一、夫妻一方为中华人民共和国公民另一方为外国人
如夫妻双方中一方为中华人民共和国公民，另一方为外国人，无论夫妻双方是自愿离婚还是夫妻一方提出要求离婚，若希望在中华人民共和国境内办理离婚都必须向有管辖权的中级人民法院提起离婚诉讼。
二、夫妻双方均为定居国外的中华人民共和国公民
如夫妻双方均为定居国外的中华人民共和国公民，希望在国内办理离婚手续，无论是夫妻双方自愿离婚还是夫妻一方提出要求离婚，都必须向夫妻双方结婚登记所在地的人民法院申请办理离婚手续。如离婚诉讼当事人确因特殊情况不能本人亲自回国办理离婚手续，可申请办理授权委托书，委托在国内的亲友或律师作为代理人代为办理离婚手续，并向人民法院提交相关书面意见。委托书和意见书都需要经过婚姻登记地公证机关公证和中华人民共和国驻外使领馆认证。
如夫妻双方是在中华人民共和国驻外使领馆办理的结婚登记，双方无争议申请离婚，可以向办理结婚登记的中华人民共和国驻外使领馆申请办理离婚手续；若双方对离婚相关事宜有争议，可以向出国前户籍最后所在地或居住地的人民法院提起离婚诉讼。
三、夫妻双方中一方为定居国外的中华人民共和国公民，另一方为定居国内的中华人民共和国公民。
如夫妻双方自愿离婚并已对子女抚养和财产处理等相关问题达成协议共识，需要夫妻双方一同到国内夫妻任意一方户口所在地的县级以上人民政府婚姻登记机关申请离婚登记。
如夫妻双方自愿离婚，但对子女抚养和财产处理等问题未达成协议共识，或为夫妻一方提出要求离婚，或者夫妻一方不能到人民政府婚姻登记机关申请离婚登记，可直接向国内夫妻一方户口所在地人民法院提起离婚诉讼。
四、夫妻双方均为在国外合法居留6个月以上未定居的中华人民共和国公民
如夫妻双方均为在国外合法居留6个月以上未定居的中华人民共和国公民，若在中华人民共和国驻外使领馆办理结婚登记，现若自愿离婚并已对子女抚养、财产处理等问题达成协议共识，夫妻双方必须一同到结婚登记的中华人民共和国驻外使领馆申请离婚登记；若所在国不承认外国使领馆办理的离婚登记并允许外国夫妻在该国离婚的，可以在所在国办理离婚手续或回国内办理离婚手续。
如夫妻双方对离婚相关事宜有争议，可以向出国前夫妻任意一方户籍所在地人民法院提起离婚诉讼。
五、夫妻一方为在国外合法居留6个月以上未定居的中华人民共和国公民，另一方为居住在国内的中华人民共和国公民
如夫妻一方为在国外合法居留6个月以上未定居的中华人民共和国公民，另一方为居住在国内的中华人民共和国公民，若夫妻双方为自愿离婚，并已对子女抚养、财产处理等问题达成协议共识，需要夫妻双方一同到国内夫妻一方户籍所在地的人民政府婚姻登记机关申请离婚登记。
如夫妻双方对离婚的相关事宜有争议，可以向国内夫妻一方户籍所在地的人民法院提起离婚诉讼。
转载须注明来源上海涉外离婚律师网站
5 situations when a Chinese citizen has a foreign related divorce
1. One spouse is a Chinese citizen and the other is a foreign citizen
If one party is Chinese and one is foreign but want a divorce in China, a lawsuit must be submitted to the intermediate court with jurisdiction.
2. Both parties are Chinese citizens who live abroad
If both husband and wife are Chinese citizens and have settled abroad but want a divorce in China, they must apply at the court where the couple’s marriage is registered. If one of the parties is unable to return to China for the divorce proceedings due to special circumstances, they may sign a letter of entrustment to a relative or lawyer who will act on their behalf and submit all the relevant documents to the court. All of the documents must be notarized and certified by the Chinese embassy or consulate in that party’s country. If both parties have no disputes towards the divorce, they may apply for the divorce at an embassy or consulate. If there is a dispute, they must bring a lawsuit to the court located where the couple last lived before going abroad.
3. One spouse is a Chinese citizen who settles abroad and the other is a Chinese citizen who stays in China
If both parties divorce voluntarily and reach an agreement on issues such as children, property, and debt division, they can apply with a divorce agreement to the marriage registrar at or above county level. If they cannot agree on such issues, they will have to process a divorce by litigation in the court located where the couple’s marriage is registered.
4. Both parties are citizens of China who have stayed abroad for 6 months or more
If both spouses are Chinese citizens and have been living abroad for more than 6 months and a marriage registration was filed in a Chinese consulate, the divorce is voluntary, and agreements on children, property, and debt are mutual, both parties must go to the registrar together. If the foreign country does not recognize divorce registrations by foreign couples, they can apply for divorce in China. If the couple can’t agree on the divorce matters, litigation will be required in the court located where the couple registered the marriage before going abroad.
5. One spouse is a Chinese citizen who has been living abroad for less than 6 months and the other is a Chinese citizen still living in China
If both parties voluntarily divorce and reach agreements regarding children, property, and debt, they can submit a divorce agreement to the marriage registrar where the couple last resided together. If either party has any disputes on the divorce matters, they will have to file a lawsuit in the court where the couple last resided together.
A reprint of this article should give credit to the Divorce Lawyers of Shanghai website.
