Hong Kong residents who marry in the U.S. don't register again in Hong Kong; for Taiwan, ask the household registration office first
Hong Kong residents who marry in the U.S. don't need to register the marriage again in Hong Kong: according to Hong Kong's Immigration Department, a marriage celebrated outside Hong Kong that is valid under local law doesn't need to be registered with Hong Kong's Registrar of Marriages. If you're registering in Taiwan (for example, because your partner is Taiwanese), you follow Taiwan's household registration process; documents made in Hong Kong must be authenticated by an institution established or designated by the Executive Yuan, and you should confirm with the household registration office which documents a spouse from Hong Kong or Macau needs to attach before you submit.
Below, in three parts: applying for a marriage license in the U.S., back in Hong Kong, and back in Taiwan.
Applying for a marriage license in the U.S.
Nationality and residency aren't among a U.S. county's requirements for a Marriage License: Orange County states it doesn't require citizenship or residency, San Mateo County doesn't require residency or citizenship either, and Clark County (Las Vegas) accepts passports and photo IDs issued by foreign governments (checked 2026-10-22). Hong Kong residents can simply apply with their passport.
Each county's rules on ID, SSNs and proof of a previous marriage differ; see Foreigners marrying in the U.S.. For each state's waiting periods and validity periods, see Official rules for 9 states, checked side by side.
If an office asks you for proof that you're unmarried, Hong Kong's Immigration Department can issue a Certificate of Absence of Marriage Record (CAMR), applied for with form MR35, which certifies that you have not registered a marriage in Hong Kong; if you do have a marriage registration record in Hong Kong, it won't issue a CAMR and will instead issue a marriage record letter stating the date of the previous marriage (Hong Kong Immigration Department, checked 2026-10-23). None of the U.S. counties we checked asked for this document, so ask the county you're applying in whether it needs one first.
Back in Hong Kong
- According to the Hong Kong Immigration Department's FAQ: a marriage celebrated outside Hong Kong that is valid under local law does not need to be registered again with Hong Kong's Registrar of Marriages (checked 2026-10-23).
- When you later need to prove you're married for something in Hong Kong, use a certified copy of the marriage certificate issued by the U.S. county. Whether the receiving office in Hong Kong wants any additional authentication is something to ask that office in advance.
- Request certified copies from the issuing county, and order several at once (item 10 on the checklist); see How many copies of the marriage certificate to order.
Back in Taiwan (if your partner is Taiwanese)
The Department of Household Registration of Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior sets these rules for marriages abroad (checked 2026-10-23):
- Proof of marriage made in the U.S. must be authenticated by a Taiwan overseas mission, which means sending it to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the U.S. Which office depends on the state that issued the certificate; see Which TECO office to send your marriage certificate to.
- Documents made in Hong Kong or Macau must be authenticated by an institution established or designated by the Executive Yuan, or by a private organization it has commissioned. For example, a document issued in Hong Kong does not go to TECO in the U.S.
- If you authorize someone else to file the registration, the power of attorney must also be authenticated by an overseas mission or by the institutions above.
- This page of the Department of Household Registration has no document rules specific to spouses who are Hong Kong or Macau residents. If your spouse is a Hong Kong resident, confirm with the household registration office before you submit which proof of identity or marital status to attach.
| Where the document was made | Where to authenticate it before using it at a Taiwan household registration office |
|---|---|
| The U.S. (for example, a marriage certificate issued by a county) | The TECO office covering the issuing state |
| Hong Kong, Macau | An institution established or designated by the Executive Yuan, or a private organization it has commissioned |
| Other countries | The local Taiwan overseas mission |
Basis: Department of Household Registration, Ministry of the Interior, marriage registration guide (checked 2026-10-23).
Taiwan's Household Registration Act requires household registration to be filed within 30 days; confirm with the household registration office when the clock starts. For the full steps, see Married in the U.S., registering in Taiwan: five steps.
For same-sex couples: according to a March 2023 statement from the Department of Household Registration, same-sex marriages between Taiwanese citizens and Hong Kong or Macau residents can be registered in Taiwan, in the same way as for foreign spouses (checked 2026-10-14). See Registering a cross-border same-sex marriage in Taiwan.
A Hong Kong spouse residing in Taiwan is a matter for Taiwan's National Immigration Agency; see the visa and documents site.
Frequently asked questions
If a Hong Kong resident marries in the U.S., do they need to register the marriage in Hong Kong?
No. Hong Kong's Immigration Department says a marriage celebrated outside Hong Kong that is valid under local law doesn't need to be registered with Hong Kong's Registrar of Marriages.
Do I need Hong Kong's Certificate of Absence of Marriage Record to marry in the U.S.?
None of the U.S. counties we checked require it. If an office does ask for it, you can apply to Hong Kong's Immigration Department for a Certificate of Absence of Marriage Record (CAMR) using form MR35.
Where do Hong Kong documents get authenticated for use in Taiwan?
Under the Department of Household Registration's rules, documents made in Hong Kong or Macau must be authenticated by an institution established or designated by the Executive Yuan, or by a private organization it has commissioned, not by TECO in the U.S.
When the two of you have different nationalities, the extra documents you need are added to the My Wedding Plan checklist once you choose both partners' status: certified copies are item 10, and registering in Taiwan is item 15. There's a free version, and you can start without leaving an email address.
Sources (checked 2026-10-23)
- Hong Kong Immigration Department: Marriage Registration FAQ (checked 2026-10-23)
- Department of Household Registration, Ministry of the Interior: Marriage registration guide (checked 2026-10-23)
- Department of Household Registration, Ministry of the Interior: Statement on registering cross-border same-sex marriages (2023-03-24) (checked 2026-10-14)
- Orange County Clerk-Recorder: Marriage (checked 2026-10-22)
- Clark County: Marriage License Requirements (checked 2026-10-22)