Confirm you’re free to get married in China
What British nationals need to do to get married in China, including what documents you need.
Check eligibility and the documents you need
This guidance is for a British national getting married to an opposite-sex Chinese national in China.
For same-sex marriage or to get married if neither of you is a Chinese national, you may be able to get married in a British embassy.
Check the laws in China to make sure you can get married. There’ll be certain local conditions you have to meet. Contact the local civil affairs bureau (Min Zheng Ju) where you or your partner are registered to find out about local marriage laws, including what documents you’ll need.
To get married in China, you need to be:
- 20 or older if you’re a woman
- 22 or older if you’re a man
In most provinces, you need to get married in the city or province shown on your partner’s household register (Hukou). Check with the local civil affairs bureau before making any plans.
Your marriage will be recognised in the UK if:
- you follow the correct process according to the law in China
- it would be allowed under UK law
Marital status affirmation
To get married in China, British nationals need a marital status affirmation, which is a document that proves you’re free to marry.
You’ll need to give your sworn affirmation to the registrar at the civil affairs bureau. Check with the bureau if your affirmation needs to be translated into Chinese. British embassies and consulates cannot translate documents. Find a translator.
The registrar will marry you and give you a marriage certificate.
Check with the civil affairs bureau how far in advance you should get your marital status affirmation. Most bureaus will only accept documents that were issued within a certain number of months but this will depend on where you’re getting married.
How to get a marital status affirmation
- Apply online and pay £50 for your affirmation.
- Book an appointment at the British Embassy Beijing, British Consulate General Shanghai or British Consulate General Guangzhou.
- Attend your appointment.
- Make your declaration and sign your affirmation.
Book your appointment for at least 7 days after you apply for an affirmation so that consular staff have time to check your documents before your appointment. Consular staff will contact you before your appointment if any corrections are needed in your application.
You’ll need to bring the originals of the documents you upload to your appointment. If you do not do this, we may not be able to issue your affirmation and you’ll need to reschedule your appointment.
You’ll receive your affirmation at the end of your appointment.
You must check your affirmation to make sure all the information is correct. Any mistakes cannot be corrected once the document has been issued. If you notice a mistake after the document has been issued, you’ll need to reapply and pay again. It’s your responsibility to make sure your documents are correct.
Apply for a marital status affirmation online
To apply online you’ll need:
- your UK passport
- proof of your permanent address
- your partner’s Chinese identity card
- your partner’s household register (Hukou)
- proof any previous marriages or civil partnerships you or your partner were in have ended
- a credit or debit card (Visa or Mastercard) to pay for your affirmation – you cannot pay with WeChat or Alipay
If any documents are not in English or Chinese, you’ll need to upload a certified translation into English or Chinese and bring the original document and translation to your appointment. Find a translator.
Make sure you have all details and documents with you before you start your application. The application will time out if you’re inactive for 20 minutes. You can either scan your documents or take photos on your mobile phone.
It’ll take about 35 minutes to apply and pay for your affirmation online.
Your application will be cancelled if you do not attend an appointment within 3 months of submitting your application. We will not refund your application fee.
Apply for a marital status affirmation.
Proof of address
If you live in China, use your registration form from a local police station or tenancy agreement as proof of your address in China. Use one of the following as proof of a UK or other address outside China:
- DVLA-issued driving licence
- bank or mortgage statement, or other letter from your bank
- utility or Council Tax bill, not including a mobile phone bill
- tenancy agreement or Housing Association rent card – or the equivalent in your country
- HMRC tax demand or self-assessment statement
Your proof of address must be dated within the last 3 months unless it’s a registration form from a police station, tenancy agreement or driving licence.
If you or your partner has been married or in a civil partnership before
You’ll need one of the following:
- a decree absolute or final order – or the equivalent in the country where it was issued (this could be a PDF and covering email from the court)
- your annulment certificate
- your civil partnership dissolution
- your partner’s death certificate and marriage certificate
You’ll need to bring the original of the documents you upload to your appointment.
If your divorce, civil partnership dissolution or annulment took place outside the UK, you’ll need evidence that you or your ex-partner lived in or were a national of that country at the time.
If you do not have the original documents, you can order a UK decree absolute or final order from a divorce, dissolution or annulment. You can also order a UK death certificate.