Civil partnership ceremony
Civil Partnership - Overseas
Same-sex couples who form legally binding relationships overseas, ie registered under the law of another country or territory, will automatically be treated as having formed a civil partnership.
They will not need to register in the UK as well. As long as they and their overseas relationship meets the requirements set out in the Civil Partnership Act.
These include requirements that the overseas relationship is either:
(a) one of the specified relationships listed in Schedule 20 to the Act,
or
(b) a relationship that meets the "general conditions" contained in section 214.
The list of specified relationships in Schedule 20 currently contains:
Belgium : cohabitation légale (statutory cohabitation)
Belgium marriage
Canada : marriage Denmark partnerskab (registered partnership)
Finland rekisteröity parisuhde (registered partnership)
France pacte civile de solidarité (civil solidarity pact)
Germany Lebenspartnerschaft (life partnership)
Iceland staðfesta samvist (confirmed cohabitation)
Netherlands geregistreerde partnerschap (registered partnership)
Netherlands marriage
Norway partnerskap (registered partnership)
Spain marriage
Sweden registrerat partnerskap (registered partnership)
United States of America : Vermont civil union
New relationships will be added to Schedule 20 from time to time as more countries or territories bring in legislation, which meets the requirements of the Act and which allows same-sex couples to register their relationship.
