Ⅰ. Overseas Chinese citizens get married in UK
The Chinese government encourages overseas Chinese citizens to register their marriages in the country in which they live.
Marriage certificates can be used in China after accomplishing the Steps of Legalization.
Ⅱ. British citizen who has never been married applies for legalization of documents in order to get married in China
1) One properly filled-in and duly signed application form for legalization.
2) A Single Status Certificate obtained in the last 3 months from Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and authenticated by the FCO and its duplicate.
3) Proof of identity with photo (such as valid passport) and its duplicate.
Ⅲ. British citizen divorced/widowed in UK applies for legalization of documents in order to get married in China
1) One properly filled-in and duly signed application form for legalization.
2) A Single Status Certificate obtained in the last 3 months from Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and authenticated by the FCO and its duplicate.
3) The Decree issued by the Court of UK and authenticated in the last 3 months by FCO and its duplicate. The divorced in UK whose former spouse is a Chinese citizen shall apply to a competent court in China to have the Decree recognized after the legalization by this Embassy. The divorced from a non-Chinese citizen shall provide a certificate in relation to the nationality of the former spouse and the duplicate copy.
4) The Death Certificate authenticated by FCO in relation to the deceased spouse and the duplicate copy alternatively.
5) Proof of identity with photo (such as valid passport) and its duplicate.
Ⅳ. Information on getting married in China
A non-Chinese wishing to go to China to marry a Chinese citizen should be acknowledged that the legal marriage age in China is 22 and above for male, 20 and above for female according to the Chinese law, and bigamy is illegal.
Before going to China, the following documents should be prepared:
1) To make Statutory Declaration either in front of a registered solicitor or to a Notary Public including Name, Gender, Date and Place of birth, Nationality, Passport or ID card number, Occupation, Address and Marital status (never married, divorced or widowed).
2) To have the Declaration authenticated by the Legalization Office of Foreign and Commonwealth Office of U.K. and legalized finally by this Embassy. The documents are valid for 6 months since the date of legalization.
After entering China with the above said documents and a valid Chinese Visa, the to-be-married should go together with his/her fiancée/fiancé, submit in person their marriage application to the Marriage Registration Office of the local government above county level where the Chinese fiancée / fiancé resides and, have their health checked by a designated hospital. The marriage can be registered only after the application is ratified, and the Marriage Certificate is issued upon registration.
The Legalisation Office of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office:
Old Admiralty Building, Whitehall, London SW1A 2LG.
Tel:020-7008-1111 Fax:020-7008-1010. http://www.fco.gov.uk/legalisation
