Western Europe

Belgium:
On January 30, 2003, Belgium became the second nation in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. 

The conditions for the same-sex marriages are: 
  • At least one of the spouses must have lived in Belgium for a minimum of three months. 
  • All rights accorded by a heterosexual marriage are the same in gay marriage (tax, property, inheritance law and the procedure for divorce) - there are no exceptions. 
  • A same-sex couple may also adopt children and any children born to a same-sex couple can be affiliated to the non-biological parent by means of adoption. 
  • As with heterosexual marriages, marriage can take place as long as both parties have reached 18 years of age.
  •  Click for more info

France:
Under current French law, same-sex marriages performed abroad are not recognized in France if at least one of the spouses is a French national or a national of some other country that does not recognize same-sex marriages. According to a reply of the French Minister of Justice to a parliamentary question, a marriage performed abroad between two persons of the same sex both of which are nationals of countries allowing same-sex marriage, could be recognized in France. 



Germany:
There is legal recognition of same-sex couples. Registered life partnerships (a form of civil union) have been instituted since 2001, giving same-sex couples rights and obligations in areas such as inheritance, alimony, health insurance, immigration and name change. 
In 2004, this act was amended to also give registered same-sex couples adoption rights (stepchild adoption only), as well as reform previously difficult dissolution procedures with regard to division of property and alimony.


Iceland:
Iceland is the only country in the world to have an openly 
gay head of state. 
Iceland passed a law on Friday allowing same-sex partners to 
get married in a vote which met with no political  resistance. 
Iceland became the ninth country in the world to have legalized same-sex marriage. Same-sex couples are also eligible for public access to IVF insemination treatment, surrogacy and both full joint adoption and adopting your own partner's biological children.


Italy:
LGBT persons in Italy have many challenges even though same-sex sexual marriages are recognized in Italy, same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex couples. Same-sex couples have no rights to property, social security and inheritance.
The Italian regions below have passed resolutions in support of the French Civil Union laws. Italian regions like Sicily and Lombardy have officially declared their opposition to any recognition of same-sex relationships.

These are the regions and the dates when the resolutions were passed:



  • Tuscany: July 17, 2004 
  • Umbria: July 29, 2004
  • Emilia-Romagna: September 14, 2004
  • Campania: September 19. 2004
  • Marche: December 6, 2004
  • Veneto: March 1, 2005
  • Puglia: December 9, 2005
  • Lazio: December 14, 2005
  • Liguria: March 16, 2006
  • Abruzzo: April 20, 2006

Netherlands:

There are three recognized unions in the Netherlands, all available to both same-sex and heterosexual people:

  • Civil marriage
  • Registered partnership
  • Cohabitation agreement
Civil marriage for same-sex couples became legal in April 2001. The process of same-sex marriage and the rights afforded to the married couple in the Netherlands are completely equivalent to the process and rights for heterosexual marriage with the one exception: the rights of adoption of children. Following the Same-Sex Marriage Act, the Civil Code adoption rules were changed. Same-sex couples may not adopt children abroad and may only adopt children whose habitual residence is the Netherlands. In the case of adopting a partner's child the couple must have lived together for at least three years and have shared the responsibility of the child's upbringing for at least a year.  Click for more info


Portugal:
Same-sex marriages have been legal in Portugal since June 5, 2010.
Portugal became the sixth European country to allow same-sex marriage with a law passed by parliament in January 2010 and signed by the president in May. Although same-sex marriage is now legal in Portugal, same-sex couples are not allowed to adopt children. 

Click for more info

Spain:
Same-sex marriages were made legal in Spain 
in June 2005. 
A civil marriage in Spain allows homosexual couples the same legal and adoption and inheritance rights as heterosexual couples. This includes kinship, inheritance, and property rights.
Spanish law states that: "Marriage will have the same requirements and results when the two people entering into the contract are of the same sex or of different sexes."
A legal gay marriage in Spain may not be recognized in a country that does not accept gay marriage. 








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