© Image | 民政部

Will it revert? 

“We don’t receive any notice indicating this policy will change in the future.” Guangzhou’s Haizhu District Ministry of Civil Affairs Marriage Registration office said.

© Image | That’s Guangzhou

This means that two foreigners can no longer obtain a Chinese marriage certificate. This new regulation was published on Mar 29th, 2019, and went into effect nationwide on April 1st.

In fact, marriages between a foreigner and Chinese national are still permitted according to marriage regulation.

© Image | Google

However, the following Chinese citizens shall not be permitted to marry foreigners:

• Army men in active service, diplomatic personnel, public security personnel, confidential personnel, and other personnel who are in charge of important confidential work;

• Persons who are receiving reeducation through labor or serving a sentence.

Valid in HK

However, Hong Kong still issues marriage licenses regardless of nationality.

© Image | Google

If you intend to register your marriage in Hong Kong, you need to give the notice in advance to the Registrar. 

• You can use the online service to make an appointment if you choose to give the notice to a marriage registry in person. 

  http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/bdmreg/marriage/bookgivingmarriage.htm

• You can also make an appointment by giving notice through the 24-hour telephone booking system (telephone number: 3102 3883 ).

If you have successfully made an appointment for giving the notice at the marriage registry, either one of the marrying parties has to attend the selected marriage registry/office in person to give the notice as scheduled. 

© Image | Google

You have to produce the HK identity cards/travel documents/identification documents of both marrying parties. 

In the past

Foreigners applying for marriage registration shall produce the following certificates and documents:

Anyway, nothing will happen if you’ve already been married in China and how it might affect your legal status now.