Will registered partnerships of same-sex couples automatically be converted into marriages after “marriage for all” comes into force?

On September 26, 2021, Switzerland voted on marriage for all and approved the new regulation with 64.1% of the vote. On July 1, 2022, the new law will come into force. Now the question arises whether the already registered partnership will automatically be converted into a marriage.

This is not the case as for this a declaration at the civil registry office is needed. The declaration can be made at any time. For this purpose, both partners must appear in person at the civil registry office, prove their personal details and the registered partnership with documents and sign a declaration of conversion. If desired, this can also be done in front of two witnesses in a wedding venue, as in the case of a wedding. As a result, the civil status is then changed to “married”.

This is only a possibility, there is no obligation to change the registered partnership into a marriage if one does not wish to do so. However, once marriage for all comes into force, no new registered partnerships can be established anymore.