PROVISIONS FOR THE REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGE BETWEEN CHINESECITIZENS AND FOREIGNERS
PROVISIONS FOR THE REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGE BETWEEN CHINESECITIZENS AND FOREIGNERS
This English document is coming from "LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA GOVERNING FOREIGN-RELATED MATTERS" (1991.7)
which is compiled by the Brueau of Legislative Affairs of the State
Council of the People's Republic of China, and is published by the China
Legal System Publishing House.
In case of discrepancy, the original version in Chinese shall prevail.
Whole Document
PROVISIONS FOR THE REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGE BETWEEN CHINESE
CITIZENS AND FOREIGNERS
(Approved by the State Council on August 17, 1983 and promulgated
by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on August 26, 1983)
1. When Chinese citizens and foreigners (including foreign residents and
those who come to China for a short visit, Chinese of foreign nationality,
and foreigners who have settled down in China) decide to get married of
their own free will within the boundaries of China, both the man and the
woman concerned shall appear together at the marriage registration
department, designated by the province, autonomous region, or municipality
directly under the Central Government, and stationed in the locality where
the Chinese citizen has his/her residence registration and apply for
marriage registration.
2. Both the man and the woman, who apply for marriage registration, shall
abide by the Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China and the
pertinent articles and items of these Provisions.
3. Chinese citizens and foreigners who apply for marriage registration
shall respectively hold the following certificates:
A. For Chinese citizens:
(1) certificates of the applicant's residence registration;
(2) certificate signed and issued either by the people's government at the
county level or above which is stationed in the locality where the
applicant has his/her residence registration, or by a government
department, a school, an institution, or an enterprise at the county level
or above, which is the applicant's place of work; the certificate
indicates the applicant's name, sex, date of birth, nationality, marital
status (single, divorced, bereft of spouse - the same below), occupation,
nature of work, name of the person to marry.
B. For foreigners:
(1) the applicant's passport or other documents certifying his/her
identity and citizenship;
(2) "Residence Permit for Foreigners" signed and issued by the public
security department, or identification certificate issued by foreign
affairs department, or entry permit and residence permit for foreigners
who come to China for a short stay;
(3) marital status certification issued by the notary office of the
applicant's country and confirmed by both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(or a department authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) of the
applicant's country and the Chinese embassy or consulate in the said
foreign country; or marital status certification issued by the embassy or
consulate of the said foreign country in China.
C. For resident foreigners in China:
(1) the applicant's passport, or identification certificate or nationality
certificate used to substitute for passport (those who have no nationality
may be exempted from presenting their nationality certificates);
(2) "Residence Permit for Foreigners" signed and issued by the public
security department;
(3) certificate signed and issued either by the people's government at the
county level or above, which is stationed in the locality where the
applicant has his/her residence registration, or by a government
department, a school, an institution, or an enterprise at the county level
or above, which is the applicant's place of work; the certificate
indicates the applicant's name, sex, date of birth, marital status,
occupation, name of the person to marry.
In addition, both the man and the woman applying for marriage registration
shall also present the pre-marital health check-up report signed and
issued by a hospital designated by the marriage registration department.
4. The following Chinese citizens shall not be permitted to marry
foreigners:
(1) armymen in active service, diplomatic personnel, public security
personnel, confidential personnel, and other personnel who are in charge
of important confidential work;
(2) persons who are receiving reeducation through labour or serving a
sentence.
5. Chinese citizens and foreigners, who hold all the required certificates
and accord with these Provisions, may present their certificates and
photos to the marriage registration department and make an application.
The marriage registration department, after examining the application and
confirming through investigation that the application conforms to the
Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China and to these Provisions,
shall give the applicants the permission to register, and to go through
the registration procedures within 1 month; and then the marriage
registration department shall issue the marriage certificate to them. The
marriage certificate shall be attached with the photos of both the man and
the woman, and be affixed with the special seal (made of steel) for
marriage registration of the people's government at the county level or
above which handles the registration of marriage between Chinese and
foreign nationals.
6. If a Chinese citizen and a foreigner request a divorce in China, they
shall, in accordance with the pertinent provisions of "The Civil Procedure
Law of the People's Republic of China (for Trial Implementation)", file a
divorce suit with the appropriate People's Court. Those who wish to resume
marriage relationship shall go through the same registration procedures as
those for marriage.
7. Chinese citizens and foreigners who apply for marriage registration
shall pay for the cost of marriage certificates and also pay a
registration service charge. The expenses for interpretation service shall
be borne by the applicants.
8. These Provisions shall go into effect upon approval by the State
Council, and all former pertinent provisions shall be null and void at the
same time.
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