Choi & Huang · Shenzhen & Guangzhou · Since 1997
China Family Lawyers for Foreigners & International Families
Divorce with a Chinese spouse, child custody and support, property division, prenups, recognition of foreign divorces and inheritance — handled by English-speaking lawyers in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, whether you live in China or abroad.
- Lawyers who speak your language — English, 中文, Spanish, Portuguese
- Run your case from abroad by video & power of attorney
- Free, strictly confidential first consultation
- Fixed fees wherever the scope is clear
- 1997
- Firm founded
- EN · 中文
- Every document, every meeting
- 2
- Offices: Shenzhen & Guangzhou
- 30 min
- Free confidential consultation
Start where you are
Which of these sounds like you?
Family problems rarely fit neatly into one box. Pick the closest situation — we'll show you the key questions and your first steps.
I'm a foreigner divorcing my Chinese spouse
Where to file, which law applies, and how to protect your rights to property and children in China.
Learn moreI'm worried about custody of our children
How Chinese courts decide custody, what foreign parents can realistically achieve, and visitation across borders.
Learn moreMy spouse took (or may take) our child to China
Mainland China isn't part of the Hague Abduction Convention. Act fast — here's what actually works.
Learn moreI divorced abroad — is it valid in China?
Recognition of foreign divorce judgments so you can remarry, sell property or update records in China.
Learn moreI think my spouse is hiding money in China
Lawful ways to trace bank accounts, property and company interests — and freeze them before they disappear.
Learn moreI need to feel safe right now
Protection orders can be issued within 72 hours — within 24 in urgent cases. In immediate danger, call 110.
Learn morePractice Areas
One team for every stage of a family matter
From prenups to divorce, children and cross-border enforcement — in English and Chinese, start to finish.
Divorce
Agreed and contested divorce, for Chinese nationals, foreigners and international couples.
Children
Custody, visitation, child support — and protecting children across borders.
Property & Agreements
Dividing homes, businesses and investments; finding hidden assets; prenups.
Cross-Border
Foreign judgments, Hong Kong–mainland matters and marrying in China.
Protection & Estates
Protection orders against domestic violence; wills and inheritance in China.
Child Support Calculator
Estimate a likely monthly range in one minute, using the 20–30% guideline Chinese courts apply.
How it works
Clear steps, no surprises
- 1
Talk to us in confidence
A free 30-minute call or video meeting. Tell us what's happening — we listen first.
- 2
Get a clear plan & quote
Your options in China and abroad, a realistic timeline and a written fee quote.
- 3
We do the heavy lifting
Documents, translations, apostilles, evidence, negotiation and court — in both languages.
- 4
Resolution & next chapter
Agreement or judgment, enforcement, and making sure it works in your home country too.
Why us
Why international families choose Choi & Huang
Discreet by default
We contact you only the way you choose, never alert the other side, and keep your file to the lawyers handling it.
Built for cross-border lives
Most of our family clients are foreigners or live abroad. We plan for how a Chinese outcome will work in your other country from day one.
Calm, honest advice
Family law is stressful enough. You get straight answers about your chances, costs and timelines — no false promises.
Our offices
Offices in Shenzhen & Guangzhou — clients across the Bay Area and the world
Shenzhen
Our Shenzhen office in Nanshan District is the firm's family-law base, helping expat families, mixed-nationality couples and Hong Kong–Shenzhen cross-border families with divorce, custody, property and inheritance. We work in English and Chinese, in person or by video.
2401, Block A, Chuangyi Kexing Technology Park, Nanshan District, Shenzhen
Guangzhou
Our Guangzhou office in Tianhe helps foreign residents, international traders and their families, and overseas Chinese with family ties in Guangdong through divorce, custody, property and inheritance matters. We also serve clients in Foshan and Zhuhai from here.
Room 4506, CTF Finance Centre, 6 Zhujiang East Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510623
Trusted by families in China and around the world
What clients say
“I was convinced that as a foreigner I had no chance of keeping my son. They never promised me anything, but they explained exactly what the court would look at and helped me prove it. He lives with me now.”
“My English divorce meant nothing at the registry here. The team got it recognised in a few months and I only had to go to court once. Calm, clear and always quick to reply.”
“The night I called, I didn't know what to do. By the next evening I had a protection order and a plan. I will always be grateful for how kindly they treated me.”
“The payments had stopped and Hong Kong lawyers told me there was nothing they could do across the border. Choi & Huang used the new arrangement and the arrears were paid. I never had to leave Hong Kong.”
“Three of us, three countries, one apartment in Shenzhen and no will. They sorted out every document and every apostille, and kept all three of us informed on the same WhatsApp group. It was far easier than we feared.”
“We were nervous a prenup would feel unromantic. Instead it turned into a good conversation, with both of us reading the same words in our own language. Worth doing properly.”
Recent results
Results we've won for clients
Primary custody secured
Foreign Father Secures Primary Custody After the Child Was Taken Away
A German father living in Shenzhen lost contact with his nine-year-old son when the mother moved the child to another province. Evidence of his caregiving role and the child's own wishes led the court to award him direct custody, with structured visitation for the mother.
¥3.8M in hidden assets found
Business Owner's Divorce: ¥3.8M in Transferred Assets Traced
A Singaporean wife suspected her husband, who ran a Shenzhen trading company, was moving money before their divorce. Financial analysis traced RMB 3.8 million in transfers and a fabricated loan, and the court gave her a larger share of the community property.
Recognised in 4 months
UK Divorce Recognised by a Chinese Court in Four Months
A Chinese woman divorced in England could not remarry or sell her Guangzhou flat because Chinese authorities still treated her as married. We obtained recognition of the English divorce from the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court in about four months.
Results depend on the specific facts of each matter; past outcomes do not guarantee similar results.
Our Lawyers
The lawyers who will look after your case
Dr. Simon Choi
Founder
English, Mandarin, Cantonese
Sean Huang
Managing Partner
Mandarin, English, Cantonese
Quentin Zou
Senior Partner
Mandarin, English
Eduardo Choi
Director of International Department
English, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish
Elsie Li
Senior Associate
Mandarin, English
Dillion Zhang
Senior Associate
Mandarin, English
Free Downloads
Free Family Law Guides & Checklists
Step-by-step guides and checklists we give our own clients. Free, practical, no jargon.
Free download
Divorce in China: A Step-by-Step Guide for Foreigners (PDF)
A plain-English guide to divorcing in China as a foreigner or international couple — registry or court, jurisdiction, custody, property, timelines and using your divorce abroad.
Free download
China Divorce Document Checklist (PDF)
Every document you are likely to need for a registry or court divorce in China — identity, marriage, children, property and income — plus apostille and translation rules for foreign papers.
Free download
Bilingual Parenting Plan Template for China (PDF)
A bilingual English–Chinese parenting and visitation plan template for separating parents in China — residence, schedules, holidays, travel, support and decision-making.
Guides
Family law guides
How Hong Kong Residents Inherit Property in Mainland China
A step-by-step guide for Hong Kong residents inheriting a flat, bank deposits or other assets in mainland China: which law applies, the order of heirs, notarisation or court, documents attested in Hong Kong, time limits and costs.
Read the guideChina's New Childcare Subsidy and Marriage Leave Rules: What Families Need to Know
Since 2025 China pays RMB 3,600 a year for each child under three, and most provinces have extended marriage leave. How the subsidy works, who can claim it after separation, why it is not child support, and what marriage leave you can expect.
Read the guideUsing a Chinese Divorce Certificate or Judgment Abroad
Need to prove your Chinese divorce overseas to remarry, update records or deal with property? How notarial certificates, apostilles and translations work, and why recognition abroad depends on each country.
Read the guideFAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner get divorced in China?
Yes. Foreigners can divorce in China by agreement at a marriage registry (generally only if the marriage was registered in mainland China) or through the Chinese courts, which apply Chinese law in contested cases. Whether China is the best place to divorce depends on where your spouse, children and assets are — that's the first thing we assess.
Can you handle my case if I live outside China?
Usually, yes. With a notarised and apostilled power of attorney we can file and appear for you, and we work by video, email, WhatsApp and WeChat across time zones. Registry divorces require both spouses in person, and some courts may ask you to attend certain hearings.
Will my spouse find out that I contacted you?
No. Your enquiry is confidential and we contact you only by the method you choose. We never contact the other party unless and until you instruct us to.
How much does a divorce in China cost?
Court filing fees for divorce are modest. Lawyers' fees depend on whether the divorce is agreed or contested, the assets involved and whether a party is abroad. Defined work such as divorce agreements and recognition applications is fixed-fee; litigation is quoted in stages. You get a written quote before we start.
Talk it through with a family lawyer — confidentially
A free, private 30-minute consultation in English or Chinese. We'll explain your options, likely timeline and costs, and what to do first — with no pressure to go further.