Civil Partnership Registration
Civil Partnerships give legal status to same sex couples in permanent relationships. You must each have lived in any district in England or Wales for seven CLEAR days before the date you give notice of intention to register a civil partnership (this means that the notice is given on the ninth day).
To enter into a civil partnership the couple must be:
- Of the same sex
- Over the age of 18 (or 16 or over with the necessary consent)
- Not lawfully married or already a civil partner
- Not within the prohibited degrees of relationship
A period of 15 days must elapse once notice of intention to register the partnership has been given before the partnership formation can take place.
Once the couple have signed the appropriate documentation in the presence of two witnesses and a registration officer the civil partnership is formed. There is no requirement for a ceremony as part of the process of forming a civil partnership but Bradford Council offers a ceremony to those couples who wish to have one.
Civil Partnership formations take place at the Register Office in Bradford and the Town Hall in Keighley with or without the addition of any form of ceremony.
It is also possible to form a civil partnership away from the Register Office at those venues which are approved by the local authority for civil marriage ceremonies and civil partnership formations. A list of these premises can be found on our Approved Premises page.
You will need to produce certain documents when giving notice:
- Your passport or other official travel document or birth certificate
- Another form of identification with your address on e.g. a driving licence, bank statement, utility or council tax bill etc.
- If you do not have a passport and you produce your birth certificate if you were born after 1982 you will need to produce a parent’s birth certificate as well. Please ask for more information on this.
- If either of you has been married before or in a registered civil partnership you need to produce evidence of your freedom to form a civil partnership, this will be either the death certificate of your late spouse/partner or a divorce decree absolute or annulment document or evidence that your civil partnership has been dissolved by the Courts. If your divorce, annulment or dissolution of a legally recognised civil partnership took place abroad you will need to produce the original document issued by the authorities of that country together with a translation of the document if it is in a foreign language.
- A deed poll or statutory declaration if you have changed your name in this way.
- If you are under the age of 18 years you will need written evidence of the consent of your parents or guardians. Forms are available for this purpose. Depending on circumstances it may be necessary to produce custody, residence or care or other court orders or agreements. We are pleased to advise on specific cases.
All documents must be original, photocopies are not acceptable.
Immigration Control
If you or your partner is subject to immigration control you will need to give your notices of intention to register a civil partnership to a Specified Office, although the signing (and optional ceremony) can take place in the Register Office or Approved Premises of your choice. We will be happy to give advice about Specified Offices if you require this.
You are not subject to immigration control if you are:
- A British national a national of the EEA countries or Switzerland
- You have been granted permanent right of abode in the United Kingdom
- You are a member of visiting forces or certain international organisations.
If you have any questions or wish to make a provisional booking either to give notice of your intention to form a civil partnership or for the registration and/or ceremony please contact the Bradford and Keighley Register Office at 22 Manor Row Bradford or the Registrars at Keighley Town Hall. See our contact page for details.
