Service Guide of Marriage Registration for Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan Region, Overseas Chinese and Residents of Foreign Countries
05 22, 2026
Both parties must go to the marriage registration authority in person to complete the marriage registration process. If they satisfy the marriage requirements, the marriage shall be registered, and the marriage certificate shall be issued on the spot. The marital relationship is established upon completion of the marriage registration.Acceptance Conditions for Marriage RegistrationThe marriage registration authority shall perform its statutory duties;Both parties who plan to get married shall jointly arrive at the Marriage Registration Office of Civil Affairs Bureau in person to apply for registration；Male applicants shall be at least the age of 22, and female applicants must reach the age of 20. Applications shall be accepted on the exact birthday;Both parties shall have no spouse (shall be single, divorced, or widowed)；Neither party shall be the lineal relatives by blood or the collateral relatives by blood up to three generations；The parties shall apply for marriage on a voluntary basis；The parties shall possess the prescribed valid identity documents and written documentsDocuments Submitted for Marriage RegistrationThe parties concerned shall provide 3 recent, bare-headed, half-length, identical photos taken together.Valid identity documents and written documents.Mainland residents shall present their valid Resident Identity Cards. Those unable to submit identity cards for special reasons may present valid temporary resident identity cards.Hong Kong Region Residents: Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong Residents or other valid travel documents, or valid Residence Permit of Hong Kong Residents and ID cards for their residence in Hong Kong region; the statement issued by a notary institution of Hong Kong region proves that the applicant has no spouse and is neither the lineal relative by blood nor the collateral relative by blood up to three generations of the other party.Macao Region Residents: Mainland Travel Permit for Macao Residents or other valid travel documents, or valid Residence Permit of Macao Residents and ID cards for their residence in Macao region; the statement issued by a notary institution of Macao region proves that the applicant has no spouse and is neither the lineal relative by blood nor the collateral relative by blood up to three generations of the other party.Taiwan Region Residents: Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents or other valid travel documents, or valid Residence Permit of Taiwan Residents and ID cards for their residence in Taiwan region; the statement issued by a notary institution of Taiwan region proves that the applicant has no spouse and is neither the lineal relative by blood nor the collateral relative by blood up to three generations of the other party.Overseas Chinese from Contracting States: A valid passport of the applicant; a certificate issued by the Embassy (Consulate) of the People's Republic of China in that country, stating that the applicant has no spouse and is not related to the other party by lineal blood or collateral blood within three generations, together with a Chinese translation. Alternatively: A valid passport of the applicant, as well as the certificate issued by the Embassy or Consulate of the People's Republic of China in the said country proving the aforesaid marital status and kinship status, accompanied by its Chinese translation. (Contracting States refer to countries that have acceded to the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. For the latest list of Contracting States and the entry-into-force status of the Convention, please log on to the website of the Chinese Consular Service Network (http://cs.mfa.gov.cn). The same shall apply hereinafter.)Overseas Chinese residing in non-Contracting States: A valid passport of the applicant; a certificate issued by a notarial institution or competent authority of the residence country, authenticated by the Embassy or Consulate of the People's Republic of China in that country, certifying that the applicant has no spouse and shares no lineal consanguinity or collateral consanguinity within three generations with the other party, together with its Chinese translation. Alternatively: A valid passport of the applicant, plus a certificate issued by the Embassy or Consulate of the People's Republic of China in that country verifying the aforesaid marital status and kinship status, accompanied by its Chinese translation.Relevant certificates issued by countries having no diplomatic relations with China shall be authenticated by the embassy or consulate of a third country which maintains diplomatic relations with both such country and China, stationed in the aforesaid country and by the Chinese embassy or consulate stationed in that third country, or authenticated by the embassy or consulate of the said third country stationed in China.Foreign nationals from Contracting States: A valid passport or other valid international travel documents of the applicant, or identity documents issued by the competent authorities of the Chinese government, such as the Foreign Permanent Resident Identity Card. (Where the applicant uses the Foreign Permanent Resident Identity Card as an identity document, the valid passport number shall be provided simultaneously); a single status certificate issued by the notarial institution or competent authority of the home country, together with an apostille and its Chinese translation. Alternatively: A valid passport or other valid international travel documents, or identity documents issued by the competent authorities of the Chinese government, including the Foreign Permanent Resident Identity Card. (Applicants using the Foreign Permanent Resident Identity Card shall also furnish their valid passport numbers), alongside a single status certificate issued by the embassy or consulate of the home country stationed in China, together with its Chinese translation.Foreign Nationals from Non-Contracting States: A valid passport or other valid international travel documents of the applicant, or identity documents issued by competent authorities of the Chinese government, such as the Foreign Permanent Resident Identity Card. (If the applicant uses the Foreign Permanent Resident Identity Card as an identity credential, the valid passport number shall be submitted concurrently); a single status certificate issued by a notarial institution or competent authority of the home country, duly authenticated by the Embassy or Consulate of the People's Republic of China in that country or by the embassy or consulate of that country in China, together with its Chinese translation. Alternatively: A valid passport or other valid international travel documents, or identity documents issued by competent authorities of the Chinese government, including the Foreign Permanent Resident Identity Card. (Applicants adopting the Foreign Permanent Resident Identity Card shall provide their valid passport numbers as well), accompanied by a single status certificate issued by the embassy or consulate of the home country in China and its Chinese translation.Relevant certificates issued by countries without diplomatic relations with China shall be authenticated by the embassy or consulate of a third country having diplomatic relations with both the issuing country and China, accredited to the issuing country and by the Chinese diplomatic or consular mission in such third country, or authenticated by the embassy or consulate of the aforesaid third country stationed in China.
