Despite the country ranking as one of the most LGBTQ-friendly countries in the world, Switzerland seems to be playing catch up to other European countries like Germany , the United Kingdom and France where same-sexed marriages were approved in , and respectively.
In celebration of this historical LGBTQ victory and to help you navigate your own wedding whether same-sex or otherwise here is everything you need to know for your special wedding day in beautiful Switzerland. Since then, Switzerland has been moving towards marriage equality. Drag queens guide to 9 unique US pride destinations for The security that Chris refers to comes in the form of new benefits.
Under the new amended law, same-sex couples are now also allowed to adopt children and married lesbian couples are allowed to have children through sperm donation which was only legal for married heterosexual couples. The new law also extends the role of parent to the woman not carrying the child and furthermore, the law also allows same-sex couples who are currently already registered in a partnership to convert their union into a marriage. Not all countries recognize gay marriages from other countries and there are only 19 out of 50 countries in Europe that do recognize same-sex marriages at the moment.
Although Switzerland is not a part of the EU, they do have tight relationships with its neighbors which means its same-sex marriage policy is recognized in other countries that have the same law.
Things only a gay traveler has to consider. For American citizens who wish to marry in Switzerland, you will need to fill out a document declaring a definitive statement that you meet all the requirements for marriage. The Swiss Civil Registrar of the town or city where you want to get married will help you with the necessary requirements and it is worth noting that only Swiss civil authorities may marry you, not consular officers.
