China to lift hukou-based marriage registration restrictions nationwide

China will soon offer nationwide access to its cross-regional marriage registration service, following a recent revision of the regulations governing marriage registration, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Saturday.

Under the new rules, couples will no longer need to register marriages in the location of their hukou, which is permanent household registration. Instead, they will be able to choose a registry office in the habitual residence of either party, removing a significant logistical barrier.

This reform is aimed at addressing the needs of people who live or work away from their registered hometowns, particularly younger generations. Previously, couples had to return to their hukou location for marriage registration, which created travel and financial difficulties.

According to the latest national census, about 493 million Chinese people lived away from their hukou location in 2020, an 88.52 percent increase from a decade earlier.

A pilot program for inter-provincial marriage registration began in June 2021 and was gradually expanded to 21 provincial-level regions, including Beijing, Shanghai and Inner Mongolia. By February 2025, approximately 492,000 couples had benefited from the program.

The reform was made possible through the digitalization of the marriage registration system. A national marriage information database has been established, enabling civil affairs agencies nationwide to share data seamlessly.

To streamline the process further, the Ministry of Civil Affairs plans to improve digital infrastructure for online appointments and inter-provincial data verification, ensuring a smoother experience for couples across the country.