - Your 16th birthday.
- The date you took up residence in the Isle of Man.
- The date your last marriage ended either in divorce or the death of a late spouse.
- Any periods of residence on the Island.
Sometimes you can give Notice of Marriage and the Isle of Man Registrar can issue a Certificate for the marriage. This implies that if the marriage were to take place on the Isle of Man there had been no objections. You should check with the authorities of the country where the marriage is to take place if this is acceptable. |
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Q
| Where are all the non-conformist churches on the Isle of Man? |
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| A | Methodist Churches Agneash, Onchan, Baldrine, Laxey, Pulrose, Promenade, Union Mills, Willaston, Trinity, Abbeylands, Newtown, Castletown, Ballabeg, Colby, Ballagarey, Ballafesson, Port Erin, Howe, Mount Tabor, Kerrowkeil, Bride, Ramsey, Sulby, Barregarrow, Peel, St Johns, Crosby Independent Methodist Ramsey Roman Catholic St Mary's of the Isle, Douglas; St Anthony's, Onchan; St Joseph's, Willaston; St Maughold, Ramsey; St Patrick's, Peel; St Columbas, Port Erin; St Mary's, Castletown. Greater World Spiritualist Church United Reformed Church Douglas, Ramsey Baptist Broadway, Onchan, Peel, Port St Mary, Port Erin Evangelical. Undenominations Protestant Bethel, Latter Day Saints; Salvation Army; Jehovah's Witnesses, Living Waters Community Church, Port Erin Gospel, Elim Pentecostal. |
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Q
| My fiancee and I are cousins. Are we allowed to marry on the Isle of Man? |
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| A | Yes. Cousins are not on the list of prohibited degrees of relationship within the Isle of Man. However, if either of the parties to a marriage in the Isle of Man has a foreign domicile, the marriage, if performed in accordance with the requirements of Manx law, may not be valid in the country of his/her domicile unless the legal requirements of that country are complied with. |
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Q
| What are the prohibited degrees of relationship? |
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A man may not marry his:-
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A woman may not marry her:-
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Mother
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Father
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Adoptive mother or former
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Adoptive father or former
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Adoptive mother
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Adoptive father
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Daughter
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Son
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Adoptive daughter or former
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Adoptive son or former
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Adoptive daughter
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Adoptive son
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Father's mother
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Father's father
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Mother's mother
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Mother's father
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Son's daughter
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Son's son
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Daughter's daughter
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Daughter's son
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Sister
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Brother
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Wife's mother
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Husband's father
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Wife's daughter
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Husband's son
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Father's wife
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Mother's husband
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Son's wife
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Daughter's husband
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Father's father's wife
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Father's mother's husband
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Mother's father's wife
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Mother's mother's husband
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Wife's father's mother
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Husband's father's father
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Wife's mother's mother
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Husband's mother's father
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Wife's son's daughter
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Husband's son's son
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Wife's daughter's daughter
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Husband's daughter's son
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Son's son's wife
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Son's daughter's husband
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Daughter's son's wife
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Daughter's daughter's husband
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Father's sister
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Father's brother
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Mother's sister
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Mother's brother
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Brother's daughter
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Brother's son
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Sister's daughter
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Sister's son
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Q
| I was adopted on the Isle of Man and I need a Birth Certificate for a Passport application. Where do I get it from? |
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| A | If a person was adopted, the copy of the Adopted Children's Register becomes their Birth Certificate and should be produced for official purposes. A copy of the original birth entry can only be given for the adopted person's information. |
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