# Recognition of same-sex unions in Oceania

Part of the LGBTQ rights series :
Legal status of same-sex unions :
Marriage
Andorra
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Denmark
Ecuador
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Malta
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Recognized
Israel
United States:
 • American Samoa :
Civil unions or registered partnerships but not marriage
Bolivia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Hungary
Italy
Latvia
Monaco
Montenegro
San Marino
United Kingdom:
 • Bermuda
 • Cayman Islands :
Minimal recognition
Bulgaria
Cambodia
China
 • Hong Kong
India
Japan
Lithuania
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands:
 • Sint Maarten
Poland
Romania
Slovakia :
See also
Same-sex union legislation
Same-sex union court cases
Timeline of same-sex marriage
Recognition of same-sex unions in Africa
Recognition of same-sex unions in Asia
Recognition of same-sex unions in Europe
Recognition of same-sex unions in the Americas
Recognition of same-sex unions in Oceania
Marriage privatization
Divorce of same-sex couples
Domestic partnership
Military policy
Adoption
Listings by country
LGBTQ rights by country or territory :
Notes
1 2 Performed in the Netherlands proper (including the Caribbean Netherlands), as well as in Aruba and Curaçao. May be registered in Sint Maarten in such cases, but the rights of marriage are not guaranteed.
↑ Neither performed nor recognized in Niue, Tokelau, or the Cook Islands.
↑ Neither performed nor recognized in six British Overseas Territories.
1 2 Neither performed nor recognized in some tribal nations. Recognized but not performed in several other tribal nations and American Samoa.
↑ Registered foreign marriages confer all marriage rights. Domestic common-law marriages confer most rights of marriage. Domestic civil marriage recognized by some cities.
1 2 3 4 5 The Coman v. Romania ruling of the European Court of Justice obliges the state to provide residency rights for the foreign spouses of EU citizens. Some member states, including Romania, do not follow the ruling.
↑ A "declaration of family relationship" is available in several of Cambodia's communes which may be useful in matters such as housing, but is not legally binding.
↑ Guardianship agreements, conferring some limited legal benefits, including decisions about medical and personal care.
↑ Inheritance, guardianship rights, and residency rights for foreign spouses of legal residents.
↑ Courts have recognised guru–shishya, nata pratha or maitri karar–type contractual relationships, but they are not legally binding.
↑ Some cities and prefectures issue partnership certificates, but they are not legally binding.
↑ Marriages conducted abroad between a Namibian national and a foreign spouse recognized for residency rights.
↑ Hospital visitation rights through a "legal representative" status.
1 2 Not yet in effect. :
LGBTQ portal :
vte :
Debate has occurred throughout Oceania over proposals to legalize same-sex marriage as well as civil unions.
Currently two countries and eight territories in Oceania recognize some type of same-sex unions. Two Oceanian countries, Australia and New Zealand, and eight territories or states, namely Easter Island, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, New Caledonia, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Pitcairn Islands and Wallis and Futuna allow same-sex couples to legally marry. In American Samoa, same-sex marriage is not performed, but same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions are recognized.

## Current situation
### National level

| Status | Country | Legal since | Country population (Last Census count) |
| Marriage (2 countries) | Australia | 2017 | 24,754,000 |
| Marriage (2 countries) | New Zealand | 2013 | 4,840,750 |
| Total | — | — | 29,594,750 (80% of the Oceanian population) |
| No recognition (10 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal |
| No recognition (10 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | Federated States of Micronesia | — | 135,869 |
| No recognition (10 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | Fiji | — | 856,346 |
| No recognition (10 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | Kiribati * | — | 96,335 |
| No recognition (10 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | Marshall Islands | — | 73,630 |
| No recognition (10 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | Nauru | — | 12,329 |
| No recognition (10 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | Papua New Guinea * | — | 5,172,033 |
| No recognition (10 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | Samoa * | — | 179,000 |
| No recognition (10 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | Solomon Islands * | — | 494,786 |
| No recognition (10 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | Tonga * | — | 106,137 |
| No recognition (10 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | Vanuatu | — | 240,000 |
| Subtotal | — | — | 7,366,465 (19.44% of the Oceanian population) |
| Constitutional ban on marriage ( 2 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | Palau | 2008 | 19,409 |
| Constitutional ban on marriage ( 2 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | Tuvalu * | 2023 | 11,146 |
| Subtotal | — | — | 30,555 (0.1% of the Oceanian population) |
| Total | — | — | 7,397,020 (20% of the Oceanian population) |

### Sub-national level

| Status | Country | Jurisdiction | Legal since |
| Marriage (8 jurisdictions) |
| Marriage (8 jurisdictions) | Chile | Easter Island | 2022 |
| Marriage (8 jurisdictions) | France | New Caledonia French Polynesia Wallis and Futuna | 2013 |
| Marriage (8 jurisdictions) | United Kingdom | Pitcairn Islands | 2015 |
| Marriage (8 jurisdictions) | United States | Guam (2015) Hawaii (2013) Northern Mariana Islands (2015) | Varies |
| Recognizes marriages performed in other jurisdictions only (1 jurisdiction) | United States | American Samoa | 2022 |
| No recognition (3 jurisdictions) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | New Zealand | Cook Islands Niue * Tokelau | — |

## Public opinion

Opinion polls for same-sex marriage by country :
| Country | Pollster | Year | For | Against | Neutral | Margin of error | Source |
| Australia | Ipsos | 2023 | 63% | 27% [16% support some rights] | 10% not sure | ±3.5% | |
| New Zealand | Ipsos | 2023 | 70% | 20% [11% support some rights] | 9% | ±3.5% | |
Opinion polls for same-sex marriage by dependent territory and sub-national entities :
| Country | Pollster | Year | For | Against | Neutral | Margin of error | Source |
| Guam | University of Guam | 2015 | 55% | 29% | 16% | - | |