As soon as Parliamentary regulations have been approved couples who have entered a civil partnership will have the option to convert them into marriage from 10 December 2014.

Campaigners have called for such conversions to take place at local register offices or couples can have a ceremony at an approved venue of their choice which will include religious premises which are registered for marriages of same-sex couples.

Couples will also be issued with marriage certificates which will be backdated to the date of the original civil partnership.

Draft regulations were put before Parliament in July which were based on responses to a public consultation calling for a simple conversion process. The regulations have been revised and have taken into account the views expressed during the summer. The revised regulations give couples greater choice and also provide religious protections for any ceremony following a conversion into marriage which are enshrined in the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013.

During the first year, all couples who entered civil partnerships before 29 March 2014 (when marriage was extended to same sex couples) will be entitled to receive a £45 fee reduction.

For further information and advice on this issue, and other family law issues, please contact us for a free initial consultation on 01992 306 616 or 0207 956 2740 or email us.