Validating Chinese Marriage in Canada

[dangill14]

Hello, I am new to this board and need some information. I hope someone has encountered this as well.

I am a Canadian citizen; born in Canada and living in Ottawa. I travel in the Asia region extensively for work, and am married to a Chinese citizen in Shenzhen. We have a daughter together who is registered as a Canadian citizen.

We are currently working on immigration to Canada for my wife (our daughter is not an issue as she has her citizenship).

There is a requirement in the package that our Chinese marriage be valid in Canada.

Does anyone know how to do this? How do you get your marriage validated in Canada? What is required? We have our red books (marriage proof) in China, and a notarized letter from the Chinese authority in my wife's home town.

Also, any other advice on immigration would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

Dan.

[CanadianInYiwu]

Hi Dan,

Marriages which take place abroad are automatically recognized in Canada, there is no special registration procedure. I am also married to a Chinese national and enquired at the BC provincial marriage license office when we moved back to Canada in 2004.

Since that time, I have also become a qualified immigration professional (certified by the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants) and know the above is true by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) standards as well.

The only circumstance under which a marriage would not be recognized in Canada is if the marriage is not legal by Canadian standards, for example a polygamous marriage. Interestingly, even undocumented tribal marriages are fully recognized as long as the couple is over the minimum Canadian age limit for marriage.

Cheers