Can a British Consul perform a civil Partnership ceremony overseas?
The Civil Partnership Act 2004 makes provision for two people to be registered as civil partners at a British Consulate in the presence of a officer in Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service. The type of officer is prescribed in the Civil Partnership (Registration Abroad and Certificates) Order 2005 as a British Consular officer. This Order allows registrations to be performed in any country provided all of the following conditions are met: i) At least one party must be a British national. This means that they must be either: • a British Citizen • a British Overseas Territories citizen • a British Overseas citizen • a British National (Overseas) • a British subject or • a British protected person within the meaning of the British Nationality Act 1981. ii) The proposed civil partners would have been eligible to register as civil partners of each other in the part of the United Kingdom determined in the Order. Arrangements are slightly different in Scotland for consent and for the prohibited d
