Hmmm...interesting arguemnet Master. Never thought of it that way. BTW, I've got both UK and US citizenship, so they would be discriminating against one of their own citizens. Note that when the UK legistation goes through our marriage would be recognised at a national (i.e. federal level) -- that sadly is not the case in the US and I see no movement there. Thus I would be (my UK passort asside) be entiled to stay in the UK by right of marriage; however, my partner has NO such rights for the US -- but if he were a she, he would.

Well fingers crossed, it does look very likely the UK Civil Partnership should go through. It was in the Queen's Speech (no pun inteneded), which means it should go through. The last time governement policy in the UK that was in the Queen's speech that did not go through was 1921 (which was why Tony was bricking it over the University top-up fees).

I did check out some of the local registrars web sites. For overseas marriages it sort of depends. It seems some countries are recognised, and (I guess) they just enter you in the register. For others, you do need to go through the civil ceremony in the UK.