“We will not delay in fulfilling our responsibility to afford every eligible couple, whether same-sex or opposite-sex, the full rights and responsibilities to which they are entitled,” US Attorney General Eric Holder said in a video message.

“With their long-awaited unions, we are slowly drawing closer to full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans nationwide.”

The seven states affected by the Justice Department decision are Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Holder said he had directed Justice Department lawyers to work with officials across the various government agencies to “ensure that all applicable federal benefits are extended to those couples as soon as possible.”