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| Marry
in China |
This is a
quick guide concerning how to marry in China (September
2008) |
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| These
notes are current for British citizens. Most Western
Countries have very similar criteria |
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Marriage between
a Foreigner (You) and a Chinese National:-
Find full details as they relate to you personally here: https://www.gov.uk/marriage-abroad/y
This is pretty simple actually, as all you really need
to do is get a certificate to say you are legally eligible
to marry; do this via your local Embassy or Consulate,
pay the money, wait 21 days. Then take the necessary
paperwork to the register office in your partners home
city. Complete the processes - and Congratulations!
You are married
There are two types of Chinese wedding: Simple Signing,
and Full Wedding. Both versions include the same signing
procedure
Simple Signing is very quick and done
without any fanfare at all - and quite similar to paying
your Council Tax bill at a counter in UK. Chinese do
not normally regard this as being married, even though
for all legal purposes you are. Afterwards the couple
return to work, and do not even have a small party to
celebrate!
Full Wedding is prohibitively expensive,
accomplished with great fanfare, and is normally a 3-day
event. Celebrations will include various meals and parties
to include virtually every relative and friend of both
partners. There are many separate aspects which are
too lengthy to describe in full here - just know it
is complicated and involves a lot of planning. Later
I will provide a link here which describes a Full Wedding
in great detail. However the actual registration of
marriage remains identical to the Simple Signing
There is no middle version of a Chinese Marriage (Although
I personally did manage to invent one that was highly
acceptable to all, and gave my new parents in law very
good 'Face')
Preparation:
1a. You must apply via your home Country Embassy for a Certificate of Non-Impedence, now referred to (2014) as an 'affirmation for marriage' document. Technically there are several processes
involved, but practically it all happens all at the same time via your Embassy
1b. You must have been in China 21
days clear before you go to the Embassy = not including
your day of entry into China, nor the day of application
= 23 days in normal speaking
1c. You need:
- Passport showing entry stamp
- Divorce / Death / other Certificates = proof you are
'Single' status
- Sign a couple of forms
- Pay the money (Currently Y1, 600 + courier document
delivery fee if required Y30)
- Wait another 21 clear days whilst 'The Bans are Read'
- Job done!
NB. You do not need your Birth Certificate (But you
will need it to register any subsequent Births)
Click to Download Advice form (pdf)
Can't open it - get Adobe Reader here: 
Word
Version (Guangzhou Consulate)
Signing Ceremony:
Registering the Marriage is actually a 3-stage process.
It is very quick and efficient, and done without much
ceremony. The total cost for all 3 processes is about
Y2, 000 (Sept 2008). Please allow at least 1-hour to
complete all three stages
2.1 - Place of Registration
The signing must take place in the City where the Chinese
partner is registered in the Family Book. You do not
need an appointment, but you should check the opening
hours and days when they are working (Normally 7.30
to 12 and 2 to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, excluding Public
Holidays)
2.2 - Documents
a. Passport
b. CNI (Certificate of Non
Impedance)
c. Divorce Certificate or similar
if applicable
d. 3 photographs of you as
a couple, set on a red background
e. Chinese persons ID card,
passport, etc
f. The Family Book (Hu Kou
Bu)
2.3 - Chinese Family Book
a. Only someone who owns their
own house can have a Family Registration Book. This
is often the Father, or senior male of the larger Family
b. During the signing ceremony,
the Chinese partner will have their entry in this book
stamped to show they are now married.
c. Foreign partners are not
added to this book
d. One of the reasons why a
full Chinese wedding is so expensive is because you
should buy your own home, and thus start your own Family
Book
e. Your offspring can be registered
as Citizens of your own Country, or as Chinese citizens
- this is your choice. If you register them as Chinese,
then they will be entered in your own Family Book if
you have one, or otherwise in your partners book. You
will need your Birth Certificate to register any children
2.4 - Stage 1
a. Your documents are checked
b. There will be a member of
staff who understands the English forms
c. Once the checks are completed
you will both have to sign half a dozen forms (All in
Chinese)
d. You do not need to have
a Chinese name, and you should sign with your usual
signature
e. By this point there is quite
a large portfolio, which is taken along with other forms
to the payments area
f. Pay for this process, (Currently
Y180) and stage 1 is complete
2.5 - Stage 2
a. This is the official signing
ceremony conducted with a little fanfare in a special
room, overseen by a Registrar
b. Consider this as being The
Official Registration and Announcement of Marriage within
China
c. There is a small stage and
podium where you and your partner sign a form
d. You then add your index
finger print over your signature
e. Official photographs are
taken throughout at various stages (Obligatory since
August 2008)
f. Guests may also take photographs
during the ceremony, but be very quick if you want family
shots on stage - this is tolerated, but discouraged
(There are other couples queuing behind you)
h. You are then ushered out
into an adjoining room where your official photographs
are instantly processed and compiled into a couple of
albums. You again sign these albums, and pay for the
cost of stage 2 (Y 320).
i. These albums can later be
used as additional proof of your marriage, and help
greatly when applying for visa's for your partner to
go outside China
j. At this point you also each
receive your Marriage Licences. These are two books,
one for each partner. You will note the numbers are
different, and consecutive. These are presented in a
special red box decorated with gold lettering and motifs.
This box also contains a heart shaped medallion featuring
the Chinese wedding symbol plus a Dragon and Phoenix
(Yin and Yang)
k. Stage 2 is now complete
and you are officially fully married in China. Congratulations!
However the marriage will not be recognised outside
of China until Stage 3 is completed.
2.6 - Stage 3
This is called 'The Announcement' and means the marriage
is announced outside of China. You need to complete
this stage for the marriage to be recognised by your
own government. This does have very favourable impact
on many related issues such as: Getting a visa for your
wife to visit your own Country (It does not confer any
automatic Rights of Residency in your Country), Pensions
and other personal financial planning, you are regarded
as being legally married in any country of the world,
etc
a. This process takes several
days to complete
b. First your Chinese partner
is checked under several criteria, and if there are
no problems, they are issued with a Certificate of Citizenship,
which is valid for 6-months
c. They must have this certificate
to apply for the International Announcement of Marriage
d. The Announcement is then
declared, and presumably your own government is officially
informed of your change of marital status
e. The cost is Y1, 500
f. This can be viewed as one
process, and after a few days you receive the appropriate
certificate
g. This Announcement lasts
for life (Or until divorce, etc)
Notes:
6.a - Under new and simplified marriage rules (2003),
you no longer need a Health Check-up and associated
Certificate
6.b - A Simple Signing in China means exactly this,
a very simple legal signing
6.c - A 'Proper Wedding' in China is very complex and
costly. It includes the Simple Signing
6.d - You must complete 'The Announcement' (Stage 3)
for the marriage to be recognised Internationally
6.e - Your Chinese partner will require a current and
valid Certificate of Citizenship when applying for a
British visa |
|
Two (2)
Foreigners can also Marry in China:
Criteria:
As above + One of them must have 21 days clear 'Residency'
(This option actually gets a tad technical regarding
real life situations,but it happens; one way or the
other - Here is China!) |
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The Rules
for Marriage in China are slightly different for:
1. Hong Kong and Macao
Citizens
2. Overseas National Chinese |
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Final Notes:
1. Please realise that Marrying in
China is either mundane or exotic; and there are few
places in between.
2. Marriage will not be sufficient
reason to allow your new Chinese partner to visit most
Western Countries automatically - even as a Tourist,
but it helps a great deal.
3. We are given to understand that
after 3-years of marriage, your Chinese partner will
usually be automatically allowed a visa to visit UK
(Exceptions and conditions of course)
4. Please remember that Chinese Nationals
need both permission to leave China,
and permission to enter your home Country
- although this is usually one seamless process |
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| This
information is as supplied by the Chinese Embassy in
UK, as dated 20th June 2008, and/or other reliable sources.
Please check this information yourself as it may alter
without notice, and whilst we try our best to ensure
it is correct, please do not hold us responsible for
any errors - this is intended as a simple guide only |
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