Questions about Civil Partnership orders

Q1 Can I obtain a civil partnership certificate?
Q2. Can I obtain a full certificate without providing the addresses of both civil partners

Q1. What records are held for overseas births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths?
Q2. Are all overseas births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths, involving British nationals held in the UK?
Q3. What certificates of overseas births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths can I order?
Q4. What will I see on an overseas certificate?
Q5. What happens if I don't know the year of registration of an overseas birth, marriage, civil partnership or death?
Q6. What happens if I don't know where the overseas birth, marriage, civil partnership or death occurred?

Q1 Can I obtain a civil partnership certificate?

If you are able to provide sufficient information to identify the civil partnership entry as well as the addresses of both parties (as shown in the entry) then you can choose to have a full certificate which contains the addresses of both parties. If you are unable to provide the addresses of both parties you can obtain an extract of the entry which will not show the addresses.

Q2. Can I obtain a full certificate without providing the addresses of both civil partners

A certified copy of the entry can only be issued when you have correctly stated the full address of both civil partners (as shown in the entry). If you are unable to provide this information, you may apply to the Registrar General stating your reasons for requesting a full certificate, stating why the addresses are not known and explaining why a certificate showing the addresses is needed. If he considers it appropriate to do so, he will authorise the issue of a full certificate.

You should apply in writing to:

Marriages & Civil Partnerships
Smedley Hydro
Trafalgar Road
Birkdale
Southport
PR8 2HH

Q1. What records are held for overseas births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths?

Births, marriages and deaths registered by the British Forces and the British Consul or High Commission in the country where they took place, from 1849.

Deaths that occurred in the Boer War and both World Wars. British Army Regimental records of births, baptisms and marriages dating back to 1761.

Marine Births and Deaths, from 1837, which took place on British registered vessels.

Aircraft Births and Deaths, from 1948, which took place on British registered aircraft.

Civil Partnerships formed and registered by the British Armed Forces and the British Consul in the country where they took place, from 2005

Q2. Are all overseas births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths, involving British nationals held in the UK?

No. Registering with the British authorities is not compulsory. It is not a service which everyone takes up.

Q3. What certificates of overseas births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths can I order?

You may place an order online for a full certificate of an overseas birth (which will include parent's details) a death certificate, a marriage or a civil partnership certificate.

Q4. What will I see on an overseas certificate?

Due to the variety in format of overseas records, it depends on the type of record the certificate is produced from.

Normally the format of a birth certificate will include a date and place of birth, the child's name and the parent's names and surnames.

Marriage certificates, if the marriage took place in a British Consul or was registered by the British Forces the certificate will take a usual format of date and place of marriage and the names and surnames of the bride and groom. If however the marriage was one where a certificate was deposited with our records then it will be a certified copy of the original documents i.e. the certificate issued by the foreign country plus a translation, if applicable.

In respect of civil partnerships if the civil partnership took place in a British Consul or was registered by the British Forces the certificate will take a usual format of date and place of civil partnership and the names and surnames of the partners. If however the civil partnership was one where a certificate was deposited with our records then it will be a certified copy of the original documents i.e. the certificate issued by the foreign country plus a translation, if applicable.

Death certificates will normally include date and place of death (in respect of war deaths this may just state the country), name and surname of the deceased and often the age at death or date of birth.

Q5. What happens if I don't know the year of registration of an overseas birth, marriage, civil partnership or death?

Please state the year that the event may have taken place, more than one year will be searched.

Q6. What happens if I don't know where the overseas birth, marriage, civil partnership or death occurred?

When you get to the place of birth, marriage, civil partnership or death, type 'unknown'; a search will then be made throughout the overseas indexes. Unfortunately if you do not know the place of event, we may not be able to narrow down the search to just one entry.

Check Overseas Events orders as these FAQs may answer your question.