News & Features

Print
News
6 Jun 2014

Gay Britons in some Asian countries can now get married legally

by Greyson Cooke

British citizens living in Asian countries will now be able to get married there legally even though the host country may not deem such marriages legal.

Since June 3, British consulates in 23 countries will host gay marriages where the ceremonies are not legal, reports timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
The ‘Consular Marriage and Marriages under Foreign Law Order 2014′ that came into force means that marriages between same sex couples will be able to take place at British Consulates in the Asia-Pacific countries of Australia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Japan, Mongolia, Philippines, and Vietnam.
The original list of 23 countries is limited because British missions are only able to provide a same sex marriage service in countries where it is not possible for British nationals to have such a marriage under local law and where the local authorities have given permission for the missions to conduct consular marriages of same sex couples.
Same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales on March 29.
The Act enables same sex couples to marry in civil ceremonies and ensures those religious organizations that wish to do so to opt in to conduct marriage ceremonies for same sex couples.
It also enables civil partners to convert their partnership into a marriage, if they wish and also enables individuals to change their legal gender without having to end their marriage.
UK said “Marriage is one of our most important institutions, and from March 29, 2014 it will be open to everyone, irrespective of whether they fall in love with someone of the same sex or opposite sex.”
Same-sex couples who married abroad under foreign law were till now treated as civil partners. Instead, from now on, they will be recognized as being married in England and Wales.
Same-sex weddings in some British consulates and armed forces bases overseas will be possible, and arrangements for same sex weddings in military chapels will now be in place.
Two notable exceptions in the region are Hong Kong and Singapore. It has been assumed that the British Embassy in Singapore may have had problems agreeing with local Government as homosexuality is still technically illegal in the country.
However it is unclear why the Hong Kong Consulate has not been included in those offering the service, when mainland China's are. Fridae's Hong Kong correspondent, Nigel Collett, has sent the letter below to the Consul General and the South China Morning Post:
The British Government has announced that British Consulates in China, Russia and other countries will now be able to offer same-sex marriage to British citizens, despite the fact that the governments of those countries do not recognise same-sex relationships.
When checking with the British Consulate in Hong Kong, I find to my dismay that this does not apply to Hong Kong.  Apparently, the government of Hong Kong has objected.
It seems that the British are ready to defy Vladimir Putin but not the bureaucrats who run Hong Kong. 
I thought that unequal treaties had died out long ago, but it seems that they have just been reversed, and that the British Foreign Office is allowing conservative and homophobic elements in the bureaucracy of this city to dictate what is done on the soil of a British Consulate. 

Since June 3, British consulates in 23 countries will host gay marriages where the ceremonies are not legal.


The ‘Consular Marriage and Marriages under Foreign Law Order 2014′ that came into force means that marriages between same sex couples will be able to take place at British Consulates in the Asia-Pacific countries of Australia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Japan, Mongolia, Philippines, and Vietnam.

The original list of 23 countries is limited because British missions are only able to provide a same sex marriage service in countries where it is not possible for British nationals to have such a marriage under local law and where the local authorities have given permission for the missions to conduct consular marriages of same sex couples.

Same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales on March 29.

The Act enables same sex couples to marry in civil ceremonies and ensures those religious organizations that wish to do so to opt in to conduct marriage ceremonies for same sex couples.

It also enables civil partners to convert their partnership into a marriage, if they wish and also enables individuals to change their legal gender without having to end their marriage.

UK said “Marriage is one of our most important institutions, and from March 29, 2014 it will be open to everyone, irrespective of whether they fall in love with someone of the same sex or opposite sex.”

Same-sex couples who married abroad under foreign law were till now treated as civil partners. Instead, from now on, they will be recognized as being married in England and Wales.

Same-sex weddings in some British consulates and armed forces bases overseas will be possible, and arrangements for same sex weddings in military chapels will now be in place.

Two notable exceptions in the region are Hong Kong and Singapore. It has been assumed that the British Embassy in Singapore may have had problems agreeing with local Government as homosexuality is still technically illegal in the country.

However it is unclear why the Hong Kong Consulate has not been included in those offering the service, when mainland China's are. Fridae's Hong Kong correspondent, Nigel Collett, has sent the letter below to the Consul General and the South China Morning Post:

The British Government has announced that British Consulates in China, Russia and other countries will now be able to offer same-sex marriage to British citizens, despite the fact that the governments of those countries do not recognise same-sex relationships.

When checking with the British Consulate in Hong Kong, I find to my dismay that this does not apply to Hong Kong.  Apparently, the government of Hong Kong has objected.

It seems that the British are ready to defy Vladimir Putin but not the bureaucrats who run Hong Kong. 

I thought that unequal treaties had died out long ago, but it seems that they have just been reversed, and that the British Foreign Office is allowing conservative and homophobic elements in the bureaucracy of this city to dictate what is done on the soil of a British Consulate. 

How spineless. The Hong Kong government is proving Mao right. The British are paper tigers after all.

gay marriage, gay asia, Samesex Marriage, British, UK, marriage rights