Europe | North America | South America | Asia Pacific
Europe
-Marriage and partnership rights for same-sex partners: country-by-country in Europe- ILGA Europe
EU Nations that recognize gay marriage
Belgium
The second nation to legalize same-sex marriage in 2003.
Netherlands
The first country to grant gay marriage in 2001.
Norway
Became the sixth country to legalize same-sex marriage on May 11, 2008. (read more)
South Africa
South Africa became the fifth nation to recognize gay marriage in 2005.
Spain
Spain became the fourth nation to allow gay marriage on June 29, 2005.
EU Nations that allow same-sex partnerships or unions:
Croatia
Civil partnerships for same-sex couples have been granted since 2003.
Denmark
Legal civil partnerships have been allowed since 1989.
Finland
Has offered registered partnership benefits since September 2001.
France
Pacte Civil de Solidarité” (PACS), or “Civil Solidarity Pacts,” were instituted in France on November 9, 1999.
Germany
Gay couples can register as "Life Partnerships," granting lesser financial and pension benefits than marriage.
Hungary
Gay couples have been protected under common-law marriages since 1995; however they are not eligible for legal marriage.
Iceland
Since 1996, gay Icelanders have been protected under registered partnerships.
Luxembourg
Civil partnership legislation modeled after France's PACS were introduced in Luxembourg in 2004.
Norway
Since 1996, gay Norwegians have been protected under registered partnerships.
Portugal
Same-sex partners have the same rights as opposite-sex partners in common law marriage.
Sweden
Swedish same-sex couples have been able to register under domestic partnership laws since
1995.
Switzerland
Same-sex couples are given limited legal benefits with civil recognition.
United Kingdom
Domestic partners can register under the Civil Partnership Act. This legislation took affect in December 5, 2005 giving registered same-sex couples all of the rights, privileges and responsibilities of married heterosexual couples. The Civil Partnership Act applies across all of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
North America
Nations that recognize gay marriage:
Canada
In June of 2005, the Canadian Parliament enacted a law allowing legal marriage for same-sex couples.
US states that recognize gay marriage:
California
On May 15, 2008, California's Supreme Court ruled that banning same-sex marriage in the state was discriminatory... (read more)
Proposition 8 which prevented same-sex marriage was overtuned by US district court August 2010...(read more).
Details on ‘What same-sex couples should know about marrying in California can be found at this link.
Connecticut
November 12 in 2008 Connecticut state law supports same-sex marriage.
Iowa
Same-sex marriage in the U.S. state of Iowa became legal on 3 April 2009.
New Hampshire
The law changed on 1 January 2010 to allow for same-sex marriage to be recognised under the law. On January 1, 2011, all civil unions in the state will become marriages unless otherwise dissolved, annulled or previously converted to marriage.
New Jersey*
New Jersey is the third U.S. state to offer same-sex civil unions behind Vermont and Connecticut. The new same-sex civil unions law, which goes into affect on February 19, 2007, grants gay and lesbian couples the same rights as marriage. *(Although same-sex unions in New Jersey are classified as civil unions, couples are granted the same rights as married heterosexual couples.) read more
New York
Note: By a May 29, 2008 directive, New York only recognizes gay marriages from couples legally married outside of the state. read more
Massachusetts
On May 17, 2004 Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage. The State of Massachusetts also issues licenses to gay couples from New Mexico and Rhode Island since neither state explicitly prohibits same-sex marriage.
Vermont
On 1 September 2009 the law recognised same-sex marriage. It was also the first U.S. state to offer same-sex civil unions in 2000. Learn about
Vermont civil unions.
Vermont civil unions.
US States that allow same-sex partnerships or unions:
Oregon
Under Oregon's new domestic partnership law gay and lesbian couples are eligible for all the state-wide rights and benefits of marriage. Oregon also outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation. (more)
Washington
On April 21, 2007, Washington's domestic partnership bill was signed into law giving gay and lesbian couples many of the benefits of marriage. (more)
See also the Human Rights campaign website: http://www.hrc.org/issues/marriage.asp
South America
Nations that allow same-sex partnerships or unions:
Mexico
Same sex civil unions were legalized in Mexico City in November 2006 and in the state of Coahuila on January of 2007, essentially making civil unions legal in all of Mexico (by law, each Mexican state must recognize the laws granted to individuals of the other states). (More on Gay Mexico)
Asia Pacific
Nations that allow same-sex partnerships or unions:
New Zealand
In December, 2004, New Zealand enacted legislation recognizing same-sex civil unions.
