Civil Partnership Registration

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Important Information

Civil Partnership (revised 2021)

A Civil Partnership is a legal relationship entered by a couple, which is then registered and provides them with similar legal rights as married couples.

Civil partnerships were introduced in 2005 to legally recognise a same sex union. In Scotland from 30 June 2021 opposite sex couples can also enter into a civil partnerships. Bookings for a mixed sex civil partnership can now be made for a time on or after this date.

What are the differences:

Marriage is formed by ceremony and vows, whereas a civil partnership is formed by signing a civil partnership schedule. Although a ceremony is not required some couples wish to have one.
Marriage is ended by divorce, whereas civil partnership is ended by dissolution.
All couples now have a choice of how they wish to seal their relationship

If you are already in a civil partnership and wish to take the administrative route to marriage, please contact us at mar&cpr@glasgow.gov.uk

If you would like to discuss anything connected to civil partnerships or conversion to marriage, please contact us on the above email address.

WHEN SUBMITTING DOCUMENTS/CIVIL PARTNERSHIP NOTICE FORMS PLEASE PROVIDE A CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER

Update 15 April 2021 - Further Scottish Government advice at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-small-marriages-and-civil-partnership-registrations/

Please note further updated guidelines in relation to Marriage/Civil Partnership will come into force on 26 April following Scottish Government information. Where the maximum number of people attending a ceremony looks likely to increase to 50 this will only apply with physical distancing measures in place and where venues are able to allow that number to attend safely.

This figure sets marriage and civil partnership on a different footing from wider gatherings (where household and number restrictions remain)

This figure also applies to both outdoor and indoor ceremonies (where venue capacity allows the ceremony to take place safely). At this time ceremonies cannot take place indoors within private dwellings and for any ceremonies taking place in a private garden space local guidelines and restrictions will apply

Face covering for an indoor ceremony is required, this includes children age 5 and over. Update 14^th October - The regulations will include exemptions for couples getting married at a wedding or during their civil partnership

Any further changes to numbers will depend on health protection advice.

To keep everyone safe at our Ceremony Rooms at 23 Montrose Street and to comply with Scottish Government Guidance the number of guests attending will be limited with physical distancing measures in place.

If you have already lodged notice and your arrangements have changed and wish a refund, then please email mar&cpr@glasgow.gov.uk with the heading refund and name of couple. As we are receiving a high number of emails, responses will be dealt with in order, we thank you for your patience at this time.

Notice forms will only be accepted and lodged if;

You have a minister/celebrant etc. arranged to deliver your ceremony in Glasgow and require the Registrar's service to produce a schedule document permitting the ceremony to take place

You have arranged a booking to be married/civilly partnered with Glasgow Registrars, in our office or by one of our Registrar's in a third-party venue.

AND

Your planned date of marriage/civil partnership is between 29 days and three months ahead of the arrival of your notice forms and documents at the City Chambers office.

We can only accept notice forms and their supporting documents by post - Address below.

Where a couple are unable to give the required 29 days notice (e.g. due to serious illness of one of the parties), then please email mar&cpr@glasgow.gov.uk for advice.

Please refer to our FAQ's below prior to sending notice.

Please post notices to: Registration Office, Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, George Square, Glasgow G2 1DU

Please include photocopies of the appropriate documents.We do not advise you to include any original documents in the post at this time, this would include original passports; birth certificates etc. Original documents must be submitted to the office before the date of the ceremony by arrangement with the Registrar.

The fee in the form of a cheque or postal order made payable to Glasgow City Council can be included.

Please arrange to include contact details and a member of our team will be in touch to arrange payment over the phone by credit/debit card to allow us to lodge your notice or to check any additional information. Contact details should include a UK landline or mobile number and email address.

DO NOT HAND DELIVER NOTICES AND DOCUMENTATION - THEY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

What do I need to do?

Congratulations on your Civil Partnership.

Here you can find information and guidance on having a Civil Partnership in Glasgow. The minimum notice period for a civil partnership in Scotland is 29 days.

During this time we can only accept notices by post. Any visit to our office will be strictly by appointment only (arranged by the Registrar) and will only be for the collection of a Schedule for Religious/Belief Ceremonies

Please read the information contained in this section below prior to submission of your Notices.

How do I make an appointment?

We no longer accept face to face appointments for the submission of Civil Partnership Notices. All Notices for ceremonies taking place in Glasgow must be submitted to us by post to:- Registration Service, Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow G2 1DU

How and when to give notice of civil partnership?

Each party to a civil partnership must complete and submit a NRS - CP10 form along with the required documents and the appropriate fee, to the registrar for the district in which the civil partnership is to take place.

Timing is important. The notices must be submitted early enough to enable the registrar to be satisfied that you are free to enter into a civil partnership. Normally notices should be handed in about 8 to 10 weeks before the Civil Partnership but if either party has been married or in a civil partnership before, the notices should be with the registrar 10 weeks beforehand. The minimum period is 28 clear days before the date of the proposed Civil Partnership, but if you leave things as late as this you could be faced with the need to postpone your Civil Partnership.

Only in exceptional circumstances will the Registrar General authorise a civil partnership to take place if 28 clear days notice has not been given.

Civil Partnership notices can no longer be submitted in person.

Please post notices to: Registration Office, Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, George Square, Glasgow G2 1DU

The fee in the form of a cheque or postal order made payable to Glasgow City Council can be included.

The following information gives general guidance only and should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law.

What documents do I need to produce?

When submitting civil partnership notice forms to the registrar, each of you must supply the following:

your birth certificate;
your passport;
proof of current/usual residence - for e.g. Utility bill (not older than 3 months); Bank/Building society statement (not older than 1 month); Most recent Council Tax bill; Valid UK Driving Licence; Letter signed by someone able to confirm period of residence at address e.g. relative accommodating individual (further supporting evidence may be needed);
a decree of divorce, dissolution or annulment if the person giving notice has previously been married or in a registered civil partnership and the marriage or civil partnership has been dissolved. A decree of divorce granted outwith Scotland must be absolute or final-a decree nisi is not acceptable;
if you are a widow or widower, the death certificate of your former spouse;
if your domicile is abroad, a certificate of no impediment issued by the competent authority to the effect that you are free to enter into a civil partnership;
if any of your documents are in a language other than English, a certified translation in English must also be provided;
If you are a non EEA national further documentation will need to be completed. Please also download and complete a Declaration of Immigration Status Form - Home Office.

Do not include original documents when sending notice to us by post (photocopies only). We will arrange to see originals prior to your ceremony or in the case of a religious/belief ceremony, prior to issue of marriage schedule.

How much does it cost?

To have a civil partnership in Scotland the statutory fee to submit civil partnership notice forms is £30.00 each and £10.00 for the civil partnership extract making a total of £70.00.

Please note that additional fees are payable for the Registrar to conduct the ceremony and these vary according to where and when the ceremony is taking place

If you are having a religious of belief civil partnership please contact your celebrant for the fees involved in conducting your ceremony.

How do I pay?

When posting Notices to us please enclose a cheque made payable to Glasgow City Council for the appropriate sum i.e. £70 for a religious/belief marriage or minimum £125 for a civil partnership if booking fees have already been paid.

We cannot lodge notices if no fees are attached or contact details given to allow arrangements to be made for alternative payment by credit/debit card.

Types of Civil Partnership

A civil partnership may be registered by a district registrar or an assistant registrar;
a religious or belief celebrant who has been authorised by the Registrar General for that purpose or whose religious or belief body has been prescribed in regulations under the Civil Partnership Act 2004.

Who can register a civil partnership?

Any two persons, regardless of where they live, may register a civil partnership in Scotland provided that:

both persons are at least 16 years of age on the day they wish to register their civil partnership;
they are not related to one another in a way which would prevent them registering their civil partnership;
each is unmarried or not already registered as a civil partner;
they are of the same sex;
they are capable of understanding the nature of what it is to register a civil partnership and of consenting to do so.

Civil partnership schedule

When the registrar is satisfied there is no legal impediment to the civil partnership a schedule will be prepared from the information you have given. The schedule is a most important document - no civil partnership can proceed without it.

If you are having a religious civil partnership the schedule will be issued to you by the registrar. The schedule cannot be issued more than seven days before the civil partnership and the registrar will advise you when to call. The schedule cannot be collected on your behalf by a relative or friend - the registrar will issue it only to one of the prospective parties.

The civil partnership schedule must be produced before the civil partnership ceremony to the person performing the civil partnership.

Immediately after the ceremony the schedule must be signed by both parties, by the person performing the civil partnership and by the two witnesses. Thereafter, it must be returned to the registrar within three days in order to register the civil partnership.

If you are having a civil partnership, a schedule will not be issued but the registrar will have it available at the civil partnership ceremony for signature. Subsequently the civil partnership will be registered.

Civil partnership certificate

After the civil partnership has been registered you can obtain copies of the civil partnership certificate from the registrar on payment of the appropriate fee of £10.00.

If you live outside the United Kingdom

The normal procedure of giving notice to the registrar in Scotland must be followed but as previously mentioned an additional requirement is placed upon you.

If, being domiciled in a country outside the UK, you are subject to the laws of that country, you should obtain if practicable a certificate issued by the competent authority (usually the civil authority) in that country to the effect that there is no impediment to your proposed civil partnership. If the certificate is in a language other than English, you should also produce a certified translation. In the absence of such a certificate without good reason being shown, it may not be possible for you to register your civil partnership in Scotland.

If you are a non EEA national further documentation will need to be completed. Please also download and complete a Declaration of Immigration Status Form - Home Office.

If you are in any doubt about what is required, or if you require further information, you should consult the registrar.

Please note: This information gives general guidance only and should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law.

Guidance on changing a civil partnership to marriage

Conversion of a civil partnership to marriage

If you are already in a civil partnership and wish to take the administration route please contact the Registrar's Office of choice to book a date and time. Please bring with you:

Civil partnership certificate.
Form of photographic identification for both parties, i.e. passport or driver's licence.

If you wish to convert to marriage going through a ceremony please read the information provided regarding Marriage.

What happens if I am late for my appointment?

If you are having a religious or belief system civil partnership and have been asked by the Registrar to attend the office for collection then please be on time as we are operating strict physical distancing and H&S measures and can only have a limited number of people in the building at any given time.

Can I cancel or reschedule an appointment?

If you are having a religious or belief civil partnership and have been asked to attend the office to collect the schedule and are unable to keep the appointed time then please email mar&cpr@glasgow.gov.uk as soon as possible. We will have a very limited number of appointments and would welcome your assistance with keeping the time allocated.

Disclaimer

Should unforeseeable circumstances prevent my ceremony from proceeding as planned at the agreed date and time, Glasgow City Council shall not incur any liability. For the avoidance of doubt, unforeseeable circumstances include fire, flood, severe adverse weather conditions, casualty, lock-out, strike, labour disputes, industrial action of any kind, unavoidable accident, national calamity or riot, act of god, the enactment of any act of parliament or the act of any other legally constituted authority, any cause or event arising out of or attributable to war, or any other cause or event (whether of a similar or dissimilar nature) outside the control of Glasgow City Council.