Articles
Articles on inheritance, wills and family law in China
Short, practical articles for families who live outside China and have property, relatives or a case there. Each one answers a single question and names the law behind the answer. New articles are added every week.
Inheriting property in China from abroad
- Inheriting Property in China From Abroad: Steps and Fees
Living abroad and inheriting a home in China? Who inherits, what each heir signs at home, the notary or court route, registering or selling it, and the fees.
- China Inheritance Documents: Checklist for Heirs Abroad
Heirs abroad: the death, family and ID papers a Chinese notary asks for, how to apostille or legalise them, Hong Kong and Taiwan routes, translation and fees.
- Give Up an Inheritance in China From Abroad: How to Sign
Want your siblings in China to inherit your share? How to renounce in writing, sign before a notary abroad with an apostille, what can't be undone, and fees.
- Find a Deceased Parent's Bank Accounts and Property in China
Not sure what a parent left in China? How heirs search property registries and banks, the RMB 50,000 small-deposit rule, court searches, limits and fees.
Wills and planning ahead
- Will for Property in China: How to Make One That Holds Up
Live abroad and own property in China? How to make a will that Chinese law accepts: the six forms, witnesses, notarised wills, executors, and fees in USD.
Marriage and divorce
- Spouse Gave Marital Money to Someone in China: Get It Back?
Your spouse gave large sums of joint marital money to someone in China. Can a court undo the gift with no affair? June Zhang sets out the Civil Code test.
Tools
- China Court Fee Calculator for Family and Inheritance Cases
Work out China's court fees for an inheritance, family property or divorce case: the filing fee, the freeze fee and the enforcement fee, under national rules.
An article explains the general rule. For your own situation, send a few lines about it first.