Civil Partnerships were introduced in December 2005 to 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 marriage (this means 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 clear 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 either Bradford or 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 and civil partnership ceremonies. You will find a list of those buildings currently approved in the left-hand menu or the list can be obtained from either Register Office.
There are procedures in place to reduce the 15 day waiting period for the formation of a civil partnership, if there are compelling reasons to do so, or for the partnership formation to be made at a place of residence of someone who is housebound, detained or seriously ill and not expected to recover.
You will need to produce certain documents when giving your notice:
- Your passport or other official travel document or birth certificate, together with another form of identification with you 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.
- 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.
Each of the couple pay a statutory fee of £30 to give notice of intention to form a civil partnership. There is also a single fee of £40 payable for the formation of the civil partnership at the Register Office. A certificate is available at a statutory fee of £3.50 paid at the time of the partnership formation. Any subsequent certificates will cost £7.00 each.
If you wish your registration of Civil Partnership to take place in Approved Premises rather than the Register Office, please enquire about the fees involved in the attendance of the Civil Partnership Registrars.
Further information about the implications of civil partnership is available at:
www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/lgbt/faq.htm
If you or your partner is subject to immigration control you will either be required to apply for a visa for the purpose of civil partnership before you enter this country or you will need permission from the Home Office to register your partnership. More information is available on www.homeoffice.gov.uk You will then give your notices of intention to register a civil partnership to a Designated Register 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 Designated Register Offices if you need this.
You are not subject to immigration control if you are a British national, a national of the EEA countries or Switzerland, or if you have been granted permanent right of abode in the United Kingdom or 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 or Keighley Register Office. See our get in touch page.
