same sex weddings
commitment ceremonies
Have you been considering taking the plunge and moving your relationship to the next level? Well, Spain is one of the most forward thinking countries as far as homosexuality is concerned and many people choose Lanzarote for their blessing ceremony with family and friends.
There's a wide choice of venues to choose from and it is worth consideration to choose Lanzarote as your destination. Our reccomended wedding planner can help you arrange a truly special event, even if it's just a thought their advice could be invaluable.
For your information we have researched this subject fully and to the best of our ability. Below we give you an idea of how Spain views same sex partnerships. Also we have all the relevant addresses and information on how to prepare your documentation. There's alot of advice here but it's worth taking the time and it does make for fascinating reading. Please remember that our research may not be completely up to date with local laws but we do try very hard to keep all information valid.
Same Sex Marriages in Spain
Spain was the third country in the world to legalise same sex marriages following Netherlands and Belgium.
This is really surprising considering that homosexuality or sodomy as it was known back in the Spanish Inquisition was punishable by death, life wasnt much better under the strict ruling of Franco, homosexuality was illegal with the punishment to be locked away in special prisons called galerías de invertidos.
The change came with the socialist party and Spanish president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was elected in 2004 and part of his campaign included the legalisation of marriages for same sex couples. The law was passed first by the Cortes Generales on the 30th June 2005, King Juan Carlos endorsed the bill on the 1st July, it was published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado on the 2nd July and became legal on the 3rd July 2005.
The change of law was difficult, it passed Congress but was vetoed by the Senate, Zapatero addressed the parliament before a new vote and he said We are expanding the opportunities for happiness of our neighbours, our colleagues, our friends and our relatives. At the same time, we are building a more decent society. The law was passed back in Congress with 187 yes votes, 147 no votes and 4 abstentions.
The change in law raised criticism from the Catholic church including Pope John Paul II and they appealed to the Spanish to resist the law that was weakening family values, President Zapatero responded to them with the following statement:
"There is no damage to marriage or to the family in allowing two people of the same sex to get married. Rather, these citizens now have the ability to organize their lives according to marital and familial norms and demands. There is no threat to the institution of marriage, but precisely the opposite: this law recognizes and values marriage."
"Aware that some people and institutions profoundly disagree with this legal change, I wish to say that like other reforms to the marriage code that preceded this one, this law will not generate bad results, that its only consequence will be to avoid senseless suffering of human beings. A society that avoids senseless suffering of its citizens is a better society."
"In any case, I wish to express my deep respect to those people and institutions, and I also want to ask for the same respect for all of those who approve of this law. To the homosexuals that have personally tolerated the abuse and insults for many years, I ask that you add to the courage you have demonstrated in your struggle for civil rights, an example of generosity and joy with respect to all the beliefs."
Within Spain the visibility of homosexuals has reached several layers of society that were previously unthinkable, such as the army, Guardia Civil, judges or priests, although in other areas like football there is still a way to go! It does however, go a long, long way to help explain why Spain is such a unique country and why so many LGBT couples are moving to Spain. Taking residency and enjoying the benefits of a marriage that bestows them the same rights as heterosexuals.
Weddings
The first mens same sex wedding in Spain took place 8 days later in Madrid (Carlos Baturín & Emilio Menédez) and the first womens wedding in Barcelona 11 days after that. Click on the link on the right for more information on this ground breaking event.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) can marry in Spain regardless if their own country would not recognise the marriage. If both partners are of non-Spanish then they must have legal residencia within Spain. A Spanish citizen can marry a non-Spanish citizen.
If you are both resident outside of Spain, then a blessing is the only possibility but to be blessed within a country that is so welcoming makes everything so much more special.
Statistics
Figures released by Instituto Nacional de Estadistica www.ine.es from 2005 to 2008 show that there are more marriages between men than women and that the percentage of same sex marriage is 1-2% of the total marriages in Spain. In 2008 Catalonia completed 917 same sex weddings, Madrid 663, Andalusia 533, Valencia 401 and Canary Islands 210.
Spanish Civil Weddings
To get married in Spain, one of the couple must be Spanish or both of the partners registered as Spanish residents and both aged 18 or older. Because of the paperwork required for non-Spanish citizens its advisable to start the process six months before your wedding day.
An application for a civil wedding must be made to the Civil Registry, District Court or Town Hall where the marriage is to be held. The requirements can vary but you will need the following documents:
* Your original birth certificate (long one)
* Certificado de Residencia (green certificate from the police station)
* Certificado de Empadronamiento (certificate to prove you live in Spain from your local Ayuntamiento)
* Passport
* Certificado de que no ha sido presentado ningun impedimento para matrimonio (Certificate of No Impediment, available from the British Consulate)
* Certificate of Civil Status (available from the British Consulate)
*If youve been married previously you will need your original divorce certificate or if applicable original death certificate
Any documents in English will require the Hague Apostille on them, this can be done either in person at the Office address in Milton Keynes or by post, contact details are below in further information.
Once your English documents have been apostilled, they must then be officially translated into Spanish and presented to your local Ayuntamiento with at least three months notice before your wedding day.
Civil partnerships, same-sex couples
The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the British Embassy in Madrid in a Note Verbale dated 16 November 2007 that same-sex couples who have registered a civil partnership in the UK should be treated as spouses for legal purposes in Spain.
Further information:
Ministerio de Justica (Ministry of Justice in Spain)
Foreign & Commonwealth Office Legalisation of documents
British Consulate Marriage Formalities
Official list of sworn translators in Spain
Spains' first same sex marriage as reported by CNN
The Legalisation Office
Norfolk House (West)
437 Silbury Boulevard
Milton Keynes
MK9 2AH
Las Palmas Consulate
Calle Luis Morote 6-3º
35507, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
Tel: 928 262 508
Email: laspalmas.consulate_fco.gov.uk
"Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
can marry in Spain regardless of whether their own
country would recognise the marriage or not"
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero - President of Spain
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