Civil unions or partnerships

Content

What is a civil partnership?

It is a non-marital union or partnership between two people joined in a stable union by virtue of living together in a loving relationship, regardless of their sex (for example, a couple who share a home and/or have children together but are not married).

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Where can a civil partnership be registered?

Information on registering a civil partnership is provided by the individual autonomous communities and, generally, the municipal councils (Ayuntamientos). There is no law on civil partnerships at state level.

Couples should contact the autonomous community in which they reside or the municipal council where they are registered. In some municipalities there is no register of civil partnerships, in which case couples may only apply to the autonomous community where they live.

In general, regional or local registers of civil partnerships are compatible, i.e. a couple may be entered in both a regional and a municipal register, as long as the municipality belongs to that same autonomous community. It is not possible to be registered in two separate regional registers or in two separate municipal registers.

The rights acquired may vary depending on the register in which you are entered. There are rules that confer effects on any entry in any register (for example, social security legislation), but there may also be rules at autonomous community or municipal level that confer effects only on entry in the autonomous community register or the municipal register, respectively.

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How can a civil partnership be registered and what are the requirements?

You must contact the autonomous community or the municipal council to find out the specific requirements for registration in the register of civil partnerships (requirements may vary between regions and municipalities).

A joint application by both members of the partnership needs to be made for registration.

You must go in person to the Registry of Civil Partnerships, so as to be identified by means of a national identity document or other similar document.

You will generally need to show documentation to prove you meet the following requirements:

that you are of legal age or are emancipated minors;
that you are not legally incapacitated;
that you have been resident in the municipality or autonomous community for the period determined by the legislation;
that you are not subject to any matrimonial ties;
that you are not entered in another register that is incompatible under the applicable legislation;
that you are not related by blood or adoption, in accordance with the legislation.

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How can I request to withdraw from the civil partnership?

Any member of the civil partnership may request, individually, to cancel the entry of the union in the register. To do so, you will need to contact the autonomous community or municipal council where your partnership was registered.

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