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:

• Certificates of the applicant's residence registration;
• 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:

• The applicant's passport or other documents certifying his/her identity and citizenship;
• "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;
• 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:

• 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);
• "Residence Permit for Foreigners" signed and issued by the public security department;
• 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:

• Army men in active service, diplomatic personnel, public security personnel, confidential personnel, and other personnel who are in charge of important confidential work;
• Persons who are receiving reeducation through labor 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.