China's Alipay launches service for electronic marriage certificates

Chinese third-party payment platform Alipay has launched a service for acquiring electronic marriage certificates in five provincial-level administrations.

A couple shows their digital marriage certificates on their smartphones in Jiangxi Province on the Qixi Festival, also known as the Chinese Valentine's Day, on Wednesday, August 7, 2019. [Photo: IC]

Users in east China's Fujian, Jiangxi, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, as well as southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, will be able to apply for and receive an e-certificate on mini-programs of local governments on the Alipay application.

A marriage certificate is a valid legal document with numerous functions in China. In addition to proving the legality of a marriage, it is also used for housing purchase loans, birth registrations, property transfers and children's schooling.

But couples often forget to carry their certificates with them when the need arises, so the digital version can serve as a convenient alternative.

The mini-program can also provide other marriage services such as appointments for marriage registrations or marriage information verification.

Alipay has been cooperating with local governments in e-certificates over the years. Users can apply for over 90 kinds of e-certificates on the platform, such as electronic social security cards, driver's licenses and student ID cards, according to company data.