The Civil Partnership Act was brought into effect on the 5th December 2005. This means that same-sex couples are now able to legally register their partnership.

You and your partner must both have lived in a registration authority in England or Wales for seven clear days immediately before the date that you give notice of your intent to form a civil partnership. It doesn’t matter if either of you moves to a different address once you have given notice. 

You can make an advance booking with Cambridgeshire Registration Service, provided you are both legally free to do so. Please follow the advance bookings link on the right.

Special arrangements for the giving of notice are in place for foreign nationals who are subject to immigration control; please ask your local Registration Office for advice. 

You must be of the same sex, over 18 (or provide evidence of consent if over 16), not in an existing marriage or civil partnership, not related to each other within the prohibited degrees of relationship in order to enter into a civil partnership 

Once you have given notice, you must wait a further 15 clear days before the civil partnership can take place (for example if notice is given on 1st January the civil partnership may take place on or after 17th January) 

When you both attend the Registration Office to give notice, you will need to produce certain documents to establish age, identity and freedom to contract a civil partnership as well as a fee of £30 each (which is non refundable). Other documents may also be needed depending on the circumstances. Please note that where documents are required these must be originals. Photocopies are not acceptable.

It is possible to form a civil partnership in Approved Premises as well as Registration Offices.

The civil partnership will be formed once you and your partner have signed in the presence of a Registration Officer and two witnesses. There is no legal requirement for a ceremony as part of the  process of forming a civil partnership. We will however be delighted to offer a ceremony if requested.

Are you subject to immigration controls?

If you are you will not be able to give notice of your intention to register a civil partnership unless:

- you have an entry clearance granted expressly for the purpose of registering a civil partnership in the UK

(Entry clearance is the granting of permission to enter the UK by an Entry Clearance Officer in the British Embassy/High Commission in the person’s country. It will usually be shown as a visa in the person’s passport or travel document. )

-Or you have the written permission of the Home Secretary to register a civil partnership in the UK (this will take the form of a certificate of approval, which can be obtained, from the Immigration and Nationality Department.
This will usually be issued where the person has been granted leave to enter or remain for over six months from the date on which they entered the UK and that leave is still in force. The certificate of approval will have to be surrendered to the registrar when notice is given.)

-Or you fall within a class of persons specified by the Home Secretary.
This will be someone with settled status in the UK.
Registration Officers have a statutory duty to report any civil partnership they suspect has been registered for the sole purpose of evading statutory immigration controls.

For more information contact your nearest British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission or call the Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau on 0870 606 7766, or write to Immigration & Nationality Directorate, Lunar House, 40 Wellesley Road, Croydon, CR9 2BY for advice