Getting married is an important event in a couple's life. To celebrate this special occasion, you may need to go through some planning and preparations. Here are the information and services the Government offers to the engaged and newly weds, including pre-marital services, marriage registration and honeymoon travel advice.
Deciding to Get Married
Marriage is about merging of two lifestyles and families, building intimacy and maintaining a committed relationship. The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong offers pre-marital counselling to prepare couples for the challenges of living together, enriching their personal growth and relationships, and building sexual intimacy.
- More on pre-marital counselling (available in Chinese only)http://www.famplan.org.hk/fpahk/zh/template1.asp?style=template1.asp&content=services/clinic/prepare.asp
The Association also provides Pre-marital Package Service for to-be-weds, including health assessment, sexual health education and laboratory tests, to ensure the health of the couples and their future offspring.
- More on Pre-marital Package Servicehttp://www.famplan.org.hk/fpahk/en/template1.asp?style=template1.asp&content=services/clinic/pmps.asp
Registering Your Marriage
Once you decided to get married, don't forget to register your marriage. You should give notice of your intended marriage to the marriage registries either directly or through a civil celebrant of marriages before your wedding. You can book an appointment to give your notice of intended marriage either online or using a touch-tone phone at 3102 3883.
- More on registering a marriagehttp://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/bdmreg/marriage/marreg/
- Online appointment booking for giving of notice of intended marriagehttp://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/bdmreg/marriage/bookgivingmarriage.htm
Besides celebrating your marriage at a marriage registry or in a licensed place of public worship, you can choose to celebrate your marriage in any other place in Hong Kong by a civil celebrant. Check out tips on engaging a civil celebrant of marriages, the list of appointed civil celebrants as well as wedding venues provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department on the links below.
- Information Leaflet for the Marrying Parties (pdf file)http://www.immd.gov.hk/pdforms/mr70_e.pdf
- List of appointed civil celebrants of marriages (pdf file)http://www.immd.gov.hk/pdf/list_of_civil_celebrant(e).pdf
- Wedding venues provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Departmenthttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/wedding/en/index.php
Honeymoon Travel
While both of you are expecting a romantic getaway after your wedding, remember to prepare the necessary travel documents for travelling outside Hong Kong. You also need to check if the country you are going to has granted visa-free access.
- More on HKSAR travel documentshttp://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/traveldoc/
Useful information for planning your honeymoon overseas, such as joining tours of travel agents and assistance provided for residents outside Hong Kong, can be found on the link below.
- Travelling outside Hong Konghttp://www.gov.hk/en/residents/culture/travel/travelout.htm
Changing Personal Particulars of Hong Kong Identity Card
For brides who want to change their registered name on their Hong Kong identity card, such as changing their surname into their husbands’, they can apply for amendment of registered particulars of Hong Kong identity card.
- More on amendment of registered particulars of Hong Kong identity cardhttp://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/idcard/hkic/faq_hkic.htm#arp
Paying Tax
As for paying tax, in general you will be entitled to married person’s allowance if you get married during the year of assessment and your spouse has no income chargeable to salaries tax. If your spouse has salary income, you may enjoy the benefit of tax savings if you elect joint assessment.
- More on married person's allowancehttp://www.gov.hk/en/residents/taxes/salaries/allowances/allowances/allowances.htm
- More on joint assessment for married coupleshttp://www.gov.hk/en/residents/taxes/salaries/salariestax/jointassessment.htm
Last review date: March 2010
