Is a marriage valid without the father as guardian if he can still be located and lives close to the place of the marriage contract?

Summary

A guardian (wali) is a pillar of marriage, and a marriage without a qualified guardian is defective or void. As long as the father, as the nearest guardian, remains qualified, a marriage using a more distant guardian or the state-appointed guardian (wali hakim) is invalid. If he is less than two marhalah away, the sultan or judge may not conduct the marriage except with his consent. A wali hakim may act if the nearest guardian is two marhalah or more away, refuses without a reason accepted by Islamic law, or there is no guardian by lineage, and guardianship passes to a more distant guardian if the father loses his eligibility. Marriages through guardians not authorised by the authorities, such as syndicate marriages, are very likely invalid.

Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.