Taipei on Wednesday (17 June) quietly opened registration for gay couples, the second Taiwanese city to do so after Kaohsiung.

Two Taipei residents of the same sex can now register their relationship at any household registration office in the city.

Registered partnerships have no legal effect, do not grant inheritance rights and will not appear on ID cards or household registration certificates.

But if the couples sign a separate data-sharing agreement with hospitals, courts and police, partners will be able to give consent for surgery.

Couples can cancel or change their registration for free.

The Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights welcomed the move but urged the city government to introduce comprehensive partnership registration and extend spousal benefits to registered employees.