British Embassy in Santiago celebrates first same-sex marriage
The marriage took place as part of the British Embassy’s responsibility to offer consular services to British citizens living in Chile.
Same-sex marriage was celebrated at the British residence.
The British Embassy in Chile celebrated the first same-sex marriage at the Consulate on Tuesday 8 September. The marriage of a British national and Chilean national took place as part of the British Embassy’s responsibility to offer consular services to British citizens living in Chile.
Same sex marriage was introduced in England and Wales in July 2013, and Scotland in December 2014. The British Embassy in Santiago has been authorised to conduct same-sex marriages as a result of the UK “Consular Marriages and Marriages under Foreign Law Order 2014” which extends the right to equal marriage to British citizens living abroad. Following consultation, the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed that the British Embassy should be able to celebrate consular marriages of same-sex couples locally under UK law, where one of the spouses is British. These marriages will not have legal standing under Chilean law.
Mal Green, Chargé d’Affaires and Consul General at the Embassy in Santiago, who celebrated the marriage, said:
I am delighted to officiate for our first same-sex civil marriage at the Consulate. The introduction of same-sex civil marriage in the UK is part of an effort by the British Government to promote respect, tolerance and equality.
In Latin America, same-sex civil marriages and conversions from civil union to civil marriage have already taken place in British Consulates in Colombia and the Dominican Republic.
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