Marriage and divorce in China

Foreign-Chinese marriage

To marry a Chinese citizen in mainland China, both parties go to the Civil Affairs Bureau (民政局). Typical document requirements:

For the foreign party: - Passport. - A **certificate of no impediment to marriage** (or certificate of single status), notarised in the home country and authenticated/apostilled, then translated into Chinese. - Health-check certificate from a designated Chinese hospital (¥150–¥300; covers communicable diseases, basic mental-health screen). - Recent photographs.

For the Chinese party: - ID card. - Hukou (household registration) book. - Recent photographs.

The two parties appear together at the Civil Affairs Bureau in the city where the Chinese party's hukou is registered. The marriage is registered the same day; you receive two red marriage books.

Foreign-foreign marriage

The mainland Civil Affairs Bureau does not register foreign-foreign marriages. Two foreigners marrying in China would do so at one of the consulates that performs marriages (some do, some don't), or marry abroad and have the marriage recognised on return.

Marriage in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has separate rules and is a common alternative for couples with paperwork complications on the mainland. The Marriage Registry handles civil weddings; some private providers offer chapels.

Hosting a wedding

The legal marriage at the Civil Affairs Bureau is separate from any wedding banquet — the banquet is a social event with no legal weight. Wedding banquets in mainland China are large (200–800 guests common), expensive (¥100,000–¥500,000 typical for a tier-1 city banquet), and follow specific etiquette around toasts, gifts (red envelopes), and seating.

Divorce

Mandatory 30-day cooling-off period since 2021 — the divorce becomes effective only after 30 days from filing, and either party can withdraw during that window. After the cooling-off, both parties confirm the divorce with the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Contested divorces go through the courts. Property division, child custody and alimony are determined by the court. Foreign citizens have the same rights and obligations as Chinese citizens in divorce proceedings.

Recognition abroad

A mainland-Chinese marriage certificate is recognised in most countries with apostille / authentication. Confirm with your home-country embassy.

Pre-nuptial agreements

Possible but uncommon in mainland China. The Civil Code (since 2021) gives somewhat clearer space for pre-marital property agreements. Use a Chinese family-law specialist if going this route.