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China Elevator Stories
“Do You Get Chinese Citizenship By Marrying A Chinese National?”
The right to Chinese citizenship is not obtained by marrying a Chinese national.
18/01/2014
Ruth Silbermayr
Author
When my Chinese husband and I got married after being together for less than half a year, many of our friends assumed it must have been due to visa issues or because I was pregnant (I wasn’t). However, being married doesn’t resolve visa issues, so that wasn’t our reason. We married out of love. Time didn’t really matter.
By marrying a Chinese national, you do not automatically obtain Chinese citizenship. For one, China does not allow dual citizenship. For another, marriage and citizenship are not directly connected. Chinese citizenship can theoretically be applied for after living in China for more than ten years. However, it’s not easy to obtain, and you would have to give up your Austrian citizenship. I have yet to meet a foreigner who has renounced their native citizenship for Chinese citizenship or a non-Chinese national who has successfully obtained Chinese citizenship.
I also don’t know anyone who has managed to obtain a permanent residence card for China (a Chinese “green card”). This card can theoretically be applied for after living in China for over five years, but only if you meet certain other requirements.
Being married to a Chinese national allows you to apply for a residence permit valid for one year (in places other than your spouse’s hometown) or two years (issued only in the place where your spouse’s hukou is registered, and not every place issues them for two years; for example, my husband’s hometown would only issue it for one year).
It’s important to note that you are not permitted to work on a spousal residence permit in China. To work legally, you would need to obtain a work residence permit through a Chinese employer.