Civil partnership in the United Kingdom

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Notes

KoN: Performed in the Netherlands proper, including the Caribbean Netherlands. Registered in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten in such cases, but the rights of marriage are not guaranteed.
NZ: Neither performed nor recognized in Niue, Tokelau, or the Cook Islands.
UK: Neither performed nor recognized in six British Overseas Territories.
US: Neither performed nor recognized in some tribal nations. Recognized but not performed in several other tribal nations and American Samoa.
Israel: Registered foreign marriages confer all marriage rights. Domestic common-law marriages confer most rights of marriage. Domestic civil marriage recognized by some cities.
EU: The Coman v. Romania ruling of the European Court of Justice obliges the state to provide residency rights for the foreign spouses of EU citizens. Some member states, including Romania, do not follow the ruling.
Cambodia: Recognition of a "declaration of family relationship", which may be useful in matters such as housing, but they are not legally binding.
China: Guardianship agreements, conferring some limited legal benefits, including decisions about medical and personal care.
HK: Inheritance, guardianship rights, and residency rights for foreign spouses of legal residents.
India: Courts have recognised guru–shishya, nata pratha or maitri karar–type contractual relationships, but they are not legally binding.
Japan: Some cities and prefectures issue partnership certificates, but they are not legally binding.
Namibia: Marriages conducted abroad between a Namibian national and a foreign spouse recognized for residency rights.
Romania: Hospital visitation rights through a "legal representative" status.

* Not yet in effect

Timeline

342	MSM activity made illegal
1533	Death penalty introduced for MSM activity
1543	Buggery Act extended to Wales
1828	Offences Against the Person Act 1828
1835	James Pratt and John Smith executed
1861	Death penalty for buggery abolished
1885	Labouchere Amendment introduced
1889	Cleveland Street scandal
1895	Oscar Wilde found guilty of gross indecency
1912	The Cave of the Golden Calf opens
1921	Plans to make lesbian activity illegal defeated
1936	Mark Weston transitions
1952	John Nott-Bower begins crackdown
1954	Pitt-Rivers, Montagu, Wildeblood imprisoned
1954	Alan Turing commits suicide
1957	Wolfenden report released
1967	MSM activity made legal (England & Wales)
1972	First British Gay Pride Rally
1976	Jeremy Thorpe resigns as Liberal leader
1981	MSM activity made legal (Scotland)
1981	First case of AIDS reported in the UK
1982	MSM activity made legal (NI)
1983	Gay men barred from donating blood
1984	Chris Smith elected as first openly gay MP
1987	Operation Spanner begins
1988	Section 28 comes into force
1989	Stonewall UK forms
1994	Age of consent for MSM becomes 18
1997	Angela Eagle becomes first openly lesbian MP
1998	Bolton 7 found guilty
1998	Lord Alli becomes first openly gay Lord
1999	Admiral Duncan bombing
2000	Gay men allowed in HM Armed Forces
2001	Age of consent equalised to 16
2001	MSM activity involving multiple men legal
2002	Same sex couples granted equal rights to adopt
2003	Section 28 repealed
2004	Civil partnerships introduced
2004	Gender Recognition Act 2004
2006	Discrimination made illegal
2008	Equalised access to IVF for lesbian couples
2008	Incitement to homophobic hatred made a crime
2009	Public apology to Alan Turing
2010	Equality Act 2010
2011	Gay men allowed to donate blood (1 yr deferral)
2013	Nikki Sinclaire becomes first openly trans MEP
2013	Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013
2014	First same-sex marriages take place
2016	MSM activity not grounds for military discharge
2017	Turing law implemented
2017	Blood donation deferral 3 months (excl. NI)
2019	MPs legislate for gay marriage in NI
2020	Gay marriage legal across UK, incl. NI
2020	Blood donation deferral 3 months (incl. NI)
2021	Blood donation deferral equalised

Civil partnership in the United Kingdom is a form of civil union between couples open to both same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples. It was introduced via the Civil Partnership Act 2004 by the Labour government. The Act initially permitted only same-sex couples to form civil partnerships, but the law was expanded to include opposite-sex couples in 2019.