NELFA claims on freedom of movement after a gay couple was told by the French government to divorce.
The Network of European LGBTIQ* Families Associations, NELFA, deprecates the behaviour of the authorities in France who don’t recognise UK same-sex marriages which were converted from civil partnerships in (and after) 2014. At that time, the certificates were backdated to the original date of the civil unions without a ceremony. But this is obviously incompatible with French law and rainbow families concerned are left behind in a legal limbo.
NELFA presses for a true-to-life approach with these cases. Recently, the online magazine “pinknews” reported on a gay couple with this problem by considering to move from London to France. The solution suggested by French government officials was to get divorced and to remarry in France. But even this “advice” didn’t help, as the UK requires actual grounds for divorce and to live apart for several years. This could also have an impact on the legal status of the couple’s seven-year old adopted son. In the meantime, the French authorities know that this is not an isolated case; several LGBTIQ* couples face the same problems.
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