Certified Chinese Document Translation

DoVisa translates all types of Chinese documents including birth certificates (出生证明), marriage certificates (结婚证), household registration books (户口本), divorce certificates (离婚证), academic diplomas (毕业证书), degree certificates (学位证书), academic transcripts (成绩单), police clearance certificates (无犯罪记录证明), national ID cards (身份证), driver's licenses (驾驶证), notarial certificates (公证书), business licenses (营业执照), court judgments, contracts, power of attorney documents, and medical records. We handle both Simplified Chinese (mainland China) and Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan) documents.

Yes, every translation includes a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy in which the translator attests to their competency in both Chinese and the target language and certifies that the translation is complete and accurate. This certified format is accepted by USCIS, UK Visas and Immigration, IRCC (Canada), the Australian Department of Home Affairs, credential evaluation agencies, and courts worldwide. For documents being submitted to Chinese domestic authorities, a translation by a licensed company with a 翻译专用章 (specialized translation seal) is required — DoVisa can coordinate this through our partner network in China upon request.

Standard delivery is 4-6 business days for most Chinese document types. Single-page documents such as birth certificates and marriage certificates typically complete at the faster end of this range. Multi-page documents like household registration books (户口本) and academic transcripts may require the full timeframe. Express processing is available for 2-3 business days, and rush delivery within 24 hours is available for select single-page documents. Documents with extensive handwritten content or unusual formatting may require additional review time, which we communicate before translation begins.

DoVisa translates Chinese documents into over 100 language pairs. The most commonly requested translations are Chinese to English, German, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, and Russian. We also translate from English and other languages into Chinese (both Simplified and Traditional). Whether you need a birth certificate translated into English for USCIS or a contract translated into Chinese for a business filing in Beijing, our translator network covers virtually every language pair.

Yes. Our certified translations of Chinese documents comply with 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), the federal regulation governing translation requirements for USCIS filings. Every translation includes the translator's signed certification with their name, signature, address, date, and a statement of competency. Our translations of Chinese birth certificates, marriage certificates, household registration books, police clearance certificates, and academic credentials are routinely accepted by USCIS field offices and service centers nationwide. Our current acceptance rate for Chinese document translations is 99.1% across all filings.

Notarization requirements depend on the receiving authority. USCIS does not require notarization — a certified translation with a translator affidavit is sufficient. However, many state courts, some state agencies, and certain foreign authorities do require notarized translations. If your translated Chinese document will be used internationally and requires an apostille, notarization is a prerequisite step, as the apostille authenticates the notary's seal. DoVisa offers notarized certified translations through our network of commissioned notary publics. We recommend checking with the receiving institution to determine whether notarization is needed for your specific use case.

Yes. China acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention on March 8, 2023, and the convention entered into force on November 7, 2023. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the People's Republic of China is the competent authority for issuing apostilles on mainland Chinese documents. This is a recent and historic development — prior to November 2023, Chinese documents required consular legalization through the destination country's embassy, a process that was significantly more complex and time-consuming. Note that Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR have their own separate apostille systems with different competent authorities. DoVisa can coordinate apostille processing for Chinese documents as part of our authentication services.

DoVisa uses a per-page pricing model with volume discounts for larger orders. The cost depends on the language pair, document length, and processing speed selected. Express and rush service options are available for urgent deadlines at additional rates. Notarization and apostille processing are quoted as separate add-on services. Upload your Chinese documents on our order page to receive an instant, itemized quote before translation begins — no hidden fees or commitments required.

Yes, our translators are experienced with handwritten Chinese documents, which are common in older civil records and household registration books (户口本). The hukou in particular often contains handwritten entries by local police station officials, with varying handwriting styles across different regions and time periods. We recommend uploading the highest-quality scan possible (300 DPI or higher) to ensure all handwritten characters are legible. If any section is difficult to read, our intake team will contact you to discuss the content before translation begins. In rare cases where characters are truly illegible, we note this in the translation rather than guessing.

You will receive your certified translation as a high-resolution PDF delivered via email. The PDF includes the complete English translation formatted to mirror the layout of the original Chinese document, followed by the signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy. For submissions requiring physical copies (such as certain court filings or apostille processing), we ship original hard copies with wet-ink signatures via tracked courier. Both digital and physical copies are included in the standard service — the digital version is delivered first for immediate use while the physical copy is in transit.

Simplified Chinese (简体字) is used in mainland China, Singapore, and Malaysia. Traditional Chinese (繁体字) is used in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. The two systems use different character forms — for example, the character for 'country' is written as 国 in Simplified and 國 in Traditional. Our translators identify which system your document uses and translate accordingly. Documents from mainland Chinese government offices will always be in Simplified Chinese. If you have documents from Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan, please let us know so we can assign a translator experienced with Traditional Chinese character forms and the distinct official terminology used in those jurisdictions.

It depends on where the translation will be used. For documents being submitted to Chinese domestic authorities (courts, government agencies, immigration bureaus within China), the translation must be performed by a company registered with SAMR that holds a 翻译专用章 (specialized translation seal) from the Public Security Bureau. DoVisa can coordinate this through our partner network in China. For Chinese documents being used outside China — at USCIS, UK Home Office, IRCC, Australian DHA, universities, or international courts — a standard certified translation with a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy is the accepted format. No Chinese translation company seal is required for international use.

Name romanization is critical for Chinese document translations because discrepancies between the translated name and the name on your passport or other identity documents can cause delays with immigration authorities. Our translators use Hanyu Pinyin (the standard romanization system for mainland China) as the default and cross-reference the romanized name with any English name you provide or that appears on your passport. If your name uses a non-Pinyin romanization (Wade-Giles, Cantonese Jyutping, or a customized spelling), please inform us when placing your order so the translator can match your preferred romanization exactly. We flag any potential name discrepancies for your review before finalizing the translation.