Marriage in China

[yesmaybe]

Hi,

Are you a foreigner who has recently married in China, especially in Chengdu? Firstly, congratulations. I will be getting married soon and want some details on the procedure, such as what is needed by the local registry office? I have already obtain the Certificate of No Impediment from the UK Embassy in Beijing. But is that really all I need? My fiancé has her Hukou.

Do we need to make an appointment at the office in Chengdu or just turn up?

Can we even marry in Chengdu? My fiancée is from a town near Ya'an, should we go to the office there instead?

Any other advice?

Cheers!

[xianhua]

It's 5 since I got married in China, but at that time, the Certificate of No Impediment (stamped by the FCO) and my passport were all that were required. We just turned up at my fiancee's provincial-level registry office (Wuhan). I'm sure you would be able to marry in Chengdu but ask your fiancee to check with the office in Ya'an to see if their office is licensed to carry out a marriage involving a foreign national (I would personally doubt it). All in all, the actual marriage registration was relatively quick and painless with little paperwork involved. However, if you are intending to come back to the UK to live, you'll need an abundance of paperwork such as proof of an ongoing relationship as well as proof of your income and residence.

Good luck with it all!

[yesmaybe]

Thanks Xinhua, that has put my mind at rest, somewhat. We're working in Beijing, so don't want any unnecessary delays when we visit Chengdu for this. Her family have asked questions locally, but there never seems to be a definitive answer!

[geeness]

Goes without saying perhaps: be a million times over certain it's a good idea.

Let's be honest...Of all the people I know in China, the marriages generally last a couple of years, then fizzle out unfortunately to divorce, which emotionally affects the foreigner more than the Chinese. This is just my own experience.

It's hard to integrate a marriage internationally, unless you are both of a high calibre and tolerance to change.

If you have enough self awareness to have already truly considered that, then good luck to you both.

[heifeng]

hmmmmm...bitter much?!

Now moving right along to the question actually being asked:

Basically you really need to make sure your (future) wife or her family get to talk to the right people at the appropriate marriage office before you venture out there, and as mentioned it should be a marriage office that can process shewaihunyin {edit: based on where her hukou is registered...not just 'a' office--just in case this created any confusion(Also, sorry the pc i'm using at the moment doesn't have Chinese input). So if she's in a small town, you may need to go to the next larger office that can process the paperwork.

Also, you may need a translation of that Non-impediment form (and of any divorce certificates, if applicable), etc. There are gongzhengsuo in Beijing that can do this for you before you go and take less than a week. Of course you'll also need your passport...I'm not so sure about the residence permit though..Anyway, it's one of those things to ask when they get in contact with the office that will ultimately be processing your marriage application and certificate. Call on different days, you may get a different answer depends on who is answering the phone, but really try to get a good idea of there is something you may need to bring just in case. Probably, however, it will go smoothly=)

Lastly, some of these offices may not be very busy, you guys better literally double check what hours and what days they are actually open because you may be the only case they are going to handle that week...that month...who knows. Sometimes offices (esp. small ones in the middle of nowhere) do not keep regular hours.

Also, don't forget to bring 'em Xitang~~

[yesmaybe]

Thanks for your concern geeness. Marriages in any country often end in divorce in this day and age, while some of my friends in mixed-culture marriages we know of in China have lasted for 10+ years and still going strong.

Heifeng, thanks for the advice. The UK FCO Beijing automatically include a translation of the CNI. We have her family looking into it and from different directions. And that's part of the problem, we keep hearing conflicting information! But, apparently Chengdu is the closest place to go from her home village.

I was hoping to find someone with first hand experience to find out exactly what they needed so at least I know what the practice is, in theory. Anyway, we'll call to the Chengdu office again on Monday and ask once more.

And I was thinking of champagne, instead of xitang, for a bit of western influence!

[geeness]

Bitter? No... Never been married. But any assumption is fine if it's just ensuring somebody has actually made the real decision to get married here, rather than being guided. Once you talk to couples here who are going to marry, more often than not I think "Christ, good luck... You're living in fantasy-land!"

Seen enough very sad foreigners, dejected and surprised that their shaky marriage failed, to know that a significant amount of those who get married here do so in a naive manner. It's the inverse sweeping off the feet in many ways! Woman carrying the man.

Glad to hear you're clued up and seemingly intelligent! Depending on your social circle, you may or may not feel the same way about many couples you know, in which one is a foreigner.

Good luck with everything of course. Would rather cause a rift or insult to you (which it wasn't of course!) through asking, than to simply not mention it at all.

[roddy]

Seriously, what do you think the chances are of you changing someone's mind like that? Try asking some of those unhappy friends 'What if a random stranger on the Internet had suggested you give it further consideration?'

For the OP - my understanding is that you need to go to wherever her hukou is, and it sounds like that isn't Chengdu. Might be possible, but I'd look for confirmation from the actual office in Chengdu before going there.

[djkasumi]

Hey there,

Tried to find the most recent, relevant post on this topic. I'm curious how the OP's marriage situation went down. I'm looking for the same information (yes I did a search) about documents. For me, this will probably be going down in Chongqing.

It seems like there is so much out-dated and conflicting information, I just want to confirm what is -really- required. For simply getting married in China, does a foreigner need only their passport and proof of eligibility (and have it translated into Chinese I assume)? Nothing else, correct? Has anything changed over the past few years that anyone can give any insight on?

One Consulate website said that the foreigner required not only a passport (and valid visa), but a residence permit ... but that was 7 year old information.

[greenarcher]

What are the implications/effects after marrying a local Chinese? Does the foreigner get PRC citizenship?

[xiaoxiaocao]

What are the implications/effects after marrying a local Chinese? Does the foreigner get PRC citizenship?

I met an Australian man who was given a 1 year Tourist(L) visa after marrying a local. I'm sure it all depends on where you are, how well you speak Chinese, the clerk that happens to be at the desk that day etc such is China

[roddy]

There's no way you're getting PRC citizenship. You usually get one year L visas from the PSB, which allows you to stay reasonably hassle free. There are also D visas, but I don't think any mere mortals have ever actually had one.

[rezaf]

I have heard that citizenship is possible after getting a green card but unfortunately green card is also a mythical object for most foreigners.

[greenarcher]

Can you work legally with that L visa? Will working in China (if you don't have a job yet) be easier if you are married to a local?

[liuzhou]

No. You cannot work legally on an L-visa, no matter on what grounds it was awarded.

Being married to a Chinese citizen makes no difference to your legality or your ability to be employed.