Shanghai making international marriages easier with three more districts offering the service

Shanghai is making it easier for international couples to tie the knot. Starting on Wednesday, three more districts in the city – Hongkou, Putuo and Yangpu – are opening their doors to marriage registration for foreigners marrying locals with a Shanghai hukou (registered residency).

Previously, couples had to head to the Shanghai Marriage Registration Center in Xuhui or another five districts or the Pudong New Area if they lived in the aforementioned three districts. Now however, foreigners, residents from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and overseas Chinese can also enjoy the convenience of registering in their districts.

If you want to book your slot then just go to the Suishenban app, and check out the city government's public service platform at https://mzj.sh.gov.cn/marryweb/index.html. And make sure your partner's hukou is in one of the eight eligible districts or the Pudong New Area.

Here's what you need to tie the knot in Shanghai:

For Shanghai residents:

ID card: Have your ID card ready, digital copies are accepted.

Residence booklet: Don't forget your residence booklet.

Single status affirmation: A signed document confirming you're single and not closely related to your spouse-to-be.

For foreign residents:

Passport or valid travel documents: Make sure your international travel documents are up to date.

Single status documents: Authorized documents confirming you're not currently married.

For both:

Photographs: You'll need to provide photographs.

Make sure to have all these essentials ready to ensure a smooth registration process.

Q: Can my Five Star Permanent Residence Card be used as valid ID proof?

A: Absolutely, your Five Star Permanent Residence Card is good to go as a stand-in for your passport or other international travel documents. Just remember, you'll still need to provide your valid passport number when using it. So keep that handy.

Q: Does being from a Hague Convention country simplify the marriage registration process in China?

A: Yes, if you hail from a country in the Hague Convention, there's good news. China is a member of the Hague Convention, making the whole process smoother since November 7. No more running around for consular stamps on your single status documents. Just make sure these documents come from recognized authorities and have a Chinese translation attached for verification.

Q: How can I make a reservation?

A: You can make a reservation via the Suishenban app "随申办," the city government's public service platform, the official WeChat account of the bureau "民服务," and the Alipay app.

Here are a list of places to get married:

The Hongkou Tian'ai Road Marriage Registration Sub-Center

Address: 50 Tian'ai Sub-Street 甜爱支路50号

Tel: 5512-7328

The Putuo Marriage Registration Center

Address: 510 Caoyang Rd 曹杨路510号

Tel: 6244-1118 ext 3002

The Yangpu Marriage Registration Center

Address: 1111 Changyang Rd 长阳路1111号

Tel: 6506-1665

The Huangpu Marriage Registration Center

Address: 250 Jiangxi Rd M. 江西中路250号

Tel: 6377-7913

The Xuhui Marriage Registration Center

Address: 3/F, Bldg 2, 999 Nanning Rd

Tel: 6423-5543

The Changning Marriage Registration Center

Address: 1/F, Bldg 2, Lane 631, Jinzhong Rd 金钟路631弄2号楼一楼

Tel: 6270-5589

The Jing'an Marriage Registration Center

Address: 1-2/F, 50 Moling Rd 秣陵路50号1-2楼

Tel: 6244-1118 ext 3002

The Minhang Marriage Registration Center

Address: 1766 Xinzhen Rd 新镇路1766号

Tel: 5453-0884

The Pudong Marriage Registration Center

Address: 3/F, 2240 Pudong Rd S.

Tel: 5882-8056 (marriage), 5882-9805 (divorce)

The Shanghai Marriage Registration Center

Address: 3/F, Shanghai Everbright Convention & Exhibition Center, 80 Caobao Rd 漕宝路80号(光大会展中心D座)3楼

Tel: 6432-5088