Are civil unions recognized on passport applications?

Civil unions are not recognized on passport applications in Delaware. According to the U.S. Department of State, "A civil union is not a valid marriage under U.S. federal law and therefore is not eligible for passport issuance under the name of the partner." Passport applications require that applicants provide either a marriage certificate or a court order of adoption. This means that even if civil unions are recognized in Delaware, they cannot be used as proof of legal identity on passport applications. Civil unions are a form of legal recognition that many states, including Delaware, have adopted. A civil union allows unmarried couples to enjoy many of the rights and benefits of marriage without legally being married. This includes certain rights related to healthcare, taxes, and property ownership. However, a civil union does not confer the same legal status as a marriage, so a civil union is not recognized on passport applications. In Delaware, civil unions were first created in 2011 as a way for same-sex couples to gain the same legal benefits as opposite-sex couples. Since then, civil unions have been available for both opposite-sex and same-sex couples in Delaware. The state legislature passed a law in 2013 that allowed unmarried couples to form a civil union with the same rights as a married couple. Overall, passport applications in Delaware do not recognize civil unions as a valid form of legal identity. This means that unmarried couples who have entered into a civil union in Delaware cannot use their civil union to apply for a passport.

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