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Q: Marriageability affadavit at the US Shanghai embassy - need a witness?
Question just as written in the title. When getting married in china it is necessary to get a document from the embassy to prove you are single. I saw on the embassy website that you swear yourself single, but didnt see a specific clause designating whether I need to bring a witness for that or not.
8 years 1 week ago in Relationships - China
You don't need a witness, just swear you are single and sign the form.
You don't need a witness, just swear you are single and sign the form.
I suspect the person at the embassy that you're swearing in front of would be considered the witness. And, since the work in an embassy, would be considered of higher standing than most other people.
(This is coming from a Justice of the Peace who would witness and sign affidavits in Australia... me 
)
expatlife26:
Justice of the Peace sounds like such a noble title.
Did you ever get to carry out public hangings or send somebody to the stocks?
Shining_brow:
@Expat... not quite. Although, in the state I'm qualified in, my self and 2 other JP's can form a temporary magistrates court to arraign someone til one becomes available. Additionally, myself and a doctor can consign someone to a mental health facility for up to 48 hours until a psychiatric assessment can be made.
And... if the police want a search warrant, they need to get a JP to sign off on it... but they not only need to present sufficient evidence of why they want to search, we can also DEMAND that they prove why it needs to be at a ridiculous hour of the night/morning, AND to present us with any evidence found afterwards!
That's on top of swearing of oaths, which are as legally binding as in court - ie, equal to perjury if knowingly lying.
I had to do this at the British Consulate in Guangzhou two years ago. I had to take my UK divorce papers with me and swear that I was single. No witness needed.
My wife-to-be did come with me as the UK posts a notice of marriage and then issues the certificate of no impediment 3 weeks later! It was issued in English and Chinese so no need to get it translated and notarised.
I recently was married last year. I had to take my wife's ID instead of her coming because she couldn't travel with me. I swore in front of the American consulate clerk and signed some papers. Quick process but long wait. Get there early, there'll be thousands of Chinese trying to get visas for international travel. Don't be surprised if few workers speak English. Look for some young people, they'll be interns helping to direct traffic.
There must be different rules for different countries/Chinese provinces-cities, as always.
I had to get a Certificate of Marriageability (is that even a word?) from the Births Deaths and Marriages department back home (Oz) and then get it notorised at my embassy in China (Gz). And complete a statutory declaration. It took 2 trips to the embassy - a 5 day turnaround - but no big deal and quite fast each time.
Be careful about the Marriageability Affidavit. Some places require it to be in English and Chinese, others not. Some require it to be in the area of where her hukou (household book) is covered, some not. This is an issue of the local Chinese marriage bureau. Some cities even have separate bureaus for locals marrying foreigners, some not. It is best to have her contact, better in person, with her own authorities to get clarification. I say this because I have consulted with 3 different USA branches in China and each has given different documents or told me different things. In Shenyang and Beijing, for example, the document is automatically in Chinese and English, which is best. In Chengdu, where I registered, it is not and they said that people marrying in the Chengdu hukou area have never required this but do require it to say from the Consultate in Chengdu and not Beijing. I was warned that had I brought the wrong consulate or Embassy's paper that it could be rejected and you will waste transportation fees and the fee for the notarized document. I had this problem but was able to escape it by having mine translated by a local notary and translation office that was recognized by the Chinese government as being an authentic translation. Anyway, congrats and good luck.
