Important Notice
The purposes of establishing marriage records in Hong Kong under the Marriage Ordinance (Cap.181, Laws of Hong Kong) are:
In processing an applicant’s request, the Registrar shall take into account the supplementary information, including the purpose(s) and intended use of the search result and requested records, and all supporting documents, if any, provided by the applicant.
If a person has already registered a marriage in Hong Kong and wishes to obtain a certified copy of marriage certificate, he/she can apply for a search of marriage records and / or a certified copy of marriage certificate. The following paragraphs provide information on how and where to apply for the record, the processing time, the application fees and the collection method.
Important Notice: A prospective applicant should ascertain the type of service needed before submitting an application. If he/she wishes to obtain a certificate of absence of marriage record instead of a certified copy of marriage certificate, relevant information can be found under “Certificate of Absence of Marriage Record”
The types of applications and the relevant documents to be issued relating to marriage registration are as follows:
Type of Application | Types of Documents Issued |
---|---|
Search of Marriage Records in Hong Kong and / or Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate |
|
Certificate of Absence of Marriage Record |
|
Firstly, the applicant should apply for a search of marriage records by providing the particulars of the marriage. Payment of the prescribed fee for a record search is required unless the application is made on the same day as the marriage is solemnized.
If the marriage record concerned is located, a certified copy of marriage certificate of such marriage will be issued to the applicant upon payment of another prescribed fee. If the marriage record is not found, or the applicant does not require a certified copy of marriage certificate, a result slip will be issued.
The applicant can send the application for a search of marriage records in Hong Kong and/or a certified copy of marriage certificate in person, by post or online.
In Person
If the applicant applies in person, he/she can hand in the completed application form to the Marriage Registration and Records Office or a marriage registry.
Addresses and office hours of Marriage Registries
By Post
If the applicant wants to apply by post, the completed application form should be sent to:
Marriage Registration and Records Office
3/F, Low Block
Queensway Government Offices
66 Queensway
Hong Kong
Underpaid mail items will not be accepted by the Immigration Department. For proper delivery of your mail items, please ensure your mail items bear sufficient postage with return address before posting. (Details)
Online
Applicant who is the registered subject (i.e. either the bridegroom or the bride of a marriage record), relevant person (i.e. the parent/legal guardian of the registered subject under the age of 18) or person with written consent from the registered subject/relevant person can also make online application by clicking on the hyperlink under "Related Topics".
For application submitted in person, the applicant is required to produce his/her Hong Kong identity card or valid travel document. For online application, applicant is required to produce his / her Hong Kong identity card or valid travel document when he / she collects the result / certified copies. For postal application, applicant is required to produce copy of his/her Hong Kong identity card or valid travel document. If the applicant has written consent of the registered subject /relevant person, copy of Hong Kong identity card or valid travel document of the registered subject/relevant person is also required.
For applicant who is not the registered subject, relevant person or person with written consent from the registered subject/relevant person, he/she is required to provide supplementary information, including his/her relationship with the registered subject, purpose(s) and the intended use of the search result and requested records, and all supporting documents, if any, to support his / her request. Depending on the nature of the case, further information may be required.
It takes about 10 minutes to process an in-person application at counter. To apply online, it takes 10 to 20 minutes. For the issue of search result and/or certified copy of marriage certificate, 7 working days (working days denote Monday to Friday excluding General Holidays) will be required.
Remarks: These standards may not be achievable during certain daily peak hours or peak periods or in complicated cases.
Applying In Person
Applying By Post
Applying Online
1 If applicant opts to pay via online, he/she has to use the same payment method to settle all payments of the application. We will contact the applicant for the payment arrangement after receiving the application.
Applying In Person
If the applicant applies in person, he/she should collect the search result and/or certified copy of marriage certificate at the marriage registry where the application was made.
The uncollected search result and/or the certified copy of the entry concerned will be cancelled six months after the date of application.
Applying By Post
If the applicant applies by post, the search result and/or certified copy of marriage certificate will be sent by post.
Applying Online
If the applicant applies online, he/she is required to collect in person the search result and/or the certified copy of the marriage certificate concerned at the selected registry.
The applicant is reminded to print or save the acknowledgement receipt, or write down the application reference and selected registry for collection. The applicant will be required to produce the printout or provide the application reference number upon collection at his/her selected registry.
The uncollected search result and/or the certified copy of the entry concerned will be cancelled six months after the date of application.
If you are the person with written consent from the registered subject/relevant person, you must bring the original written consent and copy of Hong Kong identity card or valid travel document of the registered subject/relevant person when you collect the search result and/or certified copy; otherwise, the search result and/or certified copy will not be issued to you.