According to a recent draft modification, marriage registration in China will require fewer paperwork and allow for more flexibility in registration locations. According to the proposed draft, mainland couples will simply require their identification cards and a written declaration confirming that they are not currently married and have no blood relation.
The declaration will demonstrate that there is no three-generation relationship with the other party in order to register their marriage. Individuals are now required to bring their resident household registration books when registering for marriage. This would be the first change to the marriage registration ordinance since it was introduced in 2003.
The public is encouraged to provide feedback on the draft via the Ministry of Civil Affairs’ official website, email, or by mail until September 11. The amended draft also removes the restrictions on marriage registration places. To complete the procedure, couples must currently visit marriage registration offices in the districts where they have their permanent abode.
It stated that many netizens have hailed the change for increasing efficiency. One Sina Weibo comment was a complaint about the difficulties a man encountered when attempting to obtain his resident household registration page from his employer’s collective registration book.
According to official figures, 3.43 million couples married in the first half of this year, half the number from the same period in 2014. Experts attribute the fall to a dwindling eligible population, changing views towards marriage, and financial worries.
According to Zhou Haiwang, a researcher at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, more young people are postponing marriage until they are personally ready. Meanwhile, the draft revision included a 30-day “cooling-off period” for divorce, during which either party could withdraw their application if they did not want to proceed. Marriage registration offices should then end the divorce process, according to the document.
