The registered partnership concept was introduced on 1 January 1998. It is an arrangement between two persons similar to a marriage and is laid down in an official document before a registrar. The gap between registered partnership and marriage has narrowed over time. In a registered partnership, the partner of a woman who gave birth was not automatically recognised in the past as the legitimate father. Since 1 April 2014 the situation is the same as for a married couple.
Unlike a marriage, it is not always necessary to dissolve a registered partnership in court. Registered partnerships are not always recognised abroad.
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