. the civil partnership ceremony may not have religious elements
. there is a technical definition of a particular term (can’t remember precisely which) that that presumes opposite-sex parties and therefore doesn’t apply as a reason for dissolution of civil partnerships.

Otherwise, I’m given to understand, all burdens and rights are the same.

Starting January 1, 2009, gay couples in Hungary can register their partnerships. Until then they have some rights under Unregistered Cohabitation (a sort of common law recognition).

Although the law isn’t effective until next year, it has already passed and that’s why Hungary is included in Registered Partnerships.

Washington is taking a more slow process of doling out specific rights.

Thanks. Correction made.

KipEsquire,

I’m using the language (more or less) that they use. Just as California’s domestic partnerships offered everthing that New Jersey’s civil unions offered, the language was different.

Ebohlman,

Thanks. I am not certain about Israel. I believe some aspects of foreign marriage are recognized, and others not. I keep reading conflicting stories. I’ll include them in the other-limited category.

But while Rhode Island’s law does not ban gay marriage, a court just determined that they do not recognize gay marriages performed elsewhere either (it was a divorce case). Thus, a Rhode Island couple could (unlike residents of 47 other states) marry in Massachusetts but only have their marriage recognized there and now California. While a New York couple cannot marry in Massachusetts, but if they were MA residents that married and moved, it would be recognized in New York.

I can’t remember which, but one of the “domestic partnership” laws in Oregon or Washington creates a status equivalent to civil union (like California’s DP laws did).