Getting Married in China

[LightSear 8]

Hello All,

It was suggested that I start a new topic on the legal aspects of getting married in China. I have discovered a few things, but a few things I'm not sure about with the process so I wanted to get some thoughts.

I will Marry January 19, 2013.

My Fiancee will come back from Australia (she is studying abroad) in late November, 2012.

I know I need to produce a Marriageability Affidavit in order to get a Marriage license in China. There seems to be varying opinions on this matter so I wanted thoughts.

So far I have two plans I have been considering:

PLAN A

August 2012-Purchase a $10 Marriageability Affidavit at my local county clerk's office in America.

August 2012-Have the Affidavit notarized at my local bank for free. (does it matter where?)

Jan 19, 2013-Marry, take at least 3 marriage pictures.

Jan 26, 2013-Go to the Chinese Civil Affairs Office of Nanchang with my wife, my passport, 3 marriage pictures, and the local registration fee (I still don't know what it is.

Are there any problems I might run into do it this way? It much less expensive.

Someone had told me that I need to have professionals translate the marriageability Affidavit. Others have said, they don't even look at the Affidavit. I'm sure it varies from city to city. Anyone have thoughts on that?

Does it matter where or how I notarize? Are they going to be looking for a US/specific seal? Are notarizations just an official piece of metal raising the paper in China?

There is a document that is available online from the Guangzhou website: photos.state.gov/libraries/guangzhou/47024/ACS/acsaffidavit.doc. Should I print this out, bring it to my county clerk office, and have them use this for my Marriageability Affidavit or will my clerk's office Affidavit be enough?

Does it matter that I am getting my Marriageability Affidavit 5 months before my marriage and when I will apply for the license?

PLAN B

January 8-I go to US Embassy in Beijing (I will be visiting there anyway) Pay $50 for obtaining and notarizing the Marriageability Affidavit. Pay for someone to translate it.

Jan 19, 2013-Marry, take at least 3 marriage pictures.

Jan 26, 2013-Go to the Chinese Civil Affairs Office of Nanchang with my wife, my passport, 3 marriage pictures, and the local registration fee.

Like I said before, I'm not sure about getting it translated. Plan B dodges any problems I might have with getting my Marriageability Affidavit 5 months before my marriage.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from US Embassy & Consulate Discussion to China regional forum; topic is country specific.

**Organizer hat off**

If you want to obtain an "Affidavit of Single Status" stateside, it must be written in a specific format. You don't need to spend $10 to purchase an affidavit from your county clerk's office. Instead, go to the website of the Chinese Consulate in the US that has jurisdiction for the state you live in and read information regarding authentication of documents. It is there that you will find information regarding the "Affidavit of Single Status." There are specific instructions that you will need to follow, failure to do so will make your document unusable in China.

Whether you obtain your affidavit stateside or at the Embassy in Beijing, it will need to be translated. The caveat is the marriage bureau has the discretion to only accept translations from translation services of their choosing.

[RobDinsmore 1]

Moved from US Embassy & Consulate Discussion to China regional forum; topic is country specific.

**Organizer hat off**

If you want to obtain an "Affidavit of Single Status" stateside, it must be written in a specific format. You don't need to spend $10 to purchase an affidavit from your county clerk's office. Instead, go to the website of the Chinese Consulate in the US that has jurisdiction for the state you live in and read information regarding authentication of documents. It is there that you will find information regarding the "Affidavit of Single Status." There are specific instructions that you will need to follow, failure to do so will make your document unusable in China.

Whether you obtain your affidavit stateside or at the Embassy in Beijing, it will need to be translated. The caveat is the marriage bureau has the discretion to only accept translations from translation services of their choosing.

I had my affidavit done through visarite.com. It worked for the most part except it needed more chinese translation of the english portion even though the form was bilingual. I forget the details but I think they wanted the translation of the US notarized part.

[LightSear 8]

Since this was moved to another topic category, I had a heck of a time finding my post. I finally thought of searching for my username LightSear and I was able to find it. Does anyone know other ways to see your posts in visajourney?

Wow, New York's Chinese Consulate webpage is way more organized than Chicago's. It is much easier to find important information. For those doing the same thing as me, and in the midwest, here is the webpage for authenticating documents: http://www.chinaconsulatechicago.org/eng/ywzn/qzhz/gz/ It is under the title, "Visa & passport" which is why it was so hard to find. Click on Authentication for information on authenticating. It looks like a three step process. Going to the local notary, than the State Notary, then the Chinese consulate in America. I'm guess they do it this way so that the Affidavit is bilingual.

I am no longer in the position to be able to get materials in the states. I will revert to plan B. It seems it will be less hassle anyway since I'm already going there for vacation beforehand with my parents and siblings.

Here's my plan:

Set-up an appointment to go to the US embassy in Beijing after international plane tickets have been confirmed for my family. They are coming to see the wedding. Go to the US Embassy in Beijing at appointment timeGroom (me)-Swear that you are not marriedPay $50 feeReceive Affidavit of Marriageability Go to the civil affairs bureau 民政局 Mínzhèng júin the district where their 户口 Hùkǒu is registered (nanchang)Bring:Valid PassportJustine's Chinese Residence permitAffidavit of marriageability.Three wedding photos of the coupleMoney for Registration Fee

Two questions for the community:

Does anyone know how much time the US embassy in Beijing will take processing the Affidavit of Marriageability?

Is the affidavit of Marriageability that I will receive from the US embassy in Beijing usually good enough for the local civil affairs bureau

民政局 Mínzhèng jú? Some have said online that it needs to be a translated copy, but I would imagine that the Beijing consulate would produce a bilingual copy that would be acceptable at local civil affairs bureau 民政局 Mínzhèng jú.

LightSear

[LightSear 8]

I had my affidavit done through visarite.com. It worked for the most part except it needed more chinese translation of the english portion even though the form was bilingual. I forget the details but I think they wanted the translation of the US notarized part.

Do you know what visarite went through? Did they go through a US Embassy in China or a Chinese Embassy in America? How did you get your notarized translation and how much did you pay?

[Ryan H 3,812]

Since this was moved to another topic category, I had a heck of a time finding my post. I finally thought of searching for my username LightSear and I was able to find it. Does anyone know other ways to see your posts in visajourney?

On the upper right corner of the screen, you will see your username, next to your username, click the right arrow and a drop down menu will appear. In that menu, click on "My Content" and it will take you to the topics you have started and the topics you have posted in.

[Darnell 8,478]

re: Affadavit of Marriageability.

You won't know what the marriage office wants , for that document's translation requirements, until you actually go to the marriage registrar's office.

Once there, they will tell you IF they accept it directly without translation INTO Chinese, or not.

and if not - they will tell you WHICH TRANSLATION OFFICE they will accept a translation from.

G

[Blackadder47 0]

Does anyone know how much time the US embassy in Beijing will take processing the Affidavit of Marriageability?

I got the Affidavit in Shanghai and it only took an hour or so. I had to make an appointment through the consulate website.

[Darnell 8,478]

I got mine done in one morning in 2008.

Ya had to book an appointment first with ACS - American Citizen Services,

but the appointment booking is on the US Embassy/BeiJing Website.

[LightSear 8]

Thank you for your thoughts. I'll book the appointment now.

[Darnell 8,478]

Thoughts?

I offered facts.

Here's a thought, however malformed.

Get married, live in China for a year, file DCF on month 7.

[LightSear 8]

Yes, those were definitely facts and helpful. Thank you.

What's a DCF?

We plan to live in China for 2 years after marriage, then immigrate to America permanently. Any other facts would be greatly appreciated.

[Pitaya 2,577]

Yes, those were definitely facts and helpful. Thank you.

What's a DCF?

We plan to live in China for 2 years after marriage, then immigrate to America permanently. Any other facts would be greatly appreciated.

DCF = Direct Consular Filing

[Ryan H 3,812]

We plan to live in China for 2 years after marriage, then immigrate to America permanently. Any other facts would be greatly appreciated.

Since this is your plan, when the time comes you will be able to file the petition at one of the USCIS filed offices in China (Beijing or Guangzhou) that has jurisdiction over the area you are living in (aka DCF). By filing that route, the entire process will be handled in China, no waiting on USCIS service centers or the NVC.

[Darnell 8,478]

yup yup. Concur.

Shift yer calendar, file the I-130 via DCF intake circa 4 months prior to yer intended departure date.

Good Luck, and Stuff !