For couples who have undergone marriage preparation in this diocese, but who will be celebrating their wedding outside the Diocese of Birmingham, their marriage file must pass through the Chancellor’s Office. The Chancellor then forwards it to the Chancellor of the diocese where the marriage is taking place with the appropriate permissions (Nihil Obstat), then they forward it to the Catholic church or chapel of the wedding. 

To assist in having the files sent to the diocese where the marriage is being celebrated, please follow the following steps:

• Request any dispensations or permissions in advance, so that you can insert the rescript in the wedding file
• Keep a COPY of the complete file in the parish’s marriage files. 
• Send the ORIGINAL, COMPLETE marriage file to the Chancellor’s Office AT LEAST six (6) to eight (8) weeks before the wedding
• Include a cover letter saying where the marriage is to take place, giving permission for it to be celebrated there, naming who the celebrant will be, and indicating that you have done the required marriage preparation. 
• We will then do our own cover letter/permission and forward the file to the place. If it is out of the country, we will send it by FedEx
• PLEASE NOTE: If the marriage is taking place at a non-Catholic location (with a dispensation from canonical form), the marriage must be recorded in the parish where the marriage preparation happened.