Civil partnerships

Coronavirus update

From Friday 10 July, marriages and civil partnerships can take place indoors.

Please call us on 028 9027 0455 or email registrar@belfastcity.gov.uk with your contact details to discuss your marriage or civil partnership arrangements further.

The ceremony room at City Hall holds a maximum of seven people in total, when allowing for social distancing. 

If your ceremony has more than seven people, please call the Registration Office to discuss other options. We have allocated two additional rooms to accommodate couples who are having larger ceremonies while still maintaining social distancing.  

Visit nidirect for more information on civil partnership restrictions.

Civil partnership notices

Please contact the Registration Office on 028 9027 0455 if you want to give notice for a civil partnership.

• 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 contact the Registration Office on 028 9027 0455 to discuss the options.

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. 

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.

Fees

More information

Please visit nidirect for more guidance on civil partnerships.