Recognition of European civil partnership in Germany

Dear Reddit,

I share my life with my fiancée, we are not maried, but we have concluded a french PACS several years ago (more information on the french PACS on the website of the *Deutsche Vertretungen in Frankreich* [https://allemagneenfrance.diplo.de/fr-de/service/-/2347644?openAccordionId=item-1409368-0-panel](https://allemagneenfrance.diplo.de/fr-de/service/-/2347644?openAccordionId=item-1409368-0-panel))

The french PACS is a civil partnership for couples, I would say it is similar as the german Lebenspartnerschaft.

My fiancée is from China, and thanks to the french civil partnership we concluded, she was able to get a 5 years residency permit to relocate with me in Germany, as a family member of a EU citizen.

I recently contacted my health insurance (TK) to ask them to put my fiancée under a family plan, so she can also enjoy TK’s health insurance at lower costs. I provided a translated and certified copy of my french civil partnership.

TK replied that they could not recognize my civil partnership, despite it being issued in another EU country, translated and certified. Quite surprisingly, TK also stated that they could only recognize it for gay couples, which is not the case in my situation… I let you imagine the shitstorm it would have been if it was the other way around “*Sorry, it’s only for the hetero couples*”…

In a similar fashion, as I am employed, and my finacée currently unemployed, I contacted the local Finanzamt to see if it was possible to change my tax class in order to enjoy a reduction of my fiscal pressure. Again, I provided a translated and certified copy of my french civil partnership.

The local Finanzamt replied with a very standard response, explaining that only married couples or widowed could get a different tax class. As it was a very standard response, it was not really convincing.

**Do you guys know if there is any possibility of recognition of my french civil partnership in Germany, or if necessary, directly conclude a civil partnership in Germany to:**

1. **Be able to enroll my fiancée in my current Health insurance**
2. **Be able to change my tax class from #1, to #3 and #5.**

Thanks guys, and have a nice day. 😀