If no property agreement or marriage contract has been concluded and if Swiss law is applicable, couples are retroactively governed by the regime of joint ownership of acquired property by operation of law.

Each spouse may, if he or she wishes to maintain the regime of separation of property until the entry into force on 1 July 2022 of «marriage for all», notify his or her spouse in writing between 1 January 2022 and 30 June 2022. The declaration must be signed by his/her hand. From 1 July 2022, the spouses will automatically be subject to joint ownership of acquired property, provided that they have not previously concluded a property agreement or a marriage contract. If the spouses wish to continue with the separation of property from 1 July 2022, a marriage contract must be concluded immediately. If you require further information, please contact a private legal advisor (lawyer, solicitor etc.).

Same-sex couples whose marriage has already been recognised and entered as a registered partnership in the Swiss civil status register may, from 1 July 2022, apply to update this entry.

Partners may at any time make a joint declaration that they wish to convert their registered partnership into a marriage. The declaration of conversion may be made from 1 July 2022 at any civil registry office in Switzerland or at the competent Swiss representation abroad.

Registered partnerships concluded abroad by couples of different sex will now be recognised in Switzerland as registered partnerships. The persons concerned may apply for the entry of the partnership in the Swiss civil status register as of 1 July 2022. For further information, please contact the relevant cantonal civil status supervisory authority.