Draft Letters of Application

Letter 1: marriage, first application in a category

Attach OneSpirit’s two letters of support.

[Date]

The Registrar General for Scotland National Records of Scotland Combined Registration Services,

HM General Register House 2 Princes Street Edinburgh,

EH1 3YY

 

Dear Registrar General,

 

Application for temporary authorisation to solemnise a marriage: [mixed-sex marriage / same-sex marriage]

 

I am applying under section 12 of the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977 for temporary authorisation to solemnise a marriage in Scotland on 2026 at [time], at [venue name and full address, including postcode]. The couple to be married are [full name] and [full name], as their names will appear on their M10 forms.

 

I attach two letters of support from my belief body, OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation, written by Rev Davina McCluskie, Scotland Representative for OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation, and Rev Lindsay Reynolds, Foundation Administrator, who together act as OneSpirit’s nominators for Scotland. The letters confirm that I trained with OneSpirit and was ordained by them as an Interfaith Minister, and that they consider me a fit and proper person to solemnise marriage. I am a current member of OneSpirit’s Register of OneSpirit Interfaith Ministers.

 

I have read and understood NRS’s guidance on marriage in Scotland and the legal duties of marriage celebrants under the 1977 Act, and I have completed OneSpirit’s training for ministers who wish to solemnise marriage in Scotland. The couple are still finalising the wording of their vows; I will ensure that the ceremony includes the declarations the law requires and is in no way inconsistent with them. The marriage will take place in the presence of two witnesses aged 16 or over, who will sign the Marriage Schedule with the couple and me, and I will declare the couple married.

 

I confirm that I have no intention of carrying on a business of solemnising marriages for profit or gain. Holding legal weddings is a small part of a wide interfaith ministry, which also includes [funerals and other non-legal ceremonies, support in death and dying, chaplaincy, meditation, spiritual accompaniment: amend to describe your own ministry], in keeping with my professional background and philosophical beliefs.

 

I have no criminal convictions within the last four years, I have not been the subject of any censure or disciplinary sanction by OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation within the last two years, and I am not subject to any live disciplinary proceedings. [If any part of this sentence does not hold for you, set out the position here instead. You will already have told OneSpirit’s nominators.]

 

My full name, and the designation I will use when signing the Marriage Schedule, is: [full name], Minister, OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation.

 

Please let me know if you need anything further from me.

 

Yours sincerely

 

[Name]

 

Attachments: letter of support from Rev Davina McCluskie; letter of support from Rev Lindsay Reynolds.

 

Note 1: the legal content of a marriage ceremony. The couple must each state their full name as it appears on the Marriage Schedule and declare, in the presence of each other, you and the two witnesses, that they accept each other in marriage (a mixed-sex couple may instead, or also, accept each other as husband and wife). You then declare them married. The couple must say the words themselves; “I do” in answer to your question is not enough. Everything else in the ceremony is as you and the couple wish. Two witnesses aged 16 or over must be present and must sign the Schedule, which the couple collect from the registration office in the seven days before the ceremony.

Note 2: the pen. Everyone signs the Schedule in permanent, archive-quality black ink; a fountain pen is best. Take your own.

Include your name, address and telephone number in the heading.

Letter 2: marriage, subsequent application in the same category

No attachments.

[Date]

The Registrar General for Scotland National Records of Scotland Combined Registration Services,

HM General Register House 2 Princes Street Edinburgh,

EH1 3YY

 

Dear Registrar General,

 

Application for temporary authorisation to solemnise a marriage: [mixed-sex marriage / same-sex marriage]

 

I am applying under section 12 of the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977 for temporary authorisation to solemnise a marriage in Scotland on 2026 at [time], at [venue name and full address, including postcode]. The couple to be married are [full name] and [full name], as their names will appear on their M10 forms.

 

You have previously granted me temporary authorisation, as a minister of OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation, for [a marriage / marriages] in this category, most recently on 2026.

 

I am familiar with the legal requirements and with NRS’s guidance. The couple are still finalising the wording of their vows; I will ensure that the ceremony includes the declarations the law requires and is in no way inconsistent with them. The marriage will take place in the presence of two witnesses aged 16 or over, who will sign the Marriage Schedule with the couple and me, and I will declare the couple married.

 

My full name, and the designation I will use when signing the Marriage Schedule, is: [full name], Minister, OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation.

 

Please let me know if you need anything further from me.

 

Yours sincerely

 

[Name]

Attachments: letter of support from Rev Davina McCluskie; letter of support from Rev Lindsay Reynolds.

 

Note 1: the legal content of a marriage ceremony. The couple must each state their full name as it appears on the Marriage Schedule and declare, in the presence of each other, you and the two witnesses, that they accept each other in marriage (a mixed-sex couple may instead, or also, accept each other as husband and wife). You then declare them married. The couple must say the words themselves; “I do” in answer to your question is not enough. Everything else in the ceremony is as you and the couple wish. Two witnesses aged 16 or over must be present and must sign the Schedule, which the couple collect from the registration office in the seven days before the ceremony.

Note 2: the pen. Everyone signs the Schedule in permanent, archive-quality black ink; a fountain pen is best. Take your own.

Letter 3: civil partnership, first application in a category

Attach OneSpirit’s two letters of support.

[Date]

The Registrar General for Scotland National Records of Scotland Combined Registration Services,

HM General Register House 2 Princes Street Edinburgh,

EH1 3YY

 

Dear Registrar General,

 

Application for temporary authorisation to register a civil partnership: [mixed-sex civil partnership / same-sex civil partnership]

 

I am applying under section 94E of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 for temporary authorisation to register a civil partnership in Scotland on 2026 at [time], at [venue name and full address, including postcode]. The parties are [full name] and [full name], as their names will appear on their CP10 forms.

 

I attach two letters of support from my belief body, OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation, written by Rev Davina McCluskie, Scotland Representative for OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation, and Rev Lindsay Reynolds, Foundation Administrator, who together act as OneSpirit’s nominators for Scotland. The letters confirm that I trained with OneSpirit and was ordained by them as an Interfaith Minister, and that they consider me a fit and proper person to register civil partnerships. I am a current member of OneSpirit’s Register of OneSpirit Interfaith Ministers.

 

I have read and understood NRS’s guidance on civil partnership in Scotland and the legal duties of civil partnership celebrants under the 2004 Act, and I have completed OneSpirit’s training for ministers who wish to solemnise marriage and register civil partnerships in Scotland. There is no prescribed form of ceremony; the civil partnership will be registered when both parties sign the Civil Partnership Schedule in the presence of two witnesses aged 16 or over and of me, and the witnesses and I will also sign the Schedule.

 

I confirm that I have no intention of carrying on a business of registering civil partnerships or solemnising marriages for profit or gain. Holding legal ceremonies is a small part of a wide interfaith ministry, which also includes [funerals and other non-legal ceremonies, support in death and dying, chaplaincy, meditation, spiritual accompaniment: amend to describe your own ministry], in keeping with my professional background and philosophical beliefs.

 

I have no criminal convictions within the last four years, I have not been the subject of any censure or disciplinary sanction by OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation within the last two years, and I am not subject to any live disciplinary proceedings. [If any part of this sentence does not hold for you, set out the position here instead. You will already have told OneSpirit’s nominators.]

 

My full name, and the designation I will use when signing the Civil Partnership Schedule, is: [full name], Minister, OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation.

 

Please let me know if you need anything further from me.

 

Yours sincerely

 

[Name]

 

Attachments: letter of support from Rev Davina McCluskie; letter of support from Rev Lindsay Reynolds.

Note 1: the legal content of a civil partnership. No words are prescribed by law. The civil partnership is formed when the second of the two parties signs the Civil Partnership Schedule, in the presence of you and two witnesses aged 16 or over, who sign after them. Shape whatever ceremony the couple would like around that moment, and give the signing its proper weight. The couple collect the Schedule from the registration office in the seven days before the ceremony.

 

Note 2: the pen. Everyone signs the Schedule in permanent, archive-quality black ink; a fountain pen is best. Take your own.

 

Letter 4: civil partnership, subsequent application in the same category

No attachments.

[Date]

The Registrar General for Scotland National Records of Scotland Combined Registration Services,

HM General Register House 2 Princes Street Edinburgh,

EH1 3YY

 

 

Dear Registrar General,

 

Application for temporary authorisation to register a civil partnership: [mixed-sex civil partnership / same-sex civil partnership]

 

I am applying under section 94E of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 for temporary authorisation to register a civil partnership in Scotland on 2026 at [time], at [venue name and full address, including postcode]. The parties are [full name] and [full name], as their names will appear on their CP10 forms.

 

You have previously granted me temporary authorisation, as a minister of OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation, for [a civil partnership / civil partnerships] in this category, most recently on 2026.

 

I am familiar with the legal requirements and with NRS’s guidance. The civil partnership will be registered when both parties sign the Civil Partnership Schedule in the presence of two witnesses aged 16 or over and of me, and the witnesses and I will also sign the Schedule.

 

My full name, and the designation I will use when signing the Civil Partnership Schedule, is: [full name], Minister, OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation.

 

Please let me know if you need anything further from me.

 

Yours sincerely

 

[Name]

 

Attachments: letter of support from Rev Davina McCluskie; letter of support from Rev Lindsay Reynolds.

Note 1: the legal content of a civil partnership. No words are prescribed by law. The civil partnership is formed when the second of the two parties signs the Civil Partnership Schedule, in the presence of you and two witnesses aged 16 or over, who sign after them. Shape whatever ceremony the couple would like around that moment, and give the signing its proper weight. The couple collect the Schedule from the registration office in the seven days before the ceremony.

 

Note 2: the pen. Everyone signs the Schedule in permanent, archive-quality black ink; a fountain pen is best. Take your own.