I recently made a presentation during LGBT Confex, an international gay travel and business expo conference that took place in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The event drew hundreds of travel and tourism experts from around the Americas and beyond, and was an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest trends in LGBT travel, especially in this hemisphere.
Among the other presenters during the convention was Francisco Robledo, the head of Matrimonios LGBT in Mexico City, who made an interesting presentation about the state of same-sex marriage in Mexico.
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I covered the topic of gay marriage and LGBT destination weddings in Latin America in a previous post, but Robledo shed valuable new light onto the topic. Mexico City became the first large Latin American city to legalize same-sex marriage back in 2010. And after about four years, the city’s Civil Registry office reported 3,420 marriages: 2,084 of gay men (61%) and 1,336 of lesbians (39%).
Here are some key points from his presentation — and if you’re considering tying the knot yourself, these tips just might help you to plan your own same-sex destination wedding.
Can foreigners get married in Mexico City? Of course. It’s even easier and cheaper than doing it in other countries, as there is no requirement for a minimum period of residency in Mexico and the required paperwork is very basic.
Why are a lot of foreigners getting married in Mexico City?
• For the binational couple that wants to move to the USA or Canada, when one of the spouses has no visa, the Mexican marriage certificate is a valid and recognized document that can be used for immigration purposes in those countries.
• There are a lot of benefits that can be claimed if you work for an organization or company that has same-sex partner benefits for their employees, even if same-sex marriage isn’t itself recognized yet in the home country of that organization.
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Where is the Mexican same-sex marriage certificate valid?
• It has federal recognition within Mexico, and it is accepted for any services provided by, or institutions of, the federal government.
• Internationally, it’s naturally accepted in any jurisdiction where same-sex marriages are recognized.
• For private organizations, it’s recognized by those companies or organizations that recognize diversity and have a same-sex partner benefits policy.
Stats About Who’s Getting Married in Mexico City
Matrimonios LGBT has helped over 200 couples get married in 3 years. Here’s how the couples break down by nationality:
• Mexican + Mexican: 56%
• Mexican + Foreigner: 35%
• Foreigner + Foreigner: 9%
Average age of spouses: 35 years (Between 18 & 89)
Average length of relationship (previous to marriage): 6.5 years (Between 1 month & 39 years)
Mexican state of origin of spouses with most cases: Jalisco, Nuevo Leon, Sinaloa, Guanajuato, Tamaulipas
Country of origin of spouses with most cases: USA, Colombia, Canada, Peru, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Puerto Rico (23 different nationalities)
Average length of stay in Mexico City: 1.5 DAYS (From 5 hours to 12 days)
Did the couple hold a reception or party with friends/family?
• In their home city: 65%
• In Mexico City: 10%
• None: 25%
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Gay Marriage and LGBT Wedding Highlights
• There are couples who only get married to obtain a marriage certificate in order to claim administrative or legal rights. Other couples do it for the ceremonial/social aspect of a wedding.
• The couple’s decision to travel to Mexico City for their marriage and/or a wedding celebration depends on the years they’ve lived together and the reasons why they want to get married.
• There are couples that may have the support of both sides of the family, just from one side, or none at all. As service providers, we must be sensitive to this when proposing a wedding celebration/reception.
• Offering a two-destination package would be ideal for many properties or destinations. Consider offering the formal/legal aspect of the marriage in one place, and social/ceremony/celebration at a second destination or property.
Comparison of number of marriages/years of recognition
• Spain (2005): 4,500 in the 1st year
• Argentina (2010): 6,000 in the first 2 years
• New York (2011): 12,285 in the 1st year
• Mexico City (2010): 3,420 in the first 4 years
MORE INFO: www.matrimonioslgbt.com