Marriage centers remain open for lovebirds on important days

Marriage registration centers across Shanghai will remain open on New Year's Day, January 1; May Day, May 1 and National Day on October 1, the city's civil affairs authorities announced on Saturday.

However, they will close during the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday between February 11 and 17, the Dragon Boat Festival holiday between June 12 and 14, and the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday from September 19 to 21, according to the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.

Marriage and divorce applications will not be handled on January 2 and 3, between May 2 and 5, and from October 2 to 7 as well due to holiday arrangements, the bureau said.

Lovebirds and those seeking a divorce are reminded to make reservations in advance because of epidemic prevention measures.

A total of 98,700 couples tied the knot in Shanghai last year, a decrease of 6.09 percent from a year earlier. A total of 61,700 couples divorced in the city last year, an increase of 4.58 percent since 2018, according to the bureau.

Beginning next year when China's Civil Code is implemented, couples seeking a divorce will need to submit a divorce registration application at marriage registration centers and wait 30 days. This is intended to prevent emotionally charged divorces.

The city's new practice follows the implementation of China's first Civil Code, which sets a 30-day grace period that allows couples to reconsider their divorce applications.