| It is advisable to find out the applicable procedures for temporary lodging before you leave for Guangzhou, as foreign nationals are required to register their accommodation with authorities within 24 hours of arrival in Guangzhou. If you plan to stay in Guangzhou for long or need to rent or purchase a property, you can also find the related information here. |  |
The Foreign-Related Marriage Registration Office of the Guangzhou Civil Affairs Bureau registers marriages and divorces involving any party with permanent residency in Guangzhou. All marriages and divorces must be voluntary. To get married, a man should at least be 22 years old while a woman should at least be 20 years old; the man and woman should have no other current spouse (which means that both should be single, divorced, or widowed at the time they are applying to register their marriage) and should not be lineal relatives by blood or collateral relatives by blood up to the third degree of kinship. A man or woman of foreign nationality may register their marriage in Guangzhou. To do so, they should produce certificates and documents as required by the Regulations on Marriage Registration, as well as a certificate proving that their home country recognizes foreign marriage registrations.
The marriage registration authority reviews certificates and statements provided by a man or woman seeking local marriage or divorce registration and immediately registers the marriage or divorce and issues a marriage or divorce certificate if all conditions have been found to be satisfied.
Select one of the following for additional details:
To register a marriage, the following documents should be provided:
· For the local citizen:
1. Permanent household registration book and ID card;
2. A signed statement indicating that the couple are not lineal relatives by blood or collateral relatives by blood up to the third degree of kinship.
· For foreign nationals:
1. Valid passport or other valid international travel documents;
2. A notarized certificate indicating that the person currently has no spouse (valid for six months after the date of issuance).
To register a divorce, the condition precedent is that both parties have full civil capacity must be satisfied, and the following documents must be provided:
1. Both parties' permanent household registration book, ID card, passport or other valid international travel documents;
2. Marriage certificates issued to the parties by the Chinese marriage registration authority or a Chinese diplomatic mission abroad;
3. The divorce agreement signed by both parties indicating that both parties agree to divorce of their free will and agree on the arrangements for the rearing of children and disposition of assets and debts;
4. Two large one-inch recent color photos (full face without hat) of each party.
※ Foreign-Related Marriages Registration Office, Guangzhou Civil Affairs Bureau
Add: 2/F, No. 99, Xihu Road, Guangzhou
Tel: 83342349
Website: http://mzj.gz.gov.cn/