Marriage Certificates and Data Protection

GoldenShadow

Strange thread and wasn't sure where to post, figured in here makes sense still!

From a Google it's evident that anyone can request any marriage certificate. What happens if someone is keen to hide their identity for what is felt as their own safety? I feel very naive and realise you can be googled and found at your address on certain websites. Is there any easy way to stop this, too?

Do you need specific info to gain access to the likes of a marriage certificate? Does it show addresses and all names?

It makes me feel as though I never dare get married

Shelldean

to obtain a recent certificate whether birth death or marriage, you need to provide certain details that not everyone will know.

For example, I went as a favour for my sister to get my nephews birth cert, and I had to know all names used, plus his father and mother both names.
I didn't actually know my brother in laws middle name, but knew how our office works, so had asked my sister before I left in case I was asked.
But I guess not all registry offices might not be as strict as ours?

For historical certs they are usually more relaxed.

Shelldean

And to remove yourself from the edited version of the electoral rolls, you have to opt out.

More details HERE

I removed us, by ticking the box on the card they send from the council.

GoldenShadow

Shelldean wrote: »

to obtain a recent certificate whether birth death or marriage, you need to provide certain details that not everyone will know.

For example, I went as a favour for my sister to get my nephews birth cert, and I had to know all names used, plus his father and mother both names.
I didn't actually know my brother in laws middle name, but knew how our office works, so had asked my sister before I left in case I was asked.
But I guess not all registry offices might not be as strict as ours?

For historical certs they are usually more relaxed.

I have altered my first name slightly and changed my surname from what is on my birth cert a few years ago. Both are still possibly traceable because of my very unusual middle name. I would love to think everywhere is as strict as your local office, but it's really worrying me.

To be honest I'm really quite terrified of ever being *found*. I don't know if or what I can do except worry for the rest of my life. This probably sounds awfully dramatic but it really does cause me a lot of worry.

barbarawright

Shelldean wrote: »

to obtain a recent certificate whether birth death or marriage, you need to provide certain details that not everyone will know.

Do you? Surely you can apply for any Birth/Marriage/Death certificate via the General Register Office as long as you have enough details that they can trace it (ie you can't just say, 'Joe Blogg's wedding certificate, some time in the 1980s, no I don't know where he lived'). There's a few months wait (6 for births and deaths, 18 months for marriage) but after that anyone can apply for any certificate. I suppose it might be a problem if you are still at the address you put on the certificate but there isn't any way of opting out. And you wouldn't want people to be able to hide evidence of bigamy, for example would you?

fluffnutter

GoldenShadow, I'm going to assume you're female. I'm also going to assume you're frightened of being found by a specific person who is a threat to you in some way.

Why not speak to a charity like Woman's Aid and ask them what they advise re. safety? They should know, or be able to find out, how likely it is that women can be traced via 'officialdom' like the registry office etc.

You need some support. It's not right that you should live your life in such fear.

peachyprice

Shelldean wrote: »

to obtain a recent certificate whether birth death or marriage, you need to provide certain details that not everyone will know.

For example, I went as a favour for my sister to get my nephews birth cert, and I had to know all names used, plus his father and mother both names.
I didn't actually know my brother in laws middle name, but knew how our office works, so had asked my sister before I left in case I was asked.
But I guess not all registry offices might not be as strict as ours?

No you don't need info only you would know. I think your local office are just lazy.


Unfortunately it's not a question of your local office being 'strict'. Birth, marriage and death certificates are public records, anyone can search for them. However, if they are missing relevant information like specific dates and full names of other parties they're not going to be able to get a copy from official sources purely because they won't be prepared to do the search with not enough info.

There's nothing to stop anyone searching through records themselves though, but they would need a lot of time on their hands. The only thing you can't get a copy of is a birth cert for recent births, but that's only to stop ID fraud.

TeamLowe

Also please note that if you are planning a wedding you need to give Notice of Intention to Marry, and this must be displayed in the registry office where you gave notice for three weeks and I have seen notices where it refers to previous names and usually lists the place you intend to marry.

What are the rules if you marry abroad? Does that get entered on to the UK registers? It's just a short hop on a ferry to France...

browneyedbazzi

TeamLowe wrote: »

What are the rules if you marry abroad? Does that get entered on to the UK registers? It's just a short hop on a ferry to France...

That may be the solution - so long as you follow the local rules when you marry abroad you don't need to register the marriage when you come back to the UK. The rules vary by country and some require you to have a certificate of no impediment from your local registry office (which I think is advertised just like a civil wedding at registry offices), but other places don't so you could avoid any informations being made public.

daisiegg

I am signed up to one of these websites that keeps an eye on your credit score and alerts you if there are any changes and about a week after my wedding, I got an alert basically telling me that as my wedding had been registered, my mother's maiden name was now 'out there' and easy to find so it was basically advising me not to use it as a password for things. I don't know where they saw it but it seems it is pretty easy to find these things.

[Deleted User]

I thought they were essentially public documents, searchable and viewable by all

Why anyone things your birthdate or mother's maiden name are worthy of being passwords, i'll never know. They are inherently insecure

PS. If you're ever asked your 'mothers maiden name' for a password - you don't actually have to use the real name. Treat it like a password