I can't divorce my wife in China

[jacky54321]

I am a Canadian citizen who got married in China 10 years ago. Since then, I have changed my passport twice. I currently have my latest and the previous passport, but I no longer possess the old passport I used during my marriage. Every Canadian passport has a unique number, which means the number on my current passport doesn't match the one on the marriage certificate. Consequently, they refused to grant my wife and me a divorce based on the absence of my old, expired passport.

However, I do have a printed copy of the old passport, and the name and birthdate on my new passport match the details on the certificate. Additionally, my wife has a Chinese identification card (身份证). From my perspective, this evidence should sufficiently prove my identity. Unless my wife somehow married someone else with the same name and birthdate as me, divorced that person, and then married me, which to me is ridiculous claim.

The personnel at the marriage certificate center have been very rude to me. They continuously raise their voices and one of them even cursed at me under their breath. Despite this challenging situation, I have remained polite and never raised my voice. It's difficult for me to understand why they would be so unkind to someone undergoing tragedy.

If anyone encounter this please advise how I can proof I used to own the old passport number. They don't accept non governments documents like plant ticket or things I used to sponsor my wife like visa application.

 

[Kaibigan]

So who is it, exactly, that is demanding you produce your old passport in order to obtain a divorce? Having a passport number on a marriage certificate must be a Chinese thing. I was married in the Philippines. My passport number does not appear on our marriage certificate.

You refer to "the marriage certificate center". Where is that? Is that a Canadian government office? It's not one I have heard of and not sure what it would have to do with getting a divorce. Jurisdiction over that is federal in Canada and vested in the provincial superior courts. So, it's a bit unclear to me (and maybe only me) where the difficulty lies.

 

[PAINKILLER28]

So who is it, exactly, that is demanding you produce your old passport in order to obtain a divorce? Having a passport number on a marriage certificate must be a Chinese thing. I was married in the Philippines. My passport number does not appear on our marriage certificate.

You refer to "the marriage certificate center". Where is that? Is that a Canadian government office? It's not one I have heard of and not sure what it would have to do with getting a divorce. Jurisdiction over that is federal in Canada and vested in the provincial superior courts. So, it's a bit unclear to me (and maybe only me) where the difficulty lies.

I am a Chinese Canadian and I have no clue what he is saying. There is no passport number on Chinese marriage licenses, nor on a BC marriage certificate. And according to family law here in BC, if both parties of the marriage has been residents of BC for at least 12 months, they can got a divorce in a BC court.

 

[Naturgrl]

I got this…

 

[foodie69]

I am a Canadian citizen who got married in China 10 years ago. Since then, I have changed my passport twice. I currently have my latest and the previous passport, but I no longer possess the old passport I used during my marriage. Every Canadian passport has a unique number, which means the number on my current passport doesn't match the one on the marriage certificate. Consequently, they refused to grant my wife and me a divorce based on the absence of my old, expired passport.

However, I do have a printed copy of the old passport, and the name and birthdate on my new passport match the details on the certificate. Additionally, my wife has a Chinese identification card (身份证). From my perspective, this evidence should sufficiently prove my identity. Unless my wife somehow married someone else with the same name and birthdate as me, divorced that person, and then married me, which to me is ridiculous claim.

The personnel at the marriage certificate center have been very rude to me. They continuously raise their voices and one of them even cursed at me under their breath. Despite this challenging situation, I have remained polite and never raised my voice. It's difficult for me to understand why they would be so unkind to someone undergoing tragedy.

If anyone encounter this please advise how I can proof I used to own the old passport number. They don't accept non governments documents like plant ticket or things I used to sponsor my wife like visa application.

Bloody spammer

 

[Buletruck]

I am a Canadian citizen who got married in China 10 years ago. Since then, I have changed my passport twice. I currently have my latest and the previous passport, but I no longer possess the old passport I used during my marriage. Every Canadian passport has a unique number, which means the number on my current passport doesn't match the one on the marriage certificate. Consequently, they refused to grant my wife and me a divorce based on the absence of my old, expired passport.

However, I do have a printed copy of the old passport, and the name and birthdate on my new passport match the details on the certificate. Additionally, my wife has a Chinese identification card (身份证). From my perspective, this evidence should sufficiently prove my identity. Unless my wife somehow married someone else with the same name and birthdate as me, divorced that person, and then married me, which to me is ridiculous claim.

The personnel at the marriage certificate center have been very rude to me. They continuously raise their voices and one of them even cursed at me under their breath. Despite this challenging situation, I have remained polite and never raised my voice. It's difficult for me to understand why they would be so unkind to someone undergoing tragedy.

If anyone encounter this please advise how I can proof I used to own the old passport number. They don't accept non governments documents like plant ticket or things I used to sponsor my wife like visa application.

Uhhh.....get divorced in Canada.

 

[steaky]

If anyone encounter this please advise how I can proof I used to own the old passport number. They don't accept non governments documents like plant ticket or things I used to sponsor my wife like visa application.

I suggest go a China-appointed attesting notary public and prepare a document to authenticate your documents. Afterwards, try again.

 

[jacky54321]

I suggest go a China-appointed attesting notary public and prepare a document to authenticate your documents. Afterwards, try again.

Thank you very much. I am think what you suggested will work. I contacted the Canadian Consulate in Hongkong and they can provide a record.
Regards.

 

[jacky54321]

Summary:

https://travel.gc.ca/ where issues passport would not be able to help you to get the passport records.

Contact your local Canadian Consulate. Don't border with Guangzhou Canadian Consulate, they never return calls or able to get through.

Don't try to book appointment with the consulate either, you will wait a trip there since they will need time to prepare the information. It takes about 10 days then afterward you can book appointment and collect the record. Instead you should try to email HKONGCANADACONSUL@international.gc.ca. They respond pretty quick. They will ask you to pay 30 CAD for this service. You will need a printer and scanner (which I don't have) to sign some forms for them to collect money.

regards

 

[jacky54321]

So who is it, exactly, that is demanding you produce your old passport in order to obtain a divorce? Having a passport number on a marriage certificate must be a Chinese thing. I was married in the Philippines. My passport number does not appear on our marriage certificate.

You refer to "the marriage certificate center". Where is that? Is that a Canadian government office? It's not one I have heard of and not sure what it would have to do with getting a divorce. Jurisdiction over that is federal in Canada and vested in the provincial superior courts. So, it's a bit unclear to me (and maybe only me) where the difficulty lies.

"the marriage certificate center" is in China, Guangdong. I was married in China. My wife doesn't want to live in Canada anymore and her PR is revoked. So we have to divorce in China since we got married there.
Their Law is that since my passport number change they can't verify the person got married to my wife is indeed me. Which is ridiculous since they can verify my wife with her identification card and on my passport there is name and birthday both matches the certificate. I really want to somehow get the law changed. It doesn't make sense.

 

[Kaibigan]

"the marriage certificate center" is in China, Guangdong. I was married in China. My wife doesn't want to live in Canada anymore and her PR is revoked. So we have to divorce in China since we got married there.
Their Law is that since my passport number change they can't verify the person got married to my wife is indeed me. Which is ridiculous since they can verify my wife with her identification card and on my passport there is name and birthday both matches the certificate. I really want to somehow get the law changed. It doesn't make sense.

I know nothing of Chinese law. If you are Canadian, living in Canada, you can get a divorce in Canada. I cannot say if China will recognize the divorce. I am familiar with some aspects of Philippines law. There, divorce is not possible. However, if a Canadian marries a Filipino in the Philippines, the Canadian get get a divorce in Canada and the Philippines will recognize that divorce for both spouses. Will China recognize a divorce in Canada in similar circumstances? I cannot say.

 

[steaky]

Don't try to book appointment with the consulate either, you will wait a trip there since they will need time to prepare the information. It takes about 10 days then afterward you can book appointment and collect the record. Instead you should try to email HKONGCANADACONSUL@international.gc.ca. They respond pretty quick. They will ask you to pay 30 CAD for this service. You will need a printer and scanner (which I don't have) to sign some forms for them to collect money.

regards

Can't you use your smartphone and take a picture for your record?

 

[steaky]

I know nothing of Chinese law. If you are Canadian, living in Canada, you can get a divorce in Canada. I cannot say if China will recognize the divorce. I am familiar with some aspects of Philippines law. There, divorce is not possible. However, if a Canadian marries a Filipino in the Philippines, the Canadian get get a divorce in Canada and the Philippines will recognize that divorce for both spouses. Will China recognize a divorce in Canada in similar circumstances? I cannot say.

@Buletruck

But I think you would still have to autheticate the (Canadian) divorce certificate at the consulate, regardless it's in Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong, in order to re-marry someone. It will be more simple to have just the passport document get authenticate instead.

 

[steaky]

I am a Chinese Canadian and I have no clue what he is saying. There is no passport number on Chinese marriage licenses, nor on a BC marriage certificate. And according to family law here in BC, if both parties of the marriage has been residents of BC for at least 12 months, they can got a divorce in a BC court.

No, there's actually a line required for identification number on Chinese marriage licenses. In order for the marriage certificate centre to recognize any non-local document, someone will have to provide a authenticate document whether its from their consulate of their country (Canada in this case) or a China-appointed attesting notary public.