Shanghai to blacklist couples who lie about marital status

Shanghai residents who lie to conceal their marital history when registering for a marriage or divorce will be added to a credit blacklist, making it difficult for them to access public welfare and apply for jobs or loans.

The new policy, to become effective on Sunday, aims to prevent dishonesty in the registration process, which is a recurring problem, said Sun Xiaohong, head of marriage affairs management at the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.

He said couples were once required to present proof of marital status from an employer when registering to marry, but that rule was ended in 2003.