Marriage certificate civil unions (generally same sex or sex independent) to be registered, however these are not regarded as marriages, as the Marriage Act of 1961 does not currently recognise them. Associated certificates such as the DFAT "Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage" (CNI) or state and territory "Single Status Certificates" are also available. Proof of divorce certificates are issued by the Family Court of Australia (or the Family Court of Western Australia for residents of that state). On 1 July 1837 civil registration was introduced in England and Wales, providing a central record of all births, deaths and marriages. A Registrar
Marriage in England and Wales to immigration control, notice of marriage can only be done at a designated register office, which both parties must attend together. Marriage must be between two people neither of whom is in a Civil Partnership or separate marriage (foreign divorces are generally recognised; but an existing foreign marriage would prevent a marriage in the UK as this would be treated as bigamy). In medieval Europe, marriage was governed by canon law, which recognised as valid only those marriages where the parties stated they took one another as husband and wife, regardless of the presence or absence of witnesses. It was