# Gay weddings abroad: same-sex marriage in Portugal and the Algarve

Source: https://www.lovebirdsweddings.com/guides/same-sex-wedding-portugal/

For couples considering gay weddings abroad, Portugal permits same-sex civil marriage under Law 9/2010. LAW: foreign couples still need identity, birth and freedom-to-marry evidence; ADVICE: choose between a legal ceremony in Portugal and a symbolic celebration with the marriage completed elsewhere, then check the paperwork for each partner’s nationality and country of residence.[1](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/lei/9-2010-332460)[2](https://irn.justica.gov.pt/Servicos/Cidadao/Casamento/Organizar-o-casamento)

Last updated 2026-11-12 · By Mia

| Option | Legal effect | Confirm first |
|---|---|---|
| Registry ceremony | LAW: Portuguese civil marriage[8](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/decreto-lei/1995-34525275) | Accepted file and appointment |
| Venue ceremony | LAW: civil marriage with registrar agreement[9](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/decreto-lei/1995-34525275) | Place, time and registrar |
| Home marriage | LAW: governed by the home jurisdiction[10](https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/give-notice) | Its notice and eligibility rules |
| Symbolic celebration | LAW: no independent marital status[6](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/lexionario/termo/casamento-inexistente) | Separate legal plan |

| Service | Official fee | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary registry | €120 | Process and registration[7](https://irn.justica.gov.pt/Custos-dos-servicos) |
| Specified ceremony | €200 | Outside registry, out of hours or weekend/holiday[7](https://irn.justica.gov.pt/Custos-dos-servicos) |
| Marriage certificate | €10 / €20 | Online / paper, general purposes[18](https://justica.gov.pt/Servicos/Pedir-certidao-de-casamento) |

## Questions and answers

### Does Portugal have a different marriage law for same-sex couples?

LAW: Law 9/2010 opened civil marriage to people of the same sex and requires marriage provisions to be read without distinction by spouses' gender. The ordinary civil-registration process and applicable nationality evidence remain relevant.[3](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/lei/9-2010-332460)

### Can two UK residents use the British CNI exemption?

LAW: the embassy's stated exemption concerns British nationals resident outside the United Kingdom. ADVICE: UK-resident couples should check their own evidence route with the Portuguese registry and home register office.[4](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685d236df85b4b993fd7528d/Notice_-_Marriage_in_Portugal_Jun_2025.pdf)

### Is a Portuguese same-sex marriage automatically recognised everywhere?

ADVICE: check recognition where you live and where you will use the certificate. Portuguese legality does not establish every other country's recognition rules; US State Department guidance, for example, directs residents to their home state Attorney General.[5](https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/living-abroad/marriage.html)

### Do we have to choose a symbolic ceremony?

LAW: Portugal permits same-sex civil marriage, so symbolic celebration is not the only ceremony route to consider. ADVICE: choose it if you prefer the legal appointment elsewhere, while remembering that the ordinary symbolic event does not itself create Portuguese marital status.[1](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/lei/9-2010-332460)[6](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/lexionario/termo/casamento-inexistente)

## Sources

1. [Diário da República — Lei n.º 9/2010, de 31 de maio](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/lei/9-2010-332460) — accessed 2026-11-12.
2. [IRN — Organizar o casamento](https://irn.justica.gov.pt/Servicos/Cidadao/Casamento/Organizar-o-casamento) — accessed 2026-11-12.
3. [Diário da República — Lei n.º 9/2010, de 31 de maio](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/lei/9-2010-332460) — accessed 2026-11-12.
4. [British Embassy Lisbon — Marriage in Portugal notice, June 2025](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685d236df85b4b993fd7528d/Notice_-_Marriage_in_Portugal_Jun_2025.pdf) — accessed 2026-11-12.
5. [US Department of State — Marriage abroad](https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/living-abroad/marriage.html) — accessed 2026-11-12.
6. [Diário da República Lexicon — Casamento inexistente, Civil Code articles 1628–1630](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/lexionario/termo/casamento-inexistente) — accessed 2026-11-12.
7. [IRN — Custos dos serviços: marriage tariffs 3.1–3.5](https://irn.justica.gov.pt/Custos-dos-servicos) — accessed 2026-11-12.
8. [Diário da República — Código do Registo Civil, consolidated](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/decreto-lei/1995-34525275) — accessed 2026-11-12.
9. [Diário da República — Código do Registo Civil, consolidated](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/decreto-lei/1995-34525275) — accessed 2026-11-12.
10. [GOV.UK — Marriages and civil partnerships in England and Wales: give notice](https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/give-notice) — accessed 2026-11-12.
11. [Diário da República — Código do Registo Civil, consolidated](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/decreto-lei/1995-34525275) — accessed 2026-11-12.
12. [Diário da República — Código do Registo Civil, consolidated](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/decreto-lei/1995-34525275) — accessed 2026-11-12.
13. [Justiça — Iniciar processo de casamento](https://justica.gov.pt/Servicos/Iniciar-processo-de-casamento) — accessed 2026-11-12.
14. [Diário da República — Código do Registo Civil, consolidated](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/decreto-lei/1995-34525275) — accessed 2026-11-12.
15. [Diário da República — Código do Registo Civil, consolidated](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/decreto-lei/1995-34525275) — accessed 2026-11-12.
16. [GOV.UK — Getting your foreign marriage or civil partnership certificate](https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships-abroad/register-your-marriage-or-civil-partnership-abroad) — accessed 2026-11-12.
17. [Irish DFA — Marriage and civil partnership abroad](https://api.ireland.ie/en/dfa/overseas-travel/consular-services/marriage-and-civil-partnership-abroad/) — accessed 2026-11-12.
18. [Justiça — Pedir certidão de casamento](https://justica.gov.pt/Servicos/Pedir-certidao-de-casamento) — accessed 2026-11-12.