Image Credit: Taiwan News
Taiwan has announced that it will recognise same-sex marriages between Taiwanese and Chinese citizens, effective from September 19, 2024. The decision, revealed by the Ministry of the Interior, comes five years after Taiwan first legalised same-sex marriage. This landmark change allows same-sex couples from Taiwan and China to register their marriages in Taiwan if they wed in a third country that permits same-sex unions.
The policy shift follows discussions within the Cabinet and aims to standardise the registration process for same-sex marriages, aligning it with the procedures for opposite-sex couples. Under the new regulations, Taiwanese-Chinese same-sex couples must marry in one of the 35 countries that recognise same-sex marriage before submitting their marriage certificate and supporting documents to Taiwanese authorities. An interview is required as part of the registration process, according to Liang Wen-chieh, spokesperson for the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC).
This update marks a significant step towards marriage equality in Taiwan, which was the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage in May 2019. Although Taiwan began recognising transnational same-sex marriages from outside mainland China in January 2023, this latest change addresses a longstanding gap for cross-strait couples.
Legislator Huang Jie welcomed the announcement, noting that it brings Taiwan closer to full marriage equality. Huang, who has received numerous requests for assistance from cross-strait same-sex couples, praised the move as a significant advancement. She also highlighted the ongoing need for equal treatment of same-sex couples in Taiwan and expressed gratitude to advocacy groups like the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights.
Despite the positive development, the group has pointed out that the requirement for couples to marry abroad imposes additional financial burdens compared to opposite-sex couples, indicating further reforms are necessary to achieve complete equality.