For couples with a foot in each country
Civil partnership and marriage in Spain
Two people, two countries, and a register that only looks at one
Registering as a civil partnership looks like a small formality until it asks for civil-status certificates from two countries, apostilled and translated, recently issued. That is where almost every file stops.
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Civil partnership or marriage: the papers before the decision
It looks like a small step until it asks for certificates from two countries, apostilled, translated and recent. That is where most files stop.
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What you get
- The ruling: civil partnership, civil marriage, or wait, with what changes in each case.
- The certificates to request at home, which to apostille, and how long they stay valid.
- The registration file for the regional register, with its fee prepared.
- The appearance appointment, and the alternative route if one of you lives outside Spain.
- A written note on what registration changes, and on what it does NOT change.
Why this matters now
In the Valencian Community the register of formalised de facto unions requires both of you to appear in person before the official; and when one member lives outside Spain, that appearance can be replaced by a notarial deed. That is the door almost nobody knows about and the one that saves a flight. The regional fee is paid on form 046 and is separate. On the market we have seen this procedure advertised at €200.
What this service is NOT
We are not family lawyers and we do not draft matrimonial agreements or cohabitation pacts: those have consequences for assets and inheritance and are signed by a law firm. Nor do we choose between partnership and marriage for you: the tax, inheritance and pension effects differ, and the honest thing is that they be explained by whoever answers for them. We gather the papers and make the file land correctly the first time.
Questions about this service
One of us still lives in their own country. Can we do it?
Yes. That is exactly the case where a notarial deed replaces the personal appearance of whoever is absent. It has to be drafted with the right wording and, if signed abroad, apostilled.
Does a civil partnership give me the same rights as marriage?
No, and that is the short honest answer. Some rights yes, others depend on the region, and a few (widow's pension, taxation, inheritance) differ considerably. If your goal is one of those, the advice has to come from a lawyer.
Will it help my partner's visa?
Sometimes, not always. The EU-citizen family member route has its own requirements and being registered is not enough on its own. This is the case where we will tell you to speak to an immigration lawyer before paying anybody.
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This page was last checked on 4 September 2026
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