2(1)Under the law of Northern Ireland, a marriage of a same sex couple under the law of England and Wales is to be treated as a civil partnership formed under the law of England and Wales (and accordingly, the spouses are to be treated as civil partners).U.K.
[F1(1A)Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply on or after 13th January 2020 except for the purposes of proceedings commenced before that date under Chapter 2 of Part 4, or section 191, of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (dissolution, nullity and other proceedings in Northern Ireland in respect of civil partnerships, and property disputes between civil partners).]
(2)The Secretary of State may by order—
(a)provide for the treatment of a marriage as a civil partnership (by virtue of sub-paragraph (1)) to have effect subject to provision made by the order;
(b)specify cases in which a marriage is not to be treated as a civil partnership by virtue of sub-paragraph (1).
Textual Amendments
F1Sch. 2 para. 2(1A) inserted (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 10(3)(a) (with regs. 6-9, 10(4))
Commencement Information
I1Sch. 2 para. 2(1) in force at 13.3.2014 by S.I. 2014/93, art. 3(h)
I2Sch. 2 para. 2(2) in force at 31.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/2789, art. 3(d)