Explanatory note

This Order is made under the Foreign Marriage Acts 1892 to 1947 as amended by the Foreign Marriage (Amendment) Act 1988. It replaces the Foreign Marriage (Armed Forces) (Amendment) Order 1990 (S.I. 1990/599).

Section 22 of the Foreign Marriage Act 1892, as amended by the Foreign Marriage Act 1947 and the Foreign Marriage (Amendment) Act 1988, provides that marriages celebrated before a chaplain in foreign territory shall be as valid as if celebrated in the United Kingdom provided one of the parties is a member of the naval, military or air forces of Her Majesty, or is employed in that territory in such other capacity as may be prescribed, or is a child of such a person, and provided such other conditions as may be prescribed are complied with.

This Order extends the list of capacities prescribed in the Foreign Marriage (Armed Forces) Order 1964, so that section 22 applies to civilians who, by virtue of the Service Discipline Acts, are subject to naval, military or air force law when not on active service.