Marriage Registration in China

Updated: 08 /01 /2003

The applicant who will go to China for marriage registration shall apply for a single/non-marital status certificate. Legal marriage age in China is 22 or older for male and 20 or older for female.

Procedure for obtaining a single/non-marital status certificate

1. Affidavit of Single Status, signed before a notary public.
2. Certified  by the Secretary of the State Office of the state where the document is executed.
*Some states require the notarized document to be sent to the notary public's county clerk for verification before presenting to the Office of Secretary of State. Please contact Secretary of State Office of the state where your document is executed for details.

3. Certified by the relevant Consulate General. You must apply to the correct Consulate General which holds consular jurisdiction over your area of residence. The Consular District of the Chinese Consulate General in Houston covers: Alabama, Arkansas, Flordia, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas. Only documents certified by the Secretaries of State Office of the above listed 8 states (Click Here for Their Contact Information) can be certified by the Chinese Consulate General in Houston. 

• You may come to the relevant Embassy or Consulate Generals for application, or send a representative to apply for you. No appointment is required.
• Mailed applications are also acceptable. Make sure you read the Mail Application Instructions.

Documents to be included with applications:

1. One Authentication Application Form (G1), completed and signed by the applicant himself.
2. Photocopy of applicant's passport.
3. The original and photocopy of the notarized and Secretar of State certified Affidavit of Single Status.

1. The authentication fee of $20 is payable by Money Order, Cashier’s Check, Company Check or Cash.
2. Personal checks are not acceptable. Please make the check payable to Chinese Embassy or Chinese Consulate.
3. For mail service, an additional 5 dollars PER PACKAGE for handling will be charged. Make sure you read Mail Application Instructions.
4. The regular processing time is 4 working days. For express service, additional fees of $30 for 1 working day processing, or $20 for 2-3 working days processing will be charged.

Additional information

• The divorced or the widowed shall have the divorce certificate or death certificate of the ex-spouse be certified/authenticated together with the Affidavit of Single Status.
• The divorced whose ex-spouse is a Chinese citizen, and who hold the divorce decree executed by the US court, shall apply to the Chinese court for the acknowledgement of the divorce decree.
• According to the Marriage Law of the People’s Republic of China, the minimum marriageability age is 22 for men and 20 for women.

On this date of  _________________, I,    (name of affiant) ,

residing at (street and number)  (city)  (state)      (zip code)  

BEING DULY SWORN DEPOSE AND SAY:

I was born on   (date)   at   (city)    (country)      

I am a (country) citizen. My passport number is           

I am a  (current occupation) . I am employed by (company name and address)                                     

I am currently single, have never been married (or was divorced/widowed on   (date)      and have never been remarried since that date).

Signature of the Affiant: _______________________________

Name in Print:________________________________________

(For the Notary Public)

Subscribed and sworn to before me by (name of affiant)  on this____day of ________________.