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• Civil partnerships
• Forming a civil partnership in Belfast
• Documents needed to form a civil partnership
• Civil partnership fees
• Civil partnership certificates
• Civil partnership ceremonies in Registrar's office (Belfast City Hall)
• Civil partnership ceremonies in approved venues
• Civil partnership ceremonies in a venue of your choice
• Three-year marriage and civil partnership licences (for venues)

• Frequently asked questions
• Births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships

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Civil partnerships

In a city as large as Belfast, there are plenty of options to consider for your civil partnership celebrations. There are lots of beautiful venues to choose from for your ceremony and reception, many of which can provide a stunning backdrop for your photographs.

Our registration staff, based in Belfast City Hall, are happy to deal with any queries you may have. Call us on 028 9027 0274 or email registrar@belfastcity.gov.uk for more information. The office is also open from 9.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday and 9.30am to 4pm on Fridays.

In this section, you can:

• view types of ceremony
  
• check what documents are required
• check civil partnership fees
• view approved civil partnership venues
• apply for a licence to hold civil partnership ceremonies (for venues)
• find out how to order a copy of your civil partnership certificate

Legal requirements

Any two people, regardless of where they live , can register a civil partnership in Northern Ireland, provided that they are:

• the same sex
• aged 18 or above on the day of your ceremony (consent is needed if either of you is aged 16 or 17)
• unrelated to one another in a way that would prevent you from forming a civil partnership
• free to marry, for example, neither of you is already a civil partner or legally married.

To make sure both parties meet these criteria, you must complete a civil partnership notice form, and supply the other necessary documents needed, before your ceremony can take place. These should be returned to the Registrar's office in the district where you plan to form your partnership.

• What documents do I need to form a civil partnership?
• List of district registrars in Northern Ireland

Types of ceremony

In Belfast, civil partnership ceremonies can take place in the Registrar's office in Belfast City Hall or in another venue which has been licensed for partnerships. They are conducted by a Registrar and are non-religious.

Click on the thumbnails below to find out more about each option:


Civil partnership ceremonies in Registrar's office (Belfast City Hall) Civil partnership ceremonies in a licensed venue, approved by the Registrar Civil partnership ceremonies in a licensed venue of your choice

More information

The General Register Office, based at Oxford House, 49-55 Chichester Street, Belfast, BT1 4HL, provides help and advice about the following issues:

• visiting Northern Ireland to form a civil partnership
• immigrant requirements.

Detailed information about all these topics is available from the NI Direct website