Getting a divorce in Zhejiang province's Cixi is not as simple as signing paperwork anymore.

Now it also requires an appointment a week ahead of time with the civil affairs bureau's marriage registration office.

"We were saving about 40 percent of marriages during the three-month trial after the policy was introduced in April," said Xu Haiyan, director of the Cixi civil affairs bureau's marriage registration office.

Xu said couples are told to make an appointment at least seven days after they file for a divorce. More than 40 percent of those who came to the bureau to get a divorce in April, May and June didn't return for their final appointments.

"We're amazed by the impressive results, and the reason we're doing this is because people are likely to get a divorce on impulse," Xu said. "What we (at the office) can do at least is to give them an excuse to think again about their marriage — let the excuse be, 'We don't give divorces on the spot. Come back in a week's time' . "

Although the policy isn't compulsory, "divorce appointments" at the marriage registration office have been fully booked since the introduction of the policy.

Many residents give the policy good reviews.

Wang Huigang, a 38-year-old teacher who got married this month, said having a week to calm down is good for a couple seeking a divorce because "they may work out a better way to live with each other during that time".

Wang Jian'an, a 48-year-old insurance company employee, said the policy is good as long as it is not mandatory.

"People shouldn't be forced to think things over, for everybody has the right to get married or divorced. A week is acceptable," he said.

Zheng Xin, a lawyer at Zhejiang's Zhiyuanda Law Firm, says that the policy puts more responsibility on staff at the marriage registration office.

"They're required to determine who is divorcing on impulse and who is unshakably determined to divorce, and then apply different strategies," he said.

"Even if from the legal point of view, there's no essential conflict between China's Marriage Law and this policy, it does create an extra obstacle to getting out of a marriage."

Meanwhile, big cities such as Shanghai and Beijing have simplified their divorce procedure in the past few decades.

"It's just a matter of a few hours if you start counting from the minute one steps into the marriage registration office," said Wang Weiming, vice-president of Shanghai Matchmaking Agency Management Association.

"In the past, people needed letters of introduction from both parties' employers to get married or divorced, but now we consider it a private matter and don't need the letters anymore."

No appointment is required to get a divorce in Shanghai. A couple can get a divorce certificate the day they register if they have all the required identity documents and a divorce agreement, although using a mediation service is recommended.

About 2.87 million couples in China got divorces in 2011, a 7.3 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Tang Yaochang in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, and Ma Yiyun in Shanghai contributed to this story.

shiyingying@chinadaily.com.cn