Civil Partnership Act Schedule 20

Schedule 20 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 is a section of the British Civil Partnership Act recognising certain overseas unions as equivalent to civil partnerships under British law. Same-sex couples who have entered into those unions are automatically recognised in the United Kingdom as civil partners.

Schedule 20 is subject to adjustment, and additional overseas relationships may be added as more jurisdictions across the world bring in civil partnership or same-sex marriage legislation. On December 5, 2005, the original schedule of the 2004 act was amended to include several other countries and states. [ [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20053135.htm Text of the 2005 Statutory Instrument] ] Schedule 20 does not, therefore, include relationships created since that time. Overseas relationships recognized under Schedule 20, as amended, are as follows:

*Andorra: "unió estable de parella" (stable partnership union)
*Australia: Tasmania – significant relationship‡
*Belgium: marriage and "cohabitation légale/wettelijke samenwoning/gesetzliches Zusammenwohnen" (statutory cohabitation)
*Canada: marriage, as well as Nova Scotia domestic partnership and Quebec "union civile/civil union"
*Denmark: "registreret partnerskab" (registered partnership)
*Finland: "rekisteröity parisuhde/registrerad partnerskap" (registered partnership)
*France: "Pacte civil de solidarité" (civil solidarity pact)
*Germany: "Lebenspartnerschaft" (life partnership)
*Iceland: "staðfesta samvist" (confirmed cohabitation)
*Luxembourg: "partenariat enregistré/eingetragene Partnerschaft" (registered partnership)
*Netherlands: marriage and "geregistreerd partnerschap" (registered partnership)
*New Zealand: civil union
*Norway: "registrert partnerskap" (registered partnership)
*Spain: marriage
*Sweden: "registrerat partnerskap" (registered partnership)
*United States:
**California – domestic partnership
**Connecticut – civil union
**Maine – domestic partnership
**Massachusetts – marriage
**New Jersey – domestic partnership‡
**Vermont – civil union

‡ "Civil unions in New Jersey and various unions in various Australian states were created after Schedule 20 was last updated and are dealt with below."

Unions adopted since Schedule 20 last amended

The following unions were created after Schedule 20 was last updated, and therefore couple must prove such union meet the general conditions under Section 214 of the Act to register them as civil parternships:
*Australia provides unregistered co-habitation in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia; or registered partnerships in the Council areas of Sydney and Melbourne and in the state of Victoria. (The Commonwealth of Australia provides only independancy relationships in 3 areas only; Military or ADF, supperannuation and migration of same-sex partner).
*Czech Republic: registered partnership
*Mexico:
**Coahila – pacto civil de solidaridad (civil union)
**Mexico City – sociedad de convivencia (civil union)
*Slovenia: registered partnership
*Switzerland: registered partnership
*South Africa: marriage
*Uruguay: "Civil unions in Uruguay"
*United States
**California – marriage
**New Jersey – civil union
**New Hampshire – civil union
**Oregon – domestic partnership
**Washington – domestic partnership

References