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Q: Getting a Residence Permit after marriage.
After a long and daunting trek around China and jumping through all the bureaucracy, I've finally done it. I'm now the proud owner of a two year residence permit. So, I'm going to explain the steps I took to obtain this permit and point out all the problems I ran into along the way.
MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE
After you've met the true love of your life and are ready to settle down, or travel, you'll need to get married and then obtain a residence permit. This permit will allow you to stay inside China and come and go as I please for two years until it expires. First, let's cover the marriage part of it and then go onto the permit. Really AFTER figuring all of this information out on my own, it wasn't too difficult.
*A universal rule in China - Make copies of all of your documents and then make some more copies. You can never have enough.
To get the marriage certificate you'll need the following;
1. Passport (with a current visa)
2. Singles Certificate (translated and certified) [ $40 from embassy] [ 200 rmb for translation]
3. A photograph for a marriage certificates (with a red background) [ 30 rmb ]
Your spouse will need the following:
1. ID card
2. Hukou
3. A photograph for a marriage certificates (with a red background) [ 30 rmb ]
Assuming that you've already got a passport and up-to-date visa, you'll need then to obtain a Singles Certificate. To do this you'll need to go to your embassy and retrieve it from them. Usually you'll need to set an appointment first and then pay a fee to get it (The fee for me was $40 from the US Embassy in GZ). Contact your embassy for specific details. Your spouse should already have their ID and Hukou. Then you'll need to take your marriage pictures, which can be done anywhere. Now you two are ready to go get married.
The next step is to travel to your spouse's home province and go to the capital city. ( In the instance of my wife and I, we went to Zhengzhou, Henan. ) Once you're there you'll need to get your Singles Certificate translated by a certified translator (The price for me was about 200 rmb). Usually the "Foreigner Marriage Registration Building" will have a company that you can use. That will be a good time to schedule an appointment with them the next day. Once you do get your translated certificate take it back the the "Foreigner Marriage Registration Building" and bring copies of all of your documents and your pictures *see rule above. They'll give you a piece of paper to fill out for each person. Your paper will need to be in Chinese if applicable, i.e your name is in your native language. Once you've given them everything and paid the fee (The price for me was about 150 rmb), you'll have to wait about an hour. You'll now be taken into the room to verify the document and sign one more paper. They'll give each of you a red booklet with your pictures and information inside. Now you're married and can go back home.
POLICE REGISTRATION
To make sure everything goes smoothly after this process, your spouse needs to be registered with the local police station for at least 6 months prior to obtaining your permit. They should have a residence card to prove it. You also need to be registered. So, the first thing that needs to be done is for both of you to go to the police station and register. They'll give you a registration paper that you'll need later. This is a good time to make sure your spouse has a residence card that states they've been there for 6 months or more. If they haven't been there for 6 month "ON PAPER" then you'll have to wait. To obtain this paper you'll need another 2 pieces of paper from your landlord.
You'll need the following;
1. The Rental Agreement
2. The Landlords Owners Certificate
3. Passport
Of course, if you own your home or your spouse does, then you'll need that paperwork to obtain the registration paper. Hand them everything and fill out a paper and you're done. Now that you've got that paper and everything else, you're almost ready to get the residence permit.
MEDICAL EXAMINATION
Now you'll need to go and get a medical test showing that you're not infected with something that could cause others harm or that you're not disabled and a non-productive member of society. This medical test will usually stand for one year after it has been taken. So if you're going to stay longer than the residence permit, you are soon to get, you'll probably need to get another one. The examination cost me around 600 rmb. To get the medical examination you'll just need your passport, and make sure to always bring copies. Once you get there and register, they'll send you through a series of examinations. Just follow the arrows and go to each room. It's a basic checkup, x-ray, blood work, and urine test. There might be some other things depending on the location. Once you finish take the results to the front desk, pay the person and they'll tell you to come back in a week to pick up your booklet. I actually paid extra to have it in two days. Now for the last step of this entire process. It's time to get your residence permit. You'll need the following before you go to the P.S.B.
RESIDENCE PERMIT
You'll need the following;
1. Passport
2. Copy of Passport information page
3. Copy of the Visa
4. Copies of all visa pages including entry and exit stamps
5. Copy of the marriage certificate
6. Copy of the medical evaluation
7. The original registration paper from the police
8. Copy of your spouse's ID card (front and back)
9. Copy of your spouse's residence card (front and back)
10. Picture for the permit ( This can be taken at the PSB and cost about 25 rmb)
11. 800 rmb ( This price may change but for me it was for the 2 year permit )
Once you have everything, go to the P.S.B. and go straight to the front desk to get a number. Hand the person behind the desk everything and they'll organize it and tell you if you're missing anything. It'd be wise to take your spouse with you for translation. Once you get a number then go to the place they tell you ( for me in Zhuhai, I had to go to the second floor ). Once your number is called, take everything to the counter and hand it over. The person will take everything, organize it, type some stuff in the computer, ask you to sit and take a picture, and then give you a piece of paper. They will keep your passport and all the paperwork. You'll get a piece of paper with all your information on it. It's basically a replacement passport for one week. They'll then tell you to come back in a week and pick up your passport. After a week, go back to the P.S.B. and get another number from the front desk. Go to the payment desk and pay the 800 and then wait again until you're called back up. Give the person behind the desk the paper and they'll give you your passport with a new visa/residence permit inside. Congratulations, you're done.
UNKNOWLEDGEABLE EXPERIENCE
So, with all that being said, none of it went that smoothly for me. My wife and I had to literally go back to all these places over and over again until we got everything correct. The marriage part of it wasn't that difficult but the P.S.B. was an "OMG" moment. However, finding someone who knew exactly what we needed or wat to do was near impossible. We literally went back about 6 times, to the P.S.B., after the 5th time of them telling us she needs to be here for 6 months and I'd just have to wait. With a week left on my current visa, I finally got it. I hope these instructions help you out and please leave a comment or your experience.
9 years 29 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - China
Good post with good info 
diegoelizalde13:
wow, that's wonderful and thanks for your advice, I hope that things work well for you and your wife.
Good post with good info
diegoelizalde13:
wow, that's wonderful and thanks for your advice, I hope that things work well for you and your wife.
Great post but two things jump out at me.
Marriage: I got married in April in Nanchang. The one extra thing they needed was a notarised translation of my passport. This requirement must vary between provinces. To avoid delays might be worth getting it done as it lost us half a day & a trip across the city.
Residents permit. My understanding was that to get a 2 year residents permit you needed to have the stupid government medical. Again, this may vary by province.
Definitely worth checking on local requirements & always ask at least two different people. In the case of my passport translation we weren't told this until we got there & this was after my wife to be had phoned them!
:
You're completely right and I forgot to add that, I'll add it now
Yes, there were many times when my wife would call and be told one thing and then we'd get there and it was something different. Once, she swore she spoke to the same girl on the phone.
samad_khan772:
really informative post. i didnt got letter or anything from my landlord and the police gave me the registration directly. Except my single certificaes' translation. i didnt translated any doc. But i got done with everything and enjoying now.
Cool Post. Thanks a lot.
Did your wife or you need to show proof of income or bank statement with the amount that your wife has? Any warning speeches?
May I ask how you plan to support yourself and wife? (Only to learn new ideas.)
Although every single friend of mine on a Q visa is working, even though it's illegal, the PSB know they work but no one stops them in Shenzhen. So I think its a good thing, if I quit Wall Street I too would work on a QQ visa.
Great insight. Every time I approach my local PSB office they keep telling me I do not need an RP. I have been to two [2] different stations on several occasions and they tell me the same thing over and over. To be honest I think they are just so bloody lazy. Even when I need to registered my residency they can't be bothered making all sorts of excuses. Last time I made 5 visits to register, and then refused to move until the processed the documents. Which in the end they did, but with the usual aggressive we know better, don't waste my time attitude.
Isn't it true that you get 9 months out of every 12 to live here? If this is true, you can spend 90 days in Hong Kong and then come back in.
I don't know how inconvenient this is on you though...
HappyExPat:
NO !. You do not have to leave for three months, to qualify as resident you must spent at least 9 months out of twelve in China. I have been living here for over 5 years continuously, never left except for this year a quick 10 days trip back home. Never had a problem with the RP as long as I continue married, which I do plan to.
laowaigentleman:
@happy.
That's great news for me. I am planning to marry my Chinese fiancee. I've been here two years' but they're a struggle. Her family are very old fashioned and money minded. I was to ensure that as her husband, I can qualify for permanent residency once we have children, but our plan is to return to my home country in the future as the economy there is doing very well, the air is clean and things are slowly getting cheaper. It'll never compare with China for utilities prices, but I miss living near the sea and having museums and libraries to visit which have all of the latest literature, history and science publications.
Hmmm, very nice and informative post. When I was applying this year March, I didn't gave the translation of my passport. And I translated marriage certificate in PSB office not in embassy. But it's ok not a big difference. Enjoy your stay in china.
sunilsah2050:
I think translation of passport is not required at all. The marriage certificate has to be translated by a third party( usually a local translation company who's paying a kickback to the marriage office.
I am sorry but you might be wrong about the medical examinations.
Medical examination is required only for the first resident permit. Afterwards extensions do not need any such certificate.
Hotwater:
I've had to get a new medical every year when renewing my work permit/RP.......
artdio:
Been here going on four years, only one examination done so far.
This post is incredibly helpful and thank you. But what about working? Would this visa prevent me from legal employment?
ironman510:
You can only work Online at home. Online Teaching jobs can be found on Daves ESL cafe on the international job board. Can't do anything else. I heard a rumor itll change someday but have to pay a high tax
This post is incredibly helpful and thank you. But what about working? Would this visa prevent me from legal employment?
But what's the point? You can enter and leave China that's correct but you can't work on that legally. You still need to get a Z-visa every year to work. To get real permanent residency you would need a D-visa which is impossible to get I heard...
Hotwater:
Not impossible but almost! They've issued about 5000 D visas in 10 years.
Also note its not "permanent", they are renewable every 10 years.
No he can't work with that so I don't see why it's worth all the hassle to get that visa when he needs a different kind of visa for working too 
What kind of Residence? permanent or temp?
Hotwater:
Resident visas through marriage are maximum 2 years each time
My theory is that the "Marriage Permit" is designed for Vietnamese women.
1) Marry Chinese man
2) Move to China
3) Get this RP
4) Become housewife / mother
5) Help out family business perhaps, no wage. (Shop/ farm etc)
Not enough women in China, so why make it easy or fair for dirty foreign men to come and steal them...
I still don't get why a westerner who is working as an English teacher should get this marriage permit. What do you do at the age of 55 when you have kids to raise but you can't continue working in China legally since above 55 you can't qualify for a working visa. Marriage visage only lets you stay in China, won't allow you to work on it :(
Hotwater:
It's 60, not 55!
by that age most foreigners will have retired & will still need a visa to live in China with their families.
Good post artile,and thanks for your sharing ,it is really very detalied information .
Now as far as we know ,because we have been helped most of foreigners to get the Q2 visa for 2 years with multi entries every 180 days ,as long as that you have been married with Chinese lady or Man,But do not get married because of china visa ,we know most of foreigners think that get married with local person then will get the china visa easliy.Yes,as fact it is trues.but you need to think that if visa worth marriage.your important thing in your life marriage/
here is my situation, i need to marry this chinese lady while im visiting her for the length of my visa stay in china ok? i dont want to be a resident or live in china The only time im staying in china is when im visiting her in china the 1st time and when she wants to return to china from my country the US to see her parents
Hotwater:
So why reply on this topic? Pointless!
You are getting correct answers on your questions so please stick to them.
