How to get married in China

[david_dawei]

I'm creating a new section in the FAQ on how to get married... I figured that this has been asked too many times and usually the person gets most of the info, but not really all of it.

 

I collected together everything I could find on the steps and peoples comments/advice.

 

Please comment on this outline.. maybe we can get to a definitive guide.

 

 

------

 

MARRYING IN CHINA:

 

Steps to marry in China:

-1. Requirements for USC

--a. Valid passport

--b. Age eligible (22 man, 20 woman)

--c. Affidavit of single status

---i. IN US:

----1. Sworn before a notary public.

----2. Certified by the clerk of Court of the County in which the document is commissioned if applicable. It may be omitted if the authority in item 3 will certify directly to the notary.

----3. Certified by the Secretary of the State in which the document is executed. (Some states require the notarized document to be sent to the notary public's county clerk for verification before presenting to the Office of Secretary of State. Please contact Secretary of State Office of the state where your document is executed for details.)

----4. Certified by the relevant consulate which holds consular jurisdiction over your area of residence.

------a. One Authentication Application Form (G1), completed and signed by the applicant himself.

------b. Photocopy of applicant's passport.

------c. The original and photocopy of the notarized and Secretary of State certified affidavit.

------d. Divorced people must also show the Consulate certified copies of divorce decrees, widowed show death certificates.

------e. Pay the fee

----5. Should include name, sex, date of birth, place of birth, and marital status.

---ii. In China:

----1. Absent the foregoing notarial certificate of marital status, a "certification of marriage ability" can be prepared at the Consulate on the basis of an affidavit in which the American citizen swears or affirms before a consular officer that he or she is currently legally eligible to marry (persons who have previously been married need to show a certified divorce decree, annulment decree, or death certificate to the Consulate when preparing this certificate).

----2. When you get the eligibility certificate be sure they write the date with written months (ex: 1 JAN 2004) instead of numeric mm dd yyyy, since the latter can be mistakenly interpreted as dd mm yyyy.

----3. Please be prepared to provide your fiancée name, date of birth, Chinese ID number, and city of residence. Some find it helpful to bring a copy of their fiancée ID card to ensure accuracy .

----4. However, there is no guarantee that the Chinese civil affairs authorities will accept a Consulate affidavit. We must emphasize that marriage in China falls under the authority of the laws of China, and that the Chinese civil affairs authorities have final say over which documents they can require and will accept in order to approve a marriage.

--d. All English-language documents submitted to the Chinese civil affairs authorities must be translated into Chinese. Translations should be certified either by the Chinese Embassy/Consulate in the individual’s country of residence or obtained from and certified by a notary public office in China. (Make sure your name and number from your passport

is printed on the single status certificate and translated correctly.)

--e. Blood Ties document; Something demonstrating that you are not related to XYZ for at least 3 generations; a list of parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents with place and dates of birth. Sworn before a notary.

-2. Requirements for the Chinese national

--a. household registration book

--b. a written statement executed at the marriage registration office stating that he/she has no spouse and that his/her partner to the marriage are not lineal relatives by blood or collateral relatives by blood within three generations.

-3. Registering the marriage

--a. Both parties to the marriage must personally appear at a civil affairs office to register their marriage. The appropriate civil affairs office will be the one in the jurisdiction in which the Chinese citizen is registered (the location of the hukou).

--b. Because you are a foreigner, you must go to the provincial capital to register the marriage and say the marriage oath and get a ‘red marriage book’.... Then you must register in your SO's hometown as well.

--c. Three photos of the marrying couple, taken together, need to be submitted

--d. A registration fee must be paid.

 

If all documents are in order and no grounds for refusal are found, a marriage certificate will be issued the same day.

Edited February 18, 2010 by DavidZixuan (see edit history)

[Guest pushbrk]

I'm creating a new section in the FAQ on how to get married... I figured that this has been asked too many times and usually the person gets most of the info, but not really all of it.

 

I collected together everything I could find on the steps and peoples comments/advice.

 

Please comment on this outline.. maybe we can get to a definitive guide.

 

 

------

 

MARRYING IN CHINA:

 

Steps to marry in China:

-1. Requirements for USC

--a. Valid passport

--b. Age eligible (22 man, 20 woman)

--c. Affidavit of single status

---i. IN US:

----1. Sworn before a notary public.

----2. Certified by the clerk of Court of the County in which the document is commissioned if applicable. It may be omitted if the authority in item 3 will certify directly to the notary.

----3. Certified by the Secretary of the State in which the document is executed. (Some states require the notarized document to be sent to the notary public's county clerk for verification before presenting to the Office of Secretary of State. Please contact Secretary of State Office of the state where your document is executed for details.)

----4. Certified by the relevant consulate which holds consular jurisdiction over your area of residence.

------a. One Authentication Application Form (G1), completed and signed by the applicant himself.

------b. Photocopy of applicant's passport.

------c. The original and photocopy of the notarized and Secretary of State certified affidavit.

------d. Divorced people must also show the Consulate certified copies of divorce decrees, widowed show death certificates.

------e. Pay the fee

----5. Should include name, sex, date of birth, place of birth, and marital status.

---ii. In China:

----1. Absent the foregoing notarial certificate of marital status, a "certification of marriage ability" can be prepared at the Consulate on the basis of an affidavit in which the American citizen swears or affirms before a consular officer that he or she is currently legally eligible to marry (persons who have previously been married need to show a certified divorce decree, annulment decree, or death certificate to the Consulate when preparing this certificate).

----2. When you get the eligibility certificate be sure they write the date with written months (ex: 1 JAN 2004) instead of numeric mm dd yyyy, since the latter can be mistakenly interpreted as dd mm yyyy.

----3. Please be prepared to provide your fianc¨¦e name, date of birth, Chinese ID number, and city of residence. Some find it helpful to bring a copy of their fianc¨¦e ID card to ensure accuracy .

----4. However, there is no guarantee that the Chinese civil affairs authorities will accept a Consulate affidavit. We must emphasize that marriage in China falls under the authority of the laws of China, and that the Chinese civil affairs authorities have final say over which documents they can require and will accept in order to approve a marriage.

--d. All English-language documents submitted to the Chinese civil affairs authorities must be translated into Chinese. Translations should be certified either by the Chinese Embassy/Consulate in the individual¡¯s country of residence or obtained from and certified by a notary public office in China. (Make sure your name and number from your passport

is printed on the single status certificate and translated correctly.)

--e. Blood Ties document; Something demonstrating that you are not related to XYZ for at least 3 generations; a list of parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents with place and dates of birth. Sworn before a notary.

-2. Requirements for the Chinese national

--a. household registration book

--b. a written statement executed at the marriage registration office stating that he/she has no spouse and that his/her partner to the marriage are not lineal relatives by blood or collateral relatives by blood within three generations.

-3. Registering the marriage

--a. Both parties to the marriage must personally appear at a civil affairs office to register their marriage. The appropriate civil affairs office will be the one in the jurisdiction in which the Chinese citizen is registered (the location of the hukou).

--b. Because you are a foreigner, you must go to the provincial capital to register the marriage and say the marriage oath and get a ¡®red marriage book¡¯.... Then you must register in your SO's hometown as well.

--c. Three photos of the marrying couple, taken together, need to be submitted

--d. A registration fee must be paid.

 

If all documents are in order and no grounds for refusal are found, a marriage certificate will be issued the same day.

 

There is a third option that follows the complicated first option. There are agents in the US, (They also serve as visa agents for Chinese travel visas.) who will assist in taking care of all the steps indicated in option one above. The catch is that in some Chinese local jurisdictions, the original affidavit and divorce decree(s) must still be translated by the local notarial office, even though a Chinese Consulate in the USA has affixed their stamp.

 

Also, some US Consulates in China have been reported to require that the Chinese National be present at the time the Certificate of Marriageability is applied for at the Consulate. While this is still the simplest option for those who can stop by a US Consulate in China, they should email the Consulate directly for their current policy requirements pertaining to the Chinese spouse to be.

[SheLikesME?]

Now let me add some things. I got certified as single in China.

 

At the US Embassy in Beijing the SO is required, or was in my case, to be there to get a certificate of single status to marry. We did not read this anywhere. I went to the Embassy and they told me to come back with her. We did that afternoon. They interviewed both of us. Legally I don't think I could have been denied. But STONE FACE was a real ball busting queen and told me flat out she would not certify me because my SO was younger and they don't like to be married to the older man. It all went bad in my first interview when I answered truthfully that we met on line. She began to tell me how many men come there looking for help to find their wife who married them, went to the USA, and then returned to China with all his money. She said they don't have the staff to find the wife. I had to really start objecting and talkng favorably about my SO, until she cut me off and asked to talk to my SO. Only when she talked to my wife and found out she found me on line first did STONE FACE completly change her attitude and allow the notorization of single status, after several more questions of both of us. DON'T EXPECT AN EASY TIME WITH ANY AMERICAN OFFICE IN CHINA, when it comes to marriage. Get all your certs and things before comming and just deal with the Chinese Govt. I should have called and asked the woman out to dinner with us after we married, like I felt at the time. There was no reason for us to be treated the way we were. So obviously our govt is trying their best to discourage marriages with Chinese.

 

If I had it to do again I would get the certificate of single status done in the USA. Texas requires the notorization of such things, done in Austin by a special office and officer. You cannot use just any joe blow notary for the status or the notorization of the authenticity of documents, as I recall. I may be wrong.

 

 

David, we were not sworn to any oath by the Chinese when given our little red book of marriage registration in Beijing. IN fact I asked if that was all, expecting some kind of commitment be given with winesses. No just register and leave. Also I had certified divorce decrees from the counties, and that is all. We did not translate anything into Chinese that either of us can remember. We did not have to fill out anything dealing with blood ties.

Edited September 11, 2006 by SheLikesME (see edit history)

[mama bear]

David, you did a good job!

CFL is more easier to get the information than it was before.

 

Add something about the photo:

--c. Three photos of the marrying couple, taken together, need to be submitted

---it required 2 inches photos, red background.

 

Here is my first post on CFL about my experience,hope give you some reference though a lot mistake in my spelling.

Like SheLikesME,PB and I also be interviewed respectively in Beijing embassy, asked us a lot questions, but we were not treated too bad.

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...c=15445&hl=

 

This link from 001 about marry in China:

http://usa.bbs.net/bbs/01/257859.html

Edited September 11, 2006 by mama bear (see edit history)

[hollywang]

hey, i am new here, i can tell you two looks very happy in your pic. i just got married on May 8 2006, after we married, my husband started to apply K3 for me in the US, he got a lawyer.you two were lucky,because i think your wife's visa hasnt wait too long.

[chilton747]

Form G1 can be downloaded here....

http://houston.china-consulate.org/eng/vp/gzrz/t53296.htm

[hankster]

-3. Registering the marriage

--a. Both parties to the marriage must personally appear at a civil affairs office to register their marriage. The appropriate civil affairs office will be the one in the jurisdiction in which the Chinese citizen is registered (the location of the hukou).

--b. Because you are a foreigner, you must go to the provincial capital to register the marriage and say the marriage oath and get a 憆ed marriage book?... Then you must register in your SO's hometown as well.

--c. Three photos of the marrying couple, taken together, need to be submitted

--d. A registration fee must be paid.

 

If all documents are in order and no grounds for refusal are found, a marriage certificate will be issued the same day.

 

David,

We didn't have to do step 3b. We went to the GUZ consulate and got my "eligibility to marry" certificate.

We then went back to her hukou, Shenzhen, and were married at the local civil affairs office. There we said the oath and received the red marriage book.

Didn't have to go to the "provincial capital", which in this case would have meant back to Guangzhou, If I'm reading this correctly.

[Guest pushbrk]

-3. Registering the marriage

--a. Both parties to the marriage must personally appear at a civil affairs office to register their marriage. The appropriate civil affairs office will be the one in the jurisdiction in which the Chinese citizen is registered (the location of the hukou).

--b. Because you are a foreigner, you must go to the provincial capital to register the marriage and say the marriage oath and get a ‘red marriage book?... Then you must register in your SO's hometown as well.

--c. Three photos of the marrying couple, taken together, need to be submitted

--d. A registration fee must be paid.

 

If all documents are in order and no grounds for refusal are found, a marriage certificate will be issued the same day.

 

David,

We didn't have to do step 3b. We went to the GUZ consulate and got my "eligibility to marry" certificate.

We then went back to her hukou, Shenzhen, and were married at the local civil affairs office. There we said the oath and received the red marriage book.

Didn't have to go to the "provincial capital", which in this case would have meant back to Guangzhou, If I'm reading this correctly.

 

Sometimes the appropriate marriage to foreigner office is in the provicial capital and sometimes it's not. I would advise the Chinese SO to contact their local civil affairs office to verify the appropriate location to register their marriage and any local requirements.

 

On another note, when you sign the application for marriage registration in Nanning, it also affirms that you are not related to your spouse in three generations. It was not a separate form, just included in the language of the application.

[SheLikesME?]

Yes David you did a good job on this so far. Perhaps some of the links that others have suggested be added here and there. I just went by what the Chinese consulate office in Houston web site said, and also what our Beijing US Embassy web site said, as I recall. It was pretty much that way, other than SO needed to be with me and bring her ID or passport, and maybe her divorce paper. They did not make it easy on us, having each or us go up to the window seperatly 2-3 times each. Also they checked to see that I had been to China 2 times before. In fact they did some kind of check in their system on both of us I felt, as STONE FACE went to several computers and had people look things up. She asked me about other visits and why, and also commented about a lengthy seperation from my ex.

 

I think because my wife wore a fairly tight fitting sleveless red dress, looking as good as she could, to the Embassy did not help. But that is what she wore to work that day, because we had plans on having the 3 pics taken for the marriage registration when she got off of work. We did not expect her to have to be with me, so she had to leave work early and come across town in that dress ASAP. So there I was an old fat man and this slim good looking tall woman. I knew we were in for trouble and we sure got it. Again thank goodness my wife knew english well enough and was able to think her way through the interview at the wondow at the embassy in order to loosen up STONE FACE, who was a Chinese American in her 40/50s. Boy that woman was mean to me though, like I was robbing the cradle and a dirty old man etc. And then after giving me the paper staring me in the eye and saying "Good Luck" as if I was the biggest fool there was about to get took for every nickel and get hurt real bad, and shame on me. I was amazed at the fragility of our situation with our govt.

 

I think this experience made me get VERY prepared for I-130 & I-129F with the kitchen sink and cover letters explaining every red flag.

 

So make sure the SO dresses as conservative as possible but nice business type clothes if you go to the Beijing US Embassy. And afterword, invite old STONE FACE out to dinner on me, if she is the interviewer. Send me the bill and I wil reimburse you. Gees I get wound up everytime I think of it. Never have I felt "NOT-FREE" in my life until that moment.

Edited September 11, 2006 by SheLikesME (see edit history)

[david_dawei]

David, you did a good job!

CFL is more easier to get the information than it was before.

 

Add something about the photo:

--c. Three photos of the marrying couple, taken together, need to be submitted

---it required 2 inches photos, red background.

 

Here is my first post on CFL about my experience,hope give you some reference though a lot mistake in my spelling.

Like SheLikesME,PB and I also be interviewed respectively in Beijing embassy, asked us a lot questions, but we were not treated too bad.

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...c=15445&hl=

 

This link from 001 about marry in China:

http://usa.bbs.net/bbs/01/257859.html

 

thanks to those that commented.. I'll include some comments and MBs link with experience in BJ is great !