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For same-sex couples, a registered partnership has been possible in Austria since 1 January 2010. For heterosexual partners, there is no legal institution other than marriage that would formally secure their relationship. In the opinion of the VfGH, however, there are no constitutional concerns, since the partners could marry and the registered partnership must be the same as marriage.
"Mere" partners are therefore legally "foreign" to each other. This also applies in the event of an end to the cohabitation. The law does not treat this case differently from the dissolution of a business partnership – with the difference that business partners have usually made arrangements in advance for the end of their joint activity. So if you plan to make joint investments, especially in the case of house building or the purchase of a condominium, and do not want to get married in the long term, I recommend concluding a partnership agreement. Send me an e-mail (see contact), I will send you a sample for a partnership contract without obligation.
The following menu pages inform you about the most important legal issues that arise for partners and registered partners.