Attorney-general Gordon Ramsay said under the changes, couples who entered into same-sex partnerships in other states, territories or countries would no longer have to register their union in Canberra for it to be recognised under ACT law.

It is understood the law would not apply to ACT residents who marry their same-sex partner overseas. This means ACT residents can't bypass the same-sex marriage ban by marrying overseas to have their union recognised here.

"We are and will clearly remain committed to enhancing equality for all Canberrans, and recognising the strength of love," Mr Ramsay said.

"This way the broadest number of ACT residents who enter into one of the growing number of same-sex civil union and civil partnership schemes available around the world have their relationships recognised in the ACT."

The bill will be debated next time the ACT parliament sits in the new year.

It came after South Australia also moved to acknowledge overseas same-sex marriages.

The South Australian government came under fire earlier this year after refusing to acknowledge the marriage of British men David and Marco Bulmer-Rizzi, after David died suddenly in Adelaide.

As their union was not recognised under Australian law, Mr Bulmer-Rizzi was barred from making any decisions around his husband's death and David' death certificated stated he was "never married".

The South Australian parliament stripped away several laws that discriminated against members of the LGBTQI community in the past few weeks.