3. I got married in the Mainland China a few years ago but my husband has left me and disappeared. I want to marry another man in Hong Kong now. Is there any risk that I may be committing bigamy?

3. I got married in the Mainland China a few years ago but my husband has left me and disappeared. I want to marry another man in Hong Kong now. Is there any risk that I may be committing bigamy?

If you got married in Mainland China, as long as the divorce process is not completed and your status is not “single”, then you cannot get married again in Hong Kong.

Vice versa, if the party originally got married in Hong Kong but is getting married again in the Mainland or overseas, albeit undergoing divorce proceedings at the time the party gets married (assuming the proceedings are not yet completed), the said party commits bigamy.

Any person who, being married, marries any other person during the life of the former husband or wife shall be guilty of an offence triable upon indictment, and shall be liable to imprisonment for seven years.

For more about bigamy, please visit Matrimonial Matters > Marriage and co-habitant issues > Bigamy.