Cap. 255 Art. 7Banns of matrimony.

(1) The celebration of marriage must be preceded by the publication of banns of matrimony.

(2) Banns of matrimony shall state the name, surname, place of birth and residence of each of the persons to be married, the place where they intend to contract marriage and, unless the Registrar in the case of natural filiation or other circumstances deems proper to act otherwise, the name and surname of the parents of each of the persons to be married.

(3) The publication of the banns consists in the posting up of the banns in a place at the Marriage Registry accessible to the public and reserved for that purpose and in keeping the banns so posted up for a period of not less than eight consecutive days excluding Saturdays, Sundays and other public holidays. The banns shall also be posted up at the place where official acts are usually posted up in the town, village or parish in Malta in which each of the persons to be married resides.

(4) Banns of matrimony shall be published by or by order of the Registrar on a request in writing signed by both persons to be married or, where the marriage is to take place by proxy, by the proxy and the other person.

(5) A request for the publication of banns shall not be entertained unless it is delivered to the Registrar earlier than six weeks before the date of the intended marriage, or than such shorter period as the Registrar may in his discretion accept in special circumstances, and unless and until, in addition to all other relevant information, there are delivered to the Registrar-

(a) the certificate of birth of each of the persons to be married;

(b) a declaration on oath made and signed by each of the persons to be married stating that to the best of his or her knowledge and belief there is no legal impediment to the marriage or other lawful cause why it should not take place:

Provided that if it is shown to the satisfaction of the Registrar that it is impracticable to obtain a certificate of birth required to be delivered by this sub-article, the Registrar may accept instead such other document or evidence as he may deem adequate for the purpose of this article.

(6) The Registrar may administer oaths for the purposes of this Act.

(7) Where banns have been published in accordance with the provisions of this Act and it appears to the Registrar that there is no legal impediment or other lawful cause why the marriage should not take place, the Registrar shall, at the request of either of the parties to be married, issue a certificate that the banns have been so published and indicate therein, in addition to other relevant information, the date of the completion of such publication.

(8) Subject to the provisions of article 10, no person shall officiate at a marriage unless a certificate issued in accordance with sub-article (7) in respect of the persons to be married has been produced to him; and that certificate or a certificate issued in terms of article 10 shall be final and conclusive proof of its contents.