Get the marriage certificate (结婚证) even if you held a wedding and a banquet: without registration you are not spouses in law, and if the other person dies you have no spousal right of inheritance

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In plain words

Holding a wedding without registering the marriage does not make you spouses in law; it counts only as living together. If the other person dies, you cannot inherit their estate as a spouse. If you want to separate, the court does not handle it as a divorce. Registering after the fact solves this, and the effect of the registration counts backward.

Mentioned in

Pay the bride price (彩礼) by transfer with a note, and keep the chat records; money demanded under the pretext of marriage can be recovered
To register a marriage you need only an ID card and a signed statement, no household register, no fee, and the certificate is issued on the spot

Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 10, tip 21. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer