Civil Partnerships
What is a Civil Partnership?
A civil partnership is a legal relationship for same-sex couples which is formed by signing a civil partnership registration document. It provides a number of important rights and responsibilities and equal treatment for same-sex couples on a wide range of legal matters.
Who is Eligible?
You must both be of the same-sex, not already in a civil partnership or marriage and must both be over 16. If you are under 18 you will need to provide written consent from your parents or legal guardians.
How and When to give Notice
By law, both parties to a proposed civil partnership must submit a Civil Partnership Notice Form and lodge it with the Civil Registry to inform the Registrar of their intention, not more than 1 year and not less than 7 clear days before the ceremony. Please telephone 01624 687039 to make an appointment to give Notice.
Timing is important. You must submit Notice early enough to enable the Registrar to be satisfied that you are free to enter into the civil partnership. Normally, Notices should be with the Registrar approximately 8 - 10 weeks before the date of the ceremony. The minimum period is 7 clear days before the date of the proposed civil partnership. It is important to make early arrangements for the date and time of your ceremony. You must make advance arrangements with the Registrar. This is particularly important at certain times of the year when large numbers of people wish to be married or enter into civil partnerships.
When you give Notice, you will be required to sign a declaration to the effect that the information given on your Notice is correct. Do not delay giving Notice simply because you are waiting for any of the necessary documents mentioned below to come to hand. If time is getting short, it is better to give Notice first and then pass the documents to the Registrar when they become available. They must be made available to the Registrar before the civil partnership ceremony can proceed.
Both parties must submit a Civil Partnership Notice Form along with the required documents listed below and the prescribed fee.
Status
Any two persons, regardless of where they live, may form a civil partnership on the Isle of Man provided that:-
- Both persons are at least 16 years of age on the day of their ceremony.
- Between the ages of 16 and 18, parental consent is required.
- They are not related to one another in a way which would prevent them entering into a civil partnership.
- Each party is unmarried or not already registered as a civil partner. Any person who has already been married or registered as a civil partner must produce documentatry evidence that the previous marriage or civil partnership has been ended by death, divorce, annulment or dissolution.
- They are capable of understanding the nature of a civil partnership ceremony and of consenting to the partnership.
- The civil partnership would be regarded as valid in any foreign country to which either party belongs.
Residence
When completing a Civil Partnership Notice Form, you should enter your full usual address, giving any house name and/or number, the street, town or parish and postcode. If you are domiciled outside the Isle of Man, you and the other party to the civil partnership must visit your local Registry Office at the first opportunity to submit your Civil Partnership Notice Forms and documents. The Notice Form must be signed before the Registrar and the Notice is then displayed for 7 clear days. You must follow the normal procedure of giving Notice to the Registrar on the Isle of Man but you may have to provide extra documentation or consult with the Immigration Office.
The Registrar
A civil partnership may be formalised only by a Registrar who has been authorised to do so by the Chief Registrar under Section 2 of the Civil Registration Act 1984 and who has a current Warrant to act.
Documents you will need to Produce
When giving Civil Partnership Notice Forms to the Registrar, each of you must supply the following documents:-
The Registrar needs to see documents that prove your age, nationality and identity. If you were born in the UK, provide your full Birth Certificate and current valid Passport if you have one. If you were born outside of the UK, provide a certified copy of your birth issued by the appropriate authority of that country and your current valid Passport or National Identity Card. If you are unable to produce your Birth Certificate, please state the reason. If you have lost your Birth Certificate, ask the Registrar how you can obtain a new copy.
If you have previously been married or in a civil partnership and the marriage or civil partnership ended in divorce, dissolution or annulment, the certified copy of the Decree Absolute is required. If you have previously been married or in a civil partnership more than once, only the document relating to the termination of the most recent marriage or civil partnership is required. If you are unable to produce the official Decree Absolute, state the reason for not doing so. The Registrar will require proof of the termination of the earlier marriage or civil partnership. As a safeguard against bigamous civil partnerships, a subsequent check of the information may be made by the General Registry.
If your former spouse or civil partner is deceased, a certified copy of the Death Certificate must be produced. If you are unable to produce a Death Certificate of your previous spouse or civil partner, state the reason for not doing so. The Registrar will require proof of the death. If you were divorced from your late spouse before their death you will need to produce the Decree Absolute, as above.
If you have changed your name by Deed Poll, you will need to bring the document with you.
If either of you are under 18, parental consent is required. The Registrar will provide a form for completion. If your parents are divorced, the Registrar also need to see the Court Order that gives custody to one or the other parent.
If you are subject to Immigration Control, you are required to produce your Visa for civil partnership (Fiance/e Visa) or a Home Office Certificate which is available from the Immigration Office, Government Office, Bucks Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3PU. Tel: 01624 686396. E-mail: immigration@cso.gov.im You should apply for these in plenty of time.
Applying from Overseas
If you are currently outside the UK and you want to come to the Isle of Man to register a civil partnership, the documents you need will depend on how long you intend to stay in the UK.
If you are coming to the UK as a visitor for civil partnership and you plan to leave the UK after the ceremony, you must get entry clearance for a visit for civil partnership registration.
If you are planning to come to the UK to register a civil partnership with someone who is already settled or settling here and you want to stay in the country afterwards, you will need entry clearance as a proposed civil partner. Both you and your partner must be aged 21 years or over.
Before you travel, you should apply for your entry clearance at a British Diplomatic Post which issues the type of entry clearance you need in the country where you normally live. They will give you any further advice. If your application is successful, you will normally be granted permission to come to the UK for six months. When you apply, you will need to show evidence that you plan to register your civil partnership during that time.
Applying in the UK
If you are already in the UK, before giving a Registrar notice to register your civil partnership, you will need to:-
- Have settled status in the UK; or
- get a Certificate of Approval.
A person is not subject to Immigration Control if he/she:-
- Is a British citizen
- Is an EEA national
- Has been given the right of abode in the UK
- Is a member of visiting forces from NATO and Commonwealth countries
- Is a diplomat that is not subject to Immigration Control.
- Registrars have a statutory duty to report any civil partnership they suspect has been arranged for the sole purpose of evading statutory immigration controls.
An unauthorised photocopy of any certificate is not acceptable.
Do not delay giving Notice simply because you are waiting for any of the documents mentioned above to come to hand. Authorised or notarised copies may be acceptable for the purpose of giving Notice, however, the Registrar must see the original of any of the above mentioned documents before a civil partnership can take place. If time is getting short, it is better to give Notice first and then pass the necessary documents to the Registrar when they become available. Provided documents are in order, the civil partnership can proceed as arranged.
If any document is in a language other than English, you must provide a certified translation into English.
Civil Partnership Schedule
When the Registrar is satisfied there is no legal impediment to the civil partnership, he/she will prepare a Civil Partnership Notice which you must both check through carefully and sign before the Registrar who will sign as a witness. This Notice will be on public display for a period of 7 clear days and then the Civil Partnership Schedule will be issued. The prescribed fee for the Notice, Schedule and ceremony is payable to the Registrar in advance. The last day payment can be accepted is 7 clear days before the ceremony.
Posponements or Cancellations
Be sure to let the Registrar know if you change your plans or decide to postpone your ceremony. Changes cannot be accepted by telephone so you should attend the Civil Registry in person or notify us in writing. All monies are non-refundable. Amendments may incur further charges.
Use of an Interpreter
The services of an interpreter must be obtained where any of the parties to the civil partnership or the witnesses do not have sufficient knowledge of the language of the ceremony to understand it. It is the responsibility of the couple to arrange this service. The interpreter will be required to sign the Civil Partnership Register as well as the two witnesses.
Copies of the Register
Requests for copy Civil Partnership Certificates may be made in writing to Douglas Civil Registry, Deemsters Walk, Bucks Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3AR, or in person. There are two types of certificate available following a civil partnership. One version includes the partners' addresses at the time of registration and the other does not. Both types of certificate include:-
- Date and place of civil partnership.
- Name, date of birth and condition of each partner, e.g. single, dissolved partnership.
- Occupation of each partner.
- Name and occupation of each partner's parents.
- Names of the witnesses.
If you wish to apply for a certificate with addresses, you must provide the addresses of both civil partners as recorded at the time the partnership was registered.
Objections
An objection may be lodged with a Registrar against the issue of the Civil Partnership Schedule. Further guidance should be sought from the Registrar.
Penalty for Making a False Statement
A person who makes a false statement for the purpose of bringing about or preventing a civil partnership is guilty of perjury and therefore may be liable to prosecution.
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