What Countries Allow Polyamorous Marriage?

Polyamory, the practice of marrying multiple spouses, has been a subject of debate and moral contention for centuries. In many Western societies, polygamy, also known as polyamory, has been outlawed for centuries. However, in some parts of the world, it is still practiced. Polygyny is legal in 58 out of nearly 200 sovereign states, the majority of them being Muslim-majority countries in Africa and Asia. Polyandry is illegal in virtually every country. Some countries permit polygyny among Muslims in their communities.

Polyamorous dating across the globe is a colorful cultural mosaic, depending on the local communities’ values and beliefs but also influenced by other cultures. Polygamous marriage only makes up about 2% of the population, but rates go up to the 20s and 30s in certain African countries. Polygyny is distinct from other types of CNM in that people engaged in polyamory tend to be more open to falling in love with more than one person.

In some Western countries, such as the United States, there are established communities and support networks for polyamorous individuals, contributing to a higher level of acceptance. However, in more conservative or traditional societies, polyamory may face greater resistance or be stigmatized due to cultural, religious, or social norms.

Is polyamory legal in China?

3.3 Asia. Nepal; China. Polygamy is illegal in Nepal. It was made illegal in 1980. Before that, it was illegal in 1950. In Hong Kong, polygamy ended in 1971. In Israel, polygamy is illegal. Polygamy is banned for all confessional communities since at least 1959. Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan Polygamy is illegal in Taiwan, Tajikistan, and Turkey. Polygamy was made illegal in 1926 with the Turkish Civil Code, part of Atatürk’s reforms. Polygamy is illegal in Turkey. It can result in up to five years in prison. Turkey has long been known for its promotion of secularism. It has introduced measures establishing stricter bars against polygamy. These were passed by the ruling moderate Islamist AK Parti. In March 2009, AK Parti banned polygamists from entering or living in the country. Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and other countries still allow polygamy. Cambodia; Israel: polygamy was made illegal in 1977, but it is still practiced by Israeli Bedouins. Kazakhstan; Laos; Russia: polygamy and sexual relationships with several adult partners are not punishable in Russia. But multiple marriage can’t be registered by Russian authorities because the Family Code of Russia (section 14 and others) says that if one person is already married, they can’t get married again. Polygamy is allowed in some Muslim countries, including Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan, Thailand, and Timor-Leste. Europe. Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus. Illegal and punishable with up to three years in prison. Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland. The official prosecutor must take all cases to a court where two people are married to each other and the marriage ends after the court decides. Polygamous marriages performed abroad can only be recognized in certain cases, like child custody. Illegal to get married in a civil ceremony in Georgia. Germany: Illegal, punishable by fine or prison time up to three years.117 Polygamous marriages contracted abroad are legal, but the German government plans to close this loophole.118; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland:119 The Catholic Church in Ireland allowed someone with a church annulment but no civil annulment to remarry in church; such a marriage was legally null and bigamous, but no prosecutions were brought.120121 The practice ended after the 1996 legalization of divorce. In 2017, the Supreme Court ruled that if someone had two legal marriages abroad, only the first was legal in Ireland. Italy; Kosovo; Latvia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia; Malta; Moldova; Monaco; Montenegro; Netherlands: A marriage between more than two people is not allowed, but a partnership contract can include more than two people. It legally accepts immigrants in such a union from countries where it is legal. For example, if a man with two wives immigrates to the Netherlands, all three will be legally recognized. Bigamy is punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine. Marrying someone who is already married is punishable by up to a year in prison or a fine. Russian Federation; San Marino; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden: Sweden recognizes polygamous marriages performed abroad. All spouses are registered as spouses in the population register. Other spouses may not always be recognized. Only the first spouse is recognized when decisions are made on residence permits and social security. A Swede may have four spouses registered. Switzerland: Polygamy is illegal. But polygamous marriages from other countries are accepted or rejected on a case-by-case basis. Ukraine United Kingdom Some welfare benefits are available for foreign polygamous marriages, but this is being phased out. Polygamy is treated as bigamy if a second marriage is contracted in the UK. Spouses of subsequent marriages are not legally recognized even when they are contracted abroad. Vatican City (Holy See)

Is polyamory legal in France?

Europe. Albania, Armenia, Andorra, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, EU. Polygamy is illegal in all 27 states. Polygamy is illegal in Bulgaria and punishable by up to three years in prison. In Finland, the official prosecutor must take cases where more than two people are married to each other to court. Polygamous marriages performed abroad may be recognized only in child custody matters. In France, polygamy is illegal and punishable by one year in prison and a fine of €45,000. In Germany, polygamy is illegal and punishable by fine or prison time up to three years. Polygamous marriages performed abroad are legal, but the German government plans to make it illegal to naturalize if you have one. In Ireland, the Catholic Church allowed someone with a church annulment but no civil annulment to remarry in church. Such a marriage was legally null and bigamous, but no one was prosecuted. The practice ended after the 1996 legalization of divorce. In 2017, the Supreme Court ruled that if someone had two legal marriages abroad, only the first was legal in Ireland. In the Netherlands, a marriage between more than two individuals is prohibited, but a samenlevingscontract may include more than two partners. The Netherlands legally accepts immigrants in such a union from a country where it is legal. If a man with two wives immigrates to the Netherlands, all three will be legally recognized. In Romania, bigamy is punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine. It is illegal to marry someone who is already married. In Sweden, a person who is already married cannot enter into another marriage. In the past, Sweden recognized polygamous marriages performed abroad. However, the government decided to review how to prevent recognizing foreign polygamous marriages in Sweden. Deputy Minister for Justice Heléne Fritzon stated that polygamous marriages should not be recognized in Sweden. Polygamous marriages are unfair to women. The UN says they can cause serious problems. Since 2021, Sweden has stopped recognizing foreign polygamous marriages. Russia doesn’t recognize polygamous marriages. Russia’s Family Code says a marriage can only be between a man and a woman who are not already married. Russia also does not recognize foreign polygamous marriages. However, bigamy and de facto polygamy are not illegal. Polygamy is illegal. Polygamous marriages conducted in other countries are accepted or rejected on a case-by-case basis. Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom: Some welfare benefits are available for foreign polygamous marriages, but this is being phased out. Polygamy is treated as bigamy if a second marriage is contracted in the UK. No legal recognition is given to spouses of subsequent marriages after the first marriage is recognized, even if the subsequent marriages are contracted abroad. Vatican City (Holy See) Current legislation. In most countries, marrying someone while still married to another person is a crime called bigamy. The penalties for this crime vary between countries. Also, second and later marriages are not legal. The UK, Australia, and New Zealand allow some benefits for spouses of polygamous marriages performed abroad. In the past, Sweden recognized polygamous marriages performed abroad. Since 2021, Sweden no longer recognizes such marriages. In Switzerland, polygamous marriages conducted abroad may be accepted or rejected on a case-by-case basis.

Is polygamy legal in Brazil?

Edit. Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Bolivia; Brazil. Bigamy is illegal. It is illegal for a person to marry more than one other person. This is called bigamy. It is punishable by two to six years in prison. This law applies to all Brazilian citizens, including those who are naturalized. De facto polygamy is not illegal in Canada. All forms of polygamy and some informal multiple sexual relationships are illegal. Bigamy is banned. However, no one has been successfully prosecuted in over sixty years. In 2009, two people were not convicted of polygamy charges in Bountiful, British Columbia. The government of British Columbia asked the Supreme Court of British Columbia to decide if polygamy should be illegal. The questions asked if it was legal to punish people for polygamy. In November 2011, the court released its 335-page decision. It said that the criminal offense of polygamy is constitutional, but minors should not be prosecuted for taking part in a polygamous marriage. Chief Justice Robert J. Bauman said that there is a conflict between this law and some civil rights principles, but that other issues are more important. He wrote (as quoted by CBC News): This case is about harm. Parliaments are worried about the harm that polygamy causes. This includes harm to women, children, society, and monogamous marriage. Bauman said there are cases where the wives are young. Some kids as young as 12 are kidnapped and abused, but they don’t report it because they believe in polygamy. He said that these crimes might be stopped by anti-polygamy laws. The Attorney General of British Columbia and a representative for Stop Polygamy in Canada welcomed the decision. Likewise, some polyamorous groups in Canada said they were relieved since Bauman said the law shouldn’t apply to them unless they formalize their unions. The decision was about women’s rights. Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica; Cuba; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; El Salvador; Grenada; Guatemala; Guyana; Haiti; Honduras; Jamaica; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama; Paraguay; Peru; St. Kitts and Nevis; St. Lucia; St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Suriname; Trinidad and Tobago; Asia. Polygamy is still practiced in parts of Asia, even though it is illegal. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, India, Nepal, China. Polygamy is illegal in Hong Kong. Polygamy ended in 1971 when the country was a crown colony. Some previous unions are recognized in Israel. Polygamy is banned for all confessional communities since at least 1959. It was criminalized in 1977, but the law is not consistently enforced. Polygamy is still practiced by Negev Bedouins. Polygamous marriages are not recognized, but the practice is decriminalized in Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, North Korea, South Korea, and other countries also have decriminalized polygamy. Taiwan, Tajikistan, and Turkey all have laws against polygamy. Polygamy is illegal in Turkey. It can result in up to five years in prison. Turkey has long been known for its promotion of secularism. It has introduced measures establishing stricter bars against polygamy. These were passed by the ruling moderate Islamist AK Party. In March 2009, the AK Party banned polygamists from entering or living in the country. Polygamous marriages are not recognized in Russia. Russia’s Family Code says a marriage can only be between a man and a woman who are not already married. Russia also does not recognize polygamous marriages from other countries. However, bigamy and de facto polygamy are not criminalized.

Is poly marriage legal in Canada?

It is illegal to be married to more than one person. Polyamorous relationships are not illegal. However, there are other differences between polygamy and polyamory. Last July, two men in British Columbia were found guilty of polygamy. Winston Blackmore, 62, was married to two dozen women, while James Oler, 54, was found to have married five women. Both are leaders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bountiful, B.C. Boyd said these arranged marriages were part of a patriarchal structure that led to negative social effects.

Where is polyamorous marriage legal?

Is a polyamorous wedding legal? No. Most places don’t allow more than two people to get married. Some places allow men to marry more than one woman, but not women to marry multiple men. In countries where polyamorous unions are legal, they’re in Africa or Asia. In the United States, polyamorous marriages are not legal. In Utah, polygamy is now a misdemeanor, and in Massachusetts, multi-person domestic partnerships are recognized in some cities. How do polyamorous weddings work? Because polyamorous marriage is not legal, most polyamorous weddings are commitment ceremonies. These ceremonies don’t give members special rights or privileges. These ceremonies formalize relationships and express who the partners are. In some polycule couples, one or both partners may choose to have a commitment ceremony with another partner. No matter what your relationship is, there’s a way to recognize it and the different dynamics during your commitment ceremony.

Is polyamory common in Brazil?

Brazil is a Catholic country with a growing Evangelical Christian population. However, polyamory is common in popular culture. Two popular telenovelas and a reality TV series show poly relationships. In 2012, a man and two women became the first Brazilians to pledge their love in a three-way civil union ceremony. A 2003 law in Brazil made same-sex unions and later marriages legal. In 2011, Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court said that all marriage laws must apply to same-sex and opposite-sex couples equally. In 2013, the Justice National Council said that notary publics cannot refuse to perform marriages for same-sex couples. Leitao says the 2011 ruling can also apply to polyamorous relationships. If his clients want to file taxes together or join a healthcare plan, they can, he told AFP.

Is polyamory legal in Japan?

Same-sex marriage is not legal in Japan. It is legal to be gay in Japan, but not to be in a gay relationship. Polygamy is illegal in Japan. A marriage can only be between a man and a woman. If you’re still married, you can’t enter a new relationship unless your previous marriage is legally ended. This rule does not have any exceptions. Japan’s marriage laws are simple and not overly strict compared to other countries. To marry, you must be at least 18 years old. If both parties are 20 or older, no parental consent is needed. Otherwise, permission must be obtained before marriage. In Japan, marriage is legal as soon as it is registered. No ceremony is needed. Couples can hold religious or customary ceremonies, but they don’t have any legal value. Foreigners must get permission to marry from their home country before they can marry in Japan. Those who are barred from marrying in their home country cannot marry in Japan. If one of the couples is a foreigner, they must submit an affidavit. Couples cannot marry if they have any family members. The couple must agree to marry on their own. They must understand marriage before consenting to it.

Is polygamy legal in Japan?

Ryuta wants a big family, but the law says he can’t. Japan’s marriage laws don’t allow polygamy, so Ryuta can’t be married to more than one woman at a time. He marries the next woman and then divorces his current wife. Ryuta, his wife, and his ex-wives live together as a married couple. Last week, he tweeted that he’d picked “Wife Number Five” and they’d spend Christmas Eve together.

Which country allows polygamy marriage?

Polygamous marriages are not recognized in Europe and Oceania, except in the Solomon Islands. In India, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore, polygamous marriages are only recognized for Muslims. In Australia, polygamy is illegal, but some indigenous communities allow it. In Indonesia, polygamy is legal in some areas, such as Bali, Papua, and West Papua. Balinese Hinduism allows polygamy, which has been practiced for centuries by the Balinese and Papuans. In 2008, people protested against polygamy in Indonesia, but it didn’t change the law. In some African countries, polygamy is illegal under civil law but allowed through customary law. This confusing loophole results in two types of marriages: civil and customary. Countries like Liberia, Malawi, and Sierra Leone allow and even support polygamous marriages without officially recognizing them.

Many Muslim countries will recognize polygamous marriages if the husband tells his first wife he plans to marry more women and she agrees. If the first wife doesn’t agree, the husband can’t marry any more wives as long as he’s married to her.

What cultures accept polyamory?

Indigenous Cultures. Many indigenous cultures have a long history of practicing polyamory. For example, Polynesian cultures value family and community. People in these cultures often focus on harmony and cooperation in relationships. Similarly, many African cultures have practiced polygamy for centuries. Wives often have cultural, religious, and economic significance. Eastern Perspectives on Polyamory. In Eastern cultures, attitudes towards polyamory vary. In India, historical accounts mention polygamy and polyandry. However, today’s attitudes are shaped by societal changes and Western ideas about relationships. China traditionally values monogamy, but urban areas have seen the rise of non-monogamy as an alternative to traditional marriage norms, especially among younger generations.

Religious and Spiritual Influences. Religious and spiritual beliefs affect how people feel about polyamory. In Islam, polygamy is allowed under certain conditions, allowing men to have more than one wife. However, the practice varies across different Muslim countries and may be influenced by culture and law. Buddhism doesn’t explicitly endorse polyamory. Some Buddhists say that ethical non-monogamy is in line with Buddhist principles of mindfulness and empathy.

Where is polyamory accepted?

Do people in polyamorous relationships have legal rights? Not many yet. Some US states have recognized families with multiple parents. The Uniform Parentage Act allows for more than two parents to be legally recognized. In June 2020, Somerville allowed more than two domestic partnerships. Residents could legally recognize more than one committed relationship. The Supreme Court of Newfoundland recently recognized the parental responsibilities of a polyamorous, three-parent family. How common is consensual non-monogamy? About 20% of Americans have been in a CNM relationship at some point. About 4-5% of people are currently in CNM relationships. This is about the same size as the lesbian, gay, and bisexual communities combined (Haupert, Gesselman, Moors, Fisher, & Garcia, 2017; Rubin, Moors, Matsick, Ziegler, Conley, 2014). How are polyamorous people discriminated against? In the past, non-traditional relationships and families were illegal. Some family structures have improved, but negative assumptions still exist. Many judges say that people in CNM are less moral, less stable, and less capable of caring for children than monogamous people (e.g., V.B. v. J.E.B., 2012; Cross v. Cross, 2008). Some family courts have misunderstood polyamorous relationships. They think long-term committed plural relationships are like “wife-swapping” or casual sex-only swinging. (Cross v. Cross, 2008; In re Aleksandree M.M., 2010). People who don’t know about polyamory treat these families badly.