fountainhall
June 18th, 2014, 11:59
Did you know that many British citizens living in Asia can now get married to their Asian partners in several Asia-Pacific countries? Since March 29 when England and Wales legalised gay marriage, the тАЩConsular Marriage and Marriages under Foreign Law Order 2014тАЩ came into effect. So if you and your partner live in Australia, Cambodia, China, Japan, Mongolia, Philippines and Vietnam, amongst others, head for the British Consulate and seal the deal. It is expected that once the gay marriage law comes into effect in Scotland near the end of this year, Scots will also become eligible.
Notably absent from the list are Singapore and Hong Kong. With the homophobic Singapore government continuing to thwart efforts to decriminalise homosexuality in the city state, thatтАЩs perhaps not so surprising. What is, in my view, is the attitude of Hong Kong. Since Hong Kong is part of China, I donтАЩt understand how Brits in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing can go to the UK Consulates to get married but those in Hong Kong can not. It appears the increasingly criticized Hong Kong SAR government has objected to gay marriages being conducted in its territory! So the тАЬone country, two systemsтАЭ actually works тАУ but not as Hong Kong citizens expected back in 1997! This is especially bewildering given that you can even go to the UK consulates in PutinтАЩs homophobic Russia and get married there!
The UK legislation also permits civil partnerships to covert the partnership into a marriage. However, marriage under this Act does not extend the practical benefits of such marriages in foreign jurisdictions. More details here -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... ussia.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/10873383/British-consulates-open-doors-to-same-sex-marriages-in-Russia.html)
Notably absent from the list are Singapore and Hong Kong. With the homophobic Singapore government continuing to thwart efforts to decriminalise homosexuality in the city state, thatтАЩs perhaps not so surprising. What is, in my view, is the attitude of Hong Kong. Since Hong Kong is part of China, I donтАЩt understand how Brits in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing can go to the UK Consulates to get married but those in Hong Kong can not. It appears the increasingly criticized Hong Kong SAR government has objected to gay marriages being conducted in its territory! So the тАЬone country, two systemsтАЭ actually works тАУ but not as Hong Kong citizens expected back in 1997! This is especially bewildering given that you can even go to the UK consulates in PutinтАЩs homophobic Russia and get married there!
The UK legislation also permits civil partnerships to covert the partnership into a marriage. However, marriage under this Act does not extend the practical benefits of such marriages in foreign jurisdictions. More details here -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... ussia.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/10873383/British-consulates-open-doors-to-same-sex-marriages-in-Russia.html)