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A certificate of absence of marriage record is a document certifying that a person has not registered any marriage in Hong Kong. The following paragraphs provide information on how and where to apply for the certificate, 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 certified copy of marriage certificate instead of a certificate of absence of marriage record, relevant information can be found under “Marriage Records in Hong Kong and/or a Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate”.

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	Certified copy of marriage certificate (upon further payment if the marriage record concerned is found) Result slip of the marriage record search (if the marriage record is not found or you do not intend to have a certified copy of marriage certificate)
Certificate of Absence of Marriage Record	Certificate of absence of marriage record (upon further payment if no marriage record is found) Letter of marriage record (if marriage record(s) is found)

Frequently Asked Questions

To apply for a certificate of absence of marriage record, the applicant is required to complete an application form and pay the prescribed fee for a search of marriage record.

If the search result shows that the applicant has no marriage record in Hong Kong, a certificate of absence of marriage record will be issued on payment of the prescribed fee. Otherwise, a letter of marriage record indicating the date(s) of his/her previous marriage(s) will be issued.

Applications can be sent in person, through an authorised representative or by post.

In Person

If the applicant applies in person, he/she can hand in the duly completed application form and produce the original of his/her Hong Kong identity card or valid travel document to a marriage registry. He/She is also required to pay the fee for a search of marriage record upon application.

Addresses and Office Hours of Marriage Registries

Through an Authorised Representative

If the applicant is outside Hong Kong or if he/she is in Hong Kong but unable to apply in person as supported by evidence, he/she can submit the duly completed application form through an authorised representative to a marriage registry with the requisite evidence, an authorisation form (SF/MR/54), photocopies of his/her Hong Kong identitiy card and travel document bearing his/her personal data and signature. The applicant’s signature on the application form/authorisation form must be the same as that on his/her travel document.

If the travel document was not issued by the Hong Kong Immigration Department, the photocopy of the travel document must be properly certified by a Notary Public.

The authorised representative needs to pay the fee for a search of marriage record upon application.

Authorisation Form (SF/MR/54)

By Post

If the applicant wants to apply by post, he/she can send the duly completed application form, a photocopy of his/her Hong Kong identity card and travel document bearing his/her personal data and signature together with the prescribed fee to:

Marriage Registration and Records Office
3/F, Low Block
Queensway Government Offices
66 Queensway
Hong Kong

The signature on the application form must be the same as that on the travel document. If the travel document was not issued by the Hong Kong Immigration Department, the photocopy of the travel document must be properly certified by a Notary Public.

Application for certificate of absence of marriage record (Form MR35)

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

The applicant can choose to apply online by clicking on the hyperlink under “Related Topics”.

If all necessary documents and fees are received upon application, it normally takes 7 working days (working days denote Monday to Friday excluding General Holidays) to process the application for a certificate of absence of marriage record, excluding the time of mail services (if any) for postal applications.

Search of marriage record                        : HK$140

Certificate of absence of marriage record : HK$680
(an addition of HK$70 if the certificate is required to be posted to an address outside Hong Kong plus the airmail postage at the normal rate for sending by airmail)

Applying In Person

• The applicant should pay the prescribed fee for a search of marriage record upon application.
• The fee for the issue of a certificate of absence of marriage record should be paid upon collection of the certificate.
• The applicant can pay in cash, by EPS, Octopus, FPS, Mainland China’s Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App only) , or by crossed cheque or cashier’s order (payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region") in Hong Kong currency. Post-dated cheques will not be accepted.

Applying By Post

• The applicant should send in the prescribed fee for a search of marriage record with the application.
• If the search result shows that the applicant has no marriage record in Hong Kong, he/she will be notified by post of paying the fee for the certificate of absence of marriage record.
• The applicant will also be notified of paying the additional charge and registered airmail postage if the certificate is to be posted to an address outside Hong Kong.
• The applicant can pay by a crossed cheque, bank draft or cashier’s order in Hong Kong currency drawn from a bank in Hong Kong payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". Post-dated cheques will not be accepted. All applications submitted by post can also be paid via online¹. No cash should be sent with the application.

Applying Online

• The prescribed fee for search of marriage records in Hong Kong should be paid online by credit card (VISA, Mastercard, UnionPay and JCB only), PPS, FPS or Mainland China's Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App only).
• The prescribed fee for a certificate of absence of marriage record should be paid at the time of collection at the selected marriage registry. Payment can be made by cash, EPS, Octopus, FPS, Mainland China’s Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App only) , or by crossed cheque or cashier's order payable to ("The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region") in Hong Kong currency. Post-dated cheques will not be accepted.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Applying In Person

On the date of application, the applicant will be given a card showing the date for collection of the search result. If the search result shows that he/she has no marriage record in Hong Kong, a certificate of absence of marriage record will be issued after payment of the prescribed fee on the date of collection. Otherwise, a letter of marriage record will be issued.

The applicant may either collect the letter of marriage record / certificate of absence of marriage record in person or authorise a representative to collect it on his/her behalf. The authorisation form (SF/MR/54) can be obtained from a marriage registry or the hyperlink below. The signature on the authorisation form must be the same as that on the application form.

Authorisation Form (SF/MR/54)

The uncollected letter of marriage record / the certificate of absence of marriage record will be cancelled six months after the date of application.

Applying By Post

If the applicant applies by post and the result shows that he/she has no marriage record in Hong Kong, he/she will be notified by post of paying the fee(s) required for obtaining a certificate of absence of marriage record. The certificate will be posted to him/her at the mailing address indicated in the application form on receipt of the required fee(s).

If the search result shows that the applicant has a marriage record in Hong Kong, a letter of marriage record will be posted to him/her.

Applying Online

For online application, the data subject or authorised representative is required to collect in person the result of application at the selected registry.

When the applicant completes the online application, the collection date will be shown on the acknowledgement receipt. It is advised to print or save the acknowledgement receipt, or write down the application reference, collection date and registry selected for collection. The data subject or authorised representative is required to produce the printout or provide the application reference number upon collection at the selected registry.

The uncollected letter of marriage record / the certificate of absence of marriage record will be cancelled six months after the date of application.

Frequently Asked Questions