Civil partnerships

Coronavirus update

Government restrictions are in place for marriage and civil partnership ceremonies. 

• Numbers at marriage and civil partnership ceremonies are determined by a risk assessment completed by the venue. 
• For indoor ceremonies, face masks must be worn by all except the couple being married or forming a civil partnership.  Current guidance states that children under the age of 12 do not have to wear a face mask.
• Guidelines state that up to 10 people from three households (not including children under 12) are permitted in a private dwelling. This means that a marriage can take place in a private dwelling if all other guests at the marriage or civil partnership are from two households with the registrar or officiant being from the third household. If a single household has 10 members, the maximum number is increased to 15 from three households. 
• Marriage and civil partnership ceremonies can take place in a person’s home if one of the parties is terminally ill with up to 10 people in attendance (this includes the couple, two witnesses and the officiant).
• All restrictions have been removed in relation to the number of people that are permitted in a private garden. This means a ceremony can take place in a private garden by a registrar or officiant.
• Live music is permitted at marriage and civil partnership ceremonies and the provision of live music should be considered by the venue during the completion of the risk assessment.
• A religious or belief officiant can carry out a marriage ceremony at any location in Northern Ireland, it does not have to be an approved venue.  It is the responsibility of the religious or belief officiant to ensure that COVID-19 restrictions are adhered to.

The NI Executive have produced a guidance booklet for marriages, civil partnerships or other celebratory events (link opens in new window).

Please email the Registration Office registrar@belfastcity.gov.uk with your contact details or call on 028 9027 0455 to discuss options for your marriage or civil partnership arrangements.

We have allocated two rooms in City Hall to accommodate couples who are having ceremonies while still maintaining social distancing. 

Visit nidirect for information on civil partnership ceremony restrictions (link opens in a new window).

Read our coronavirus updates

Notice period

If you plan to celebrate your civil partnership in Belfast, it is important that you read all of the information. 

You must give at least 28 days’ notice to register a civil partnership. If you don't give it in time, you may need to postpone your civil partnership. You can give notice up to a year before the date of your civil partnership. We recommend a period of 10 to 12 weeks’ notice.

Please send your original completed civil partnership notice forms, along with relevant documents, to:

Registration,
Belfast City Hall
Belfast BT1 5GS.

We will accept photocopies of your birth certificates and passports, but will need to see the originals before the ceremony takes place.  Contact us to discuss payment or you can send a cheque, made payable to Belfast City Council. 

Documents needed to form a civil partnership

Before you can form a civil partnership in Belfast, you and your partner need to complete the civil partnership notice form and produce certain documents.

Download civil partnership notice form

If you're a non-EEA citizen, please read nidirect's information on registering civil partnerships in Northern Ireland. (link opens in new window)

Essential documents

You and your partner should provide the following documents when you return your civil partnership notice forms:

• your full (long version) birth certificate
• your passport or national identity card - the Registrar can advise on alternatives if you do not hold either of these
• a consent form (if you aged 16 or 17) - these are available from the registrar
• if you have entered into a civil partnership before, a court order of dissolution for that partnership
• if you have been married before and the marriage was dissolved, a certificate of divorce or annulment or a certified copy decree (decrees must be absolute or final)
• if you have been married more than once, only the documents for your most recent marriage are required
• if you are a widow, widower or surviving civil partner, the death certificate of your former spouse or civil partner.

Presenting your original documents

You will need an appointment to present your original documents and wedding day information form before your ceremony. There will be an opportunity to talk with one of the registrars and ask any questions about your day.

Appointments are available from Monday to Friday, 11am - 12.20pm, at City Hall. Please select the ‘short appointments’ option on the form and then 'civil ceremony final appointment' from the list when booking.

Book an appointment

Once you have completed your booking, you will receive a confirmation email with further information about your appointment. If you don’t receive this, please check your junk mail folder.

If you have any issues booking online, please call us on 028 9027 0290.

If you are unable to come into City Hall, you can still present the documents on the day of your ceremony.

Fees

Convert civil partnership to marriage

New legislation came into effect on 7 December 2020, enabling couples to convert their same sex civil partnership formed in Northern Ireland to a marriage, or opposite sex marriage formed in Northern Ireland to a civil partnership.

You can make an appointment to have your conversion at City Hall. These are available from Monday to Thursday at 3.30pm. You need to submit your application form before your appointment.   

Book an appointment

If you would prefer to have a ceremony to sign the conversion with family and friends attending, you can book this with the Registration Office by calling 028 9027 0455. The registrar will advise you on completing your application forms and documentation needed. Ceremony fees and room hire will apply.  

Ceremonies will take place under the current coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions.

If you have completed your appointment booking online, you will receive a confirmation email with further information about your appointment. If you don’t receive this, please check your junk or spam mail folder. If you have any issues booking online, please call us on 028 9027 0290.

Conversions don’t have to take place in the original district where the civil partnership or marriage took place.

Application forms

Please complete and send your application form to us before your appointment. We will then enter your information onto our system and submit this to the General Register Office (GRO) for authorisation. This is completed beforehand so you both can sign the declaration at your appointment.

The application forms can be downloaded from the nidirect website:

• application form to change a Civil Partnership to a Marriage (GRO 500) (link opens in new window)
• application form to change a Marriage to a Civil Partnership (GRO 501) (link opens in new window)

Send your completed application form, including photocopies of your marriage or civil partnership certificates and photocopies of photographic ID (preferably passports), to:
Registration, 
City Hall, 
Belfast 
BT1 5GS. 

Please don’t post or drop off your original certificates or passports. You will need to bring the originals to your appointment.

Ordering copies of civil partnership certificate

You will need your civil partnership or marriage certificate for the conversion. If you need a copy of this, call the General Register Office on 030 0200 7890 or visit nidirect’s website (link opens in new window) to request a copy.

Further information on converting a marriage to civil partnership and civil partnership to marriage can be found on the nidirect website (link opens in new window).

More information

Please visit nidirect for more guidance on civil partnerships.