General information on registered partnerships
In a registered partnership, two people enter into a long-term cohabiting relationship with rights and obligations towards one another.
A registered partnership is established by both partners attending an authority responsible for civil status, in person and at the same time (registry officeGerman text). The registrar asks each of the partners one after the other in the presence of two (or only one or no witnesses if desired) if they want to enter into a registered partnership with one another. After these questions are answered in the affirmative, the registrar will pronounce them legally registered partners. It is also possible to enter into a registered partnership outside the official premises of the registry office, provided that the location reflects the significance of the registered partnership. The registrar sets down a written record of the establishment of the registered partnership.
Conditions for entering into a registered partnership
- being of legal age
- being eligible for a partnership
- having no valid marriage
- having no valid registered partnership
- no blood relationship in the direct line and no blood relationship up to and including the fourth degree of the collateral line; for example parents, children; grandparents, grandchildren; siblings; uncles/aunts; cousins, all this also includes half-blood relatives
- no existing adoptive relationship between the adoptive child and their descendants as well as their relatives up to and including the fourth degree in the collateral line on the one hand, and the adoptive parent on the other
Legal Remedy
An appeal against a decision (notice) of the civil status authority (registry office) may be lodged with the competent regional Landesverwaltungsgericht (administrative court)German text. The appeal must be submitted within four weeks to the authority that issued the decision.
Legal basis
- Federal Ministry of the Interior
- Federal Ministry of Justice
