Marriages in China, regardless of the nationality of those involved, are registered according to the laws of China. According to the provisions in Regulations on Marriage Registration, when the following conditions are met, both parties may get married: (1) The male shall not be younger than 22 and the female shall not be younger than 20; (2) Both shall have no spouse (unwedded, divorced, or widowed); (3) Both shall not be lineal relatives or collateral relatives by blood up to the third degree of kinship; (4) Both have no illnesses that medically forbid them to get married.

Registration for Marriage of a Foreigner and a Person from Huaihua

Required Materials

1. A resident of Hunan Province:

(1) The original and copy of the residence registration;

(2) The original and copy of resident identification card;

(3) Signed statement to prove that the resident has no spouse and is not a lineal relative or collateral relative by blood up to the third degree of kinship of the other party.

2. A foreigner:

(1) The original and copy of the effective passport or other effective international travel documents;

(2) The statement provided by the notary organization or other entitled organizations of the residence country and notarized by the Chinese Embassy or Consulate General in the residence country or notarized by the Embassy or Consulate General of the residence country in China to prove that the resident has no spouse, or the statement provided by the Embassy or Consulate General of the residence country in China to prove that the resident has no spouse.

Any document provided by a country that has no diplomatic relations with China shall be notarized by the Embassy or Consulate General in the country of a third country that has diplomatic relations with both the country and China and also by the Chinese the Embassy or Consulate General in the third country, or notarized by the Embassy or Consulate General of the third country in China.

Both parties shall submit three recent 2-inch half-length bareheaded joint photos.

Procedures

Marriage registration shall follow the procedures of first review, acceptance, checkup and registration (issuing the certificate):

1. First review: To check if both parties have all the necessary relevant certificates and documents and if the applied item is within

the term of reference of the Department; when the certificates and documents are not complete, the applicants shall be informed on the spot.

2. Acceptance:

(1) To ask the parties if they consent to get married;

(2) If they do consent, each of them is to fill in a copy of Statement of Marriage Registration Application.

3. Checkup:

The registrar is to check the certificates and statements submitted by both parties to make sure they meet the requirements and fill in the Form for Marriage Registration Checkup and the marriage certificate.

4. Registration:

The registrar shall check over the marriage certificate carefully after filling is completed.

5. Issuing the certificate:

(1) To verify the names, birthdays and marriage wish of both parties;

(2) To inform both parties of their legal nexus and their rights and obligations after they get the marriage certificate;

(3) To witness that both parties sign their names themselves in "signature or fingerprint of parties getting the marriage certificate" of the Form for Marriage Registration Checkup;

(4) To issue the marriage certificate to each party and announce to both parties that they have got the marriage certificate and are a couple now;

(5) To give best wishes to their marriage.

In addition, both partners 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 office. Upon confirming that the application conforms to the Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China and to the required procedures, the registration office shall give the applicants the permission to register and complete the registration process within one month. Once the registration is completed, the married couple will be issued a marriage certificate.

6. Office Time and Address

Exit and Entry Service Center of Huaihua City

Address: 5th Floor, Building C of the Civic Service Center of Huaihua City, No.2 Fuqian Road, Hecheng District, Huaihua City.  

Tel: 0745-2738210

Office hours: Monday-Friday (except statutory holidays) 

              9:00-12:00; 13:30-17:00

(Compiled by Mi Yudan)