On 18 July 2025, a Registration of Same-sex Partnership Bill was submitted to the Hong Kong Legislative Council’s House Committee and on 23 July 2025 a Bills committee was established to oversee the Bill reading and tabling process. This development comes after the government proposed a need for a system that recognises same-sex partnerships for couples who registered their marriage outside Hong Kong’s territory in early July in compliance with the 2023 ruling from the Court of Final Appeal in the case of Sham Tsz Kit v. Secretary for Justice. In 2023, the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal had provided a landmark ruling in the case obligating the government to create a legal framework for recognizing same-sex partnerships and to establish the rights and obligations associated with such recognition. The Court had given the government two years to comply with this ruling.
Same-sex couples cannot get married or register for civil partnerships in Hong Kong. Authorities have recognised limited rights for same-sex marriages registered abroad, following legal advocacy and court rulings, including joint taxation, spousal benefits for civil servants, applying for dependent visas, applying for public housing, and right to inheritance. Under this Bill submitted to the committee, in addition to the above rights, registered same-sex partners also have the right to make medical decisions and funerary arrangements. To apply for registration, the applicants must be of the same sex, both aged over 18, at least one partner has to be a Hong Kong resident, and they must have a valid legal same-sex partnership registration outside Hong Kong – whether as marriage, civil union, or under any other system. The Bill also proposes to set up a separate registration office and appoint a registrar under the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau; marriage registrations are currently being handled by the Immigration Department of the city.
While the current Bill broadens the scope of these benefits, the officials have stated that a more systematic registration of same-sex marriages was necessary for administrative reasons and that the government does not support “homosexual marriage”. The Bill underwent its first reading on 25 July 2025, with 41 out of 89 members opposing. The government aims to pass the legislation by October 2025, to meet the two year deadline set by the Court of Final Appeals.
“Earlier this July, following the 2023 partially favourable top court ruling, the Hong Kong government proposed establishing a registration mechanism for same-sex partnership. The plan is limited to same-sex couples who have already registered overseas and only covers rights related to medical decisions and post-mortem arrangements. The specific implementation plan is currently under discussion and development in the legislature. Regardless of the final outcomes, same sex couples and rainbow families have always existed and deserve equal recognition. Our Asian counterparts of Taiwan, Thailand, and Nepal have showed us the immense positive impact with legalising same-sex marriage, and it is high time for Hong Kong to bring about change on this front and honour the rule of law.” states Henry Tse, Head of Transgender Equality Hong Kong and has been involved in LGBTIQ+ strategic litigation in Hong Kong as plaintiff.
The current Bill is a testament to the legal and judicial advocacy in Hong Kong by and for individuals in same-sex relationships to have the same rights, recognition, and benefits as any other couple. Recognition of people with diverse sexual orientation and recognition of their full spectrum of socioeconomic, civil, and political rights within administrative frameworks is indispensable to realise equality for everyone. ILGA Asia recognises the commitment of the Hong Kong government to fulfill its obligations to the same-sex couples who have registered their partnership abroad and further urges the government to extend the same benefits to everyone in their territory.
