Jersey law changes on marriage age and children's names comes in

Jersey residents will have to be 18 before they can get married as law amendments come into force.

The increase from 16 to 18 in the legal age for marriage and civil partnership is among a raft of changes.

Among them, civil partnerships will be extended to all couples, regardless of sex.

Meanwhile, parents might be refused from registering a child's name if it could lead to "mistake, confusion or embarrassment".

Married couples will also be able to convert a marriage into a civil partnership.

Claire Follain, superintendent registrar, said the amendments reflected a commitment to "equality, human rights and the rights of children".

Following the changes, couples will be able to choose a second wedding location as a backup when hosting an open-air wedding in case of "inclement weather", the government said.

Helen Miles, minister for home affairs, said the changes were "what islanders want".

Before the laws were approved by the States Assembly in March 2022, public consultations were held, she said.

"There was also a clear consensus among respondents that we should raise the age of marriage to 18 years old," she added.

Civil partnerships were extended to all couples in England in 2019 and in Scotland in 2021.

The new legal age for marriage came into force in England and Wales in February.

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