Civil partnerships

Civil Partnerships - What Are They?

The Civil Partnership Act came into force on the 5th December 2005, enabling same sex couples to obtain legal recognition of their relationship.

The Civil Partnerships (Opposite-sex Couples) Regulations 2019, which extend eligibility for forming civil partnerships to opposite sex couples, were approved in Parliament and made on 5 November 2019.  The regulations will come into force on 2 December 2019.

Couples who form a civil partnership will have a new legal status.

How do we arrange a Civil Partnership registration?
Notice of Civil Partnership?
What do we do if we want to register a civil partnership abroad?
What documents will we need to give notice?
Where can a registration take place?
Can we include a ceremony?
What will it cost us?
What will happen on the day of the registration?

How do we arrange a Civil Partnership registration?
You should first contact the Superintendent Registrar of the district where you wish the registration to take place, who will make an appointment for you and your partner to give notice. At this time, you may also provisionally book the date and time of your ceremony.
N.B. You must have 7 days residence in the district before the formation of the civil partnership.
The minimum legal age for forming a civil partnership in England and Wales is 16 years of age but written consent will be required for anyone under 18 years of age.

Notice of Civil Partnership?
It is a legal requirement to give notice of your intention to form a Civil Partnership. Once the Notices have been given they are displayed in the Register Office by the registration authority for a period of 28 days before the civil partnership registration can take place.
A civil partnership notice states for each person:
Name and Surname
Date of birth
Condition (marital or civil partnership status)
Occupation
Nationality
Place of formation

What do we do if we want to register a civil partnership abroad?
If you have any general enquiries about registering a civil partnership abroad, you should contact the Embassy or High Commission of the country concerned. It is possible you will be asked to obtain a certificate of no impediment. This is a document required by some foreign authorities to enable a British national to register a civil partnership in their county and, under certain circumstances, it can be provided by your registration authority. If you are asked to provide one, you should contact your registration authority.

What documents will we need?
When attending the appointment to enter your Notice we will need to see:
your passports/birth certificates.
proof of your address(es) - such as council tax bill, UK driving licence, utilities bill or bank statement.
original documentary evidence showing how any previous marriage or civil partnership ended (if applicable)
original documentary evidence showing how names have been changed (if applicable)
The appointment should last for approximately half an hour. If you arrive for your appointment without the above documents then we may not be able to take your notice.

Where can the registration take place?
Ceremonies will be held in Merthyr Tydfil Register Office or at any of the approved venues.
See Approved venue search for further venues in England and Wales


Can we include a ceremony?
The Civil Partnership Act does not provide for a ceremony, but many people wish to commemorate the occasion in this way. At Merthyr Tydfil we can either offer small informal ceremonies or the something more personal with readings and music. We will provide a standard ceremony working within the civil partnership framework which can include vows, exchanging of rings, music and readings. You may wish to write your own ceremony using words, poems and readings which hold a special meaning to you.
However, Civil partnership registration is an entirely secular process, and the Civil Partnership Act prevents any religious service from taking place during the registration of a civil partnership.
Couples who wish to arrange for a ceremony should discuss this with the registration authority where the registration will be taking place when the initial arrangements are made.


What will it cost us?
Giving notice - £35.00 per person
Registering the partnership - £46.00
To purchase the Civil Partnership certificate on the day - £11.00


 
What will happen on the day of the registration?
Couples may arrive together or separately if desired.
If a ceremony is required, the Civil Partnership Schedule will be signed at the end of the proceedings.