Minority Azerbaijan - Couples can convert civil partnerships into marriages in Northern Ireland

First gay men to get a civil partnership in the UK among first to marry under historic Northern Ireland law change

More than 1,300 same-sex couples can convert their civil partnerships into marriages from Monday (7 December) in Northern Ireland following a pivotal legal change. Seventeen queer couples are expected to convert their civil partnerships into marriages on Monday, with 32 conversions planned for this week. Same-sex marriage was finally legalised in Northern Ireland in January following a years-long campaign by activists – however, the initial legal framework did not allow civil partnerships to be converted into marriages.

The law was finally changed in October, paving the way for all couples to have their relationships equally recognised from 7 December.

Same-sex couples convert civil partnerships into marriages in Northern Ireland following legal change. Amanda McGurk and Cara McCann became the first couple to convert their civil partnership into a marriage in Belfast on Monday morning.

Writing on Twitter, McGurk said: “Today after a long wait I officially get to be your wife Cara McCann. I can’t believe it, love you.”

Chris and Henry Flanagan-Kane, the first couple to have a civil partnership in the UK when the law was first introduced in 2005, were also one of the first couples to convert their union into a marriage on Monday.