Clarify please!

[fivetrout]

Hong is asking me to contact the American embassy as to how many notarization's of marriage we need from the notary office. I'm not sure what she is asking for? Chinese notarization's? Do we need notarized certifications of our marriage for immigration purposes? Then she states...male and female certificate of the certification. She goes on to say...there is a need for both sides or unilateral marriage certificates.

Any help?

[fivetrout]

After further thought...I believe she is asking that the marriage be officially filed with the American embassy? And how many copies the American embassy requires?

[ChinaBound]

 None    You don't file it with the Embassy at all.

[shaun]

I think what she is looking for is a marriageability form from the American Consulate.  It is provided by the American Consulate after you provide the proper documentation to prove that you are eligible for marriage.  You only need one Marriageability Form to take to the Chinese Marriage office where your wife was born.

Here is a link to the American Consulate in Guangzhou that explains all that you need.

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/information_about_getting_married_in_china2.html

[Willy The Londoner]

I think what she is looking for is a marriageability form from the American Consulate.  It is provided by the American Consulate after you provide the proper documentation to prove that you are eligible for marriage.  You only need one Marriageability Form to take to the Chinese Marriage office where your wife was born.

Here is a link to the American Consulate in Guangzhou that explains all that you need.

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/information_about_getting_married_in_china2.html

Do you collect it the same day or is there a delay? I cannot see that set out in the link so maybe info from someone who has 'done it' may help.  It may be important for someone who is only going to be there for less than two weeks and may also have to travel to the Lady's home city to marry so time is important.

Willy

[Robertt S]

You will have to make an appointment on-line in most cases for the affidavit of marriageability, that form will then be taken to a local translation service to be translated to Chinese. You might also check on the exact location of the embassy that serves your girlfriend's region/province because many areas only have VPEs ( Virtual Presence Embassies or websites) You may have to travel a long distance to actually attend your appointment or wait until the embassy schedules a visit to the province you are located in.. Regards, Robert

[fivetrout]

I think Mike may have answered it. I think she is asking how many copies notarized and translated into English after marriage would I require. Yesterday Hong went to the marriage office in Wuhan (her city), and showed them a copy of singles affidavit I had Visarite obtain for me. She called me from the office and I spoke with an employee there. He said my singles affidavit was in order and we were good to go! Is there a delay in time... getting the notarized marriage certificate translated into English back, or is it something in which takes a few hours?

[Arnold]

For Qing and I, it took about 6 hours. We married at about 10:30am and took the Marriage Papers to a Translating Office in Shanghai and were told to come back before they close the same day. Cost: $ 320 yuan in 2008 for us. Those we took to an Official Notary Office to have them notarized in both Chinese and English, that took a couple days to get back.

[Neil]

We had ours notarized and translated while we waited.  it took about 5 minutes in an office across the street. 

[shaun]

After rereading your post I remember that we got 3 notarized copies at the lawyers office in Peggy's hometown.  We dropped the marriage certificate off then went back a couple of days later for the notarized copies.  Yes the Chinese notarizing is sufficient for the American Government.   There isn't any need to get it done at the consulate.

[fivetrout]

Thanks guys! I think 3 will do for us.

[LP]

Can any one here tell me if the invitation letter  from your  soon to laopo should be written  in English  or Chinese and Can I write it for her and have her sign it?

[fivetrout]

My invitation letter was from a sample letter I got somewhere. I sent it with my info. and she added hers then attached her Chinese ID card. It was in English.

[Martin]

Maybe the rules have changed since the two times I went there, but I never had an invitation letter.  Just an itinerary.  I did not have any problems getting a visa for me, or my daughter, who was seven at the time.