Washington D.C. has become the 6th city in the United States where same-sex couples may get married.

From Wednesday gay couples can start applying for marriage licenses and supporters say couples are planning to line up before the city's marriage bureau opens at 8:30 a.m.

Some officials are expecting 200 or more people to arrive. However, because of a mandatory waiting period, couples won't actually be able to marry in the District of Columbia until March 9.

To prepare for Wednesday, the marriage bureau has changed its license applications so they are gender-neutral, asking for the name of each "spouse" rather than the "bride" and "groom."

The marriage license application will cost 35 U.S. dollars, and the marriage license 10 dollars. Couples who are already registered as domestic partners in the city may convert their registration into a marriage license by paying the 10 dollar fee.

Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont currently issue licenses to same-sex couples, but there remains opposition to the new law which covers D.C.

The bill was passed in October and D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty signed it in December, but because Washington is a federal district, the law had to undergo a congressional review period that expired Tuesday. However, opponents are still attempting to overturn the bill in court.

(Agencies)