Getting married is a significant and exciting decision for couples. If you are planning to tie the knot, there's a lot you'll need to prepare, more so if you're in a foreign place. First there are some general requirements for marriage registration in China. 

 

Basic Conditions:

1. Minimum age: 20 for women and 22 for men.

2. The man and woman who apply for marriage shall go to the marriage registration authority in person to get registered.

3. Both the man and the woman concerned have to be getting married voluntarily.

4. China observes monogamy.

5. You cannot get married if you are lineal relatives or collateral relatives within three generations.

Note: China no longer provides marriage registration for two foreigners to get married in the country.

 

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Documents to Prepare:

 

For your Chinese spouse: 

1. Personal ID card.

2. Household registration permit of Shanghai.

For you: 

1. A valid passport or other international travel documents or Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card.

2. Certificate of single status. There are two situations depending on your nationality.

  (a) If your country is a contracting party of the Convention on Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, you can get the certificate of single status from:

   (i) a notary or competent authority at your country with an Apostille;

   (ii) the embassy (consulate) of your country in China.

  (b) If your country is not a contracting party of the Convention on Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, you can get the certificate from:

   (i) a notary or competent authority at your country and authenticated by the embassy (consulate) of the People’s Republic of China in your country;

   (ii) a notary or competent authority at your country and authenticated by the embassy (consulate) of your country in China; 

   (iii) the embassy (consulate) of your country in China.

Notice: The certificate of single status will be valid for six months from the date of issue.

 

3. Translated copies of the certificate of single status and Apostille mentioned above. Translations by the Chinese Embassy (consulate) in your country or a qualified translation institution will be accepted (the translation institution shall provide the copy of the business license with its official seal).

4. Three copies of a color photo of you and your spouse-to-be (couple's portrait).

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Marriage Registration:

Go to the marriage registration office in the jurisdiction of your partner's hukou (household registration). If your partner does not have a Shanghai hukou, you cannot get your marriage registration done in Shanghai.

Shanghai has expanded its marriage registration services for foreign nationals to six districts: Huangpu, Xuhui, Changning, Jing'an, Minhang and Pudong New Area.

For example, a resident of Huangpu district planning to marry a foreigner can now register their marriage at either the city's marriage registration center or the Huangpu district center. 

You can book an appointment for marriage registration at the Government Online-Offline Shanghai website or through the "suishenban 随申办" mini-program on WeChat. Search "婚姻登记预约marriage registration reservation" on suishenban to reserve registration service.

If you are not fluent in Chinese, you can call 021-64325088 for English service during working hours to make an appointment.

The detailed addresses and contact information for the various registration centers are as follows:

• Shanghai Municipal Marriage Registration Center:

Address: 3rd Floor, Shanghai Everbright Convention & Exhibition Center, No 80 Caobao Road, Tel: 021-64325088

Opening hours: 9 am to 11:30 am and 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm, Monday to Saturday (except for national holidays; marriage registration is also available on Jan 1, May 1, Oct 1, and during the Mid-Autumn Festival).

• Pudong New Area:

Address: 3rd Floor, No 2240 South Pudong Road, Tel: 021-58828056 (Marriage), 021-58829805 (Divorce)

• Huangpu district:

Address: No 250 Middle Jiangxi Road, Tel: 021-63777913

• Xuhui district:

Address: 3rd Floor, Building 2, Xuhui Administrative Service Center, No 999 Nanning Road, Tel: 021-64325543

• Changning district:

Address: 1st Floor, Building 2, Lane 631, Jinzhong Road, Tel: 021-62705580

• Jing'an district:

Address: 1st & 2nd Floors, No 50 Moling Road, Tel: 021-53550041

• Minhang district:

Address: No 1766 Xinzhen Road, Tel: 021-54530884

 

Sources: Government Online-Offline Shanghai, Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs