Document Translations

[My_Wife_and_I 1]

Does it make any difference where documents such as divorce, marriage certificates are translated? My wife (alien relative) is a Chinese citizen living in China and is concerned that the US immigration authorities may not accept documents that are translated in the US (petitioners country) rather than in China?

Thank you in advance-

[Ryan H 3,840]

Translated marriage certificates need come from the Notary Office (公证处) where her Household Registration is.

[Ning 619]

Does it make any difference where documents such as divorce, marriage certificates are translated? My wife (alien relative) is a Chinese citizen living in China and is concerned that the US immigration authorities may not accept documents that are translated in the US (petitioners country) rather than in China?

Thank you in advance-

Below is the info from USCIS about the subject.

Please submit certified translations for all foreign language documents. The translator must certify that s/he is competent to translate and that the translation is accurate.

The certification format should include the certifier's name, signature, address, and date of certification. A suggested format is:

Certification by Translator

I [typed name], certify that I am fluent (conversant) in the English and ________ languages, and that the above/attached document is an accurate translation of the document attached entitled ______________________________.

Signature_________________________________

Date Typed Name

Address

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

[Used to be broken 147]

Translated marriage certificates need come from the Notary Office (公证处) where her Household Registration is.

? Is that something you just made up yourself or is it a requirement on the Embassy website?

Typically translations just need to be attested that the person who is translating is proficient in both languages English and the language of the document being translated.

Why send the OP on wild goose chase?

If you have specific information otherwise for this Embassy please post the link.

[Ryan H 3,840]

? Is that something you just made up yourself or is it a requirement on the Embassy website?

Typically translations just need to be attested that the person who is translating is proficient in both languages English and the language of the document being translated.

Why send the OP on wild goose chase?

If you have specific information otherwise for this Embassy please post the link.

I gave the OP a China specific answer as to what will be needed down the road. Especially when the case reaches the Consulate. This is the document list straight from Consulate. You also might want to know what Chinese marriage certificates look like before you start making accusations like the one above.

[Sergi9 110]

I gave the OP a China specific answer as to what will be needed down the road. Especially when the case reaches the Consulate. This is the document list straight from Consulate. You also might want to know what Chinese marriage certificates look like before you start making accusations like the one above.

Interesting...

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/guangzhou/47024/K%20p3/K%20Instruction%20-Aug_%2010.pdf

TRANSLATIONS:

All documents not in English must be accompanied by certified English translations. A competent translator must certify the translation and swear to the accuracy of the document before a notary public.

MARITAL STATUS CERTIFICATES:

The Consulate requires married persons to present a certified copy of their marriage certificate. Applicants who have married in the People’s Republic of China must have a marriage certificate issue by a local notary public office. Unmarried persons, at marriageable age, must submit a certified copy of their unmarried certificate (with one year validity). The Consulate also requires proof of termination of any marriages (e.g. death certificate of spouse, final decree of divorce or annulment).

Ok, I see that the Marriage Certificate has to come from a local notary public office in China if married in China.

I see where the Translation needs to be certified by a competent English translator and sworn before a notary public, but I don't see where the translator has to be in the local province or cannot be a competent Chinese translator and/or notary located outside China.

So in other words if the document is translated outside of China by a competent Chinese translator and notarized by someone competent to read Chinese and certify it.. that should suffice.

It most certainly will suffice for USCIS purposes and at the Consulate they read Chinese so unless the translator is NOT Competent and made mistakes in the translation it should not be an issue there.

Hoping someone who went this route will chime in.

BTW thanks for the link, hope the OP reads Chinese !

[Ryan H 3,840]

Interesting...

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/guangzhou/47024/K%20p3/K%20Instruction%20-Aug_%2010.pdf

TRANSLATIONS:

All documents not in English must be accompanied by certified English translations. A competent translator must certify the translation and swear to the accuracy of the document before a notary public.

MARITAL STATUS CERTIFICATES:

The Consulate requires married persons to present a certified copy of their marriage certificate. Applicants who have married in the People’s Republic of China must have a marriage certificate issue by a local notary public office. Unmarried persons, at marriageable age, must submit a certified copy of their unmarried certificate (with one year validity). The Consulate also requires proof of termination of any marriages (e.g. death certificate of spouse, final decree of divorce or annulment).

BTW thanks for the link, hope the OP reads Chinese !

The link and what you copied is the K instruction packet. Since the OP will be applying for a CR-1, I linked to the instruction page for that. If you scroll down to the bottom of my link, you will see the instructions in English.

Ok, I see that the Marriage Certificate has to come from a local notary public office in China if married in China.

I see where the Translation needs to be certified by a competent English translator and sworn before a notary public, but I don't see where the translator has to be in the local province or cannot be a competent Chinese translator and/or notary located outside China.

First of all, notarial offices in China do not serve the same function their American counterparts do. Second, the Household Registration System (Hukou) system in China means notarial documents can only be obtained from the Notary Office where the person's Hukou is. Now, the Notary Office may not issue a document in English; if that's the case, then it would be necessary to have it translated and the translator would have to sign the competent/accuracy declaration. Furthermore, I will say that it does not matter where the translation itself takes place.

Marriage certificate's come from a local marriage bureau. The certificate is a little red book that looks like a passport that contains the picture of the two of you and your information. I don't know about others, but I would not want to send the red book off with a translation and the translation alone is not acceptable. That's where getting the notarial certificate from the Notary Office comes in. You can (and should) get multiple copies. IF you can get them in English, that would be a good thing and you wouldn't have to get them translated on your own. If you do need to get them translated, it is best to have it done in China by a translation office there.......this is just my own opinion.

To clarify my first post in this thread; I was stating that notarial certificates can only be obtained from the Notary Office where the person's hukou is. I should not have used the word "translated" because Notary Offices may or may not issue translated documents and if they don't, it's up to the individual to get that done.

Edited April 2, 2011 by Ryan H

[xiaozhu 4]

I gave the OP a China specific answer as to what will be needed down the road. Especially when the case reaches the Consulate. This is the document list straight from Consulate. You also might want to know what Chinese marriage certificates look like before you start making accusations like the one above.

Ryan H is absolutely correct. Translations from other parties rather than notary office in China would not be accepted by Guangzhou Consulate. Their concern is not translation but her real marital status. She needs to go to notary office in China to get her notary marriage certificate (if the original is in Chinese), divorce cert, and later birth cert and police cert. The process at notary office is that they notarize your cert based on the evidences from her Hukou office and police office. The notary office provides her notary certs in both Chinese and English. China notary office has specific Chinese and English format for such kind of certificates.

I think the logic here is pretty straightforward. Only China knows her background in China well and the documents from China-side are valid.

Translation given by USA just functions as a sample and does not mean all countries have to do the same. Like passports across countries are differently formatted, nobody doubts its validity!

[Sergi9 110]

Ryan H is absolutely correct. Translations from other parties rather than notary office in China would not be accepted by Guangzhou Consulate. Their concern is not translation but her real marital status. She needs to go to notary office in China to get her notary marriage certificate (if the original is in Chinese), divorce cert, and later birth cert and police cert. The process at notary office is that they notarize your cert based on the evidences from her Hukou office and police office. The notary office provides her notary certs in both Chinese and English. China notary office has specific Chinese and English format for such kind of certificates.

I think the logic here is pretty straightforward. Only China knows her background in China well and the documents from China-side are valid.

Translation given by USA just functions as a sample and does not mean all countries have to do the same. Like passports across countries are differently formatted, nobody doubts its validity!

The original OP posted presumably if English translations done in the US would be acceptable to US Immigration officials.

Also, the OP didn't state where he is in the process, at the beginning middle or end. So its clear to the OP ;

USCIS and NVC do accept translations done in the US, OP should not mail anything back to China and add on additional time if he is in the early stages of the process, follow the accepted practice for USCIS /NVC which was noted above.

For the Embassy its clear on the instruction link they need an English translation of ALL Chinese documents. Its also clear they need to see the original marriage certificate if married in China issued by local notary office.

I agree every consulate do things a bit differently. The "translation note" is at the very top of the English portion of the document in the link thats been provided and it DOES NOT SAY the Ghanzou Consulate refuses any English translations except those done at a "local Chinese Notary", it just says you need to provide English translations of all documents in Chinese.

And there are other documents to be translated on that list besides the marriage certificate.

Local consulate issues aside, I hope if the OP is in his living room about to send in his packet to USCIS or NVC he doesn't divert his process by weeks or months chasing after translations from a local notary in China because you folks are "adding on" additional requirements that could add on additional processing time for the OP.

horse is dead now I will stop beating it.

[xiaozhu 4]

The original OP posted presumably if English translations done in the US would be acceptable to US Immigration officials.

---Maybe I should be more clear. I tried to tell him that the translation and notariztion of his wife's marriage certificate, birth certificate, divorce certificate and police certificate should be done by a notary office in China because he said his wife concerned... Those are what I mentioned regarding translation in my previous post. But my think his marriage certificate if married in China can be done in USA.

Also, the OP didn't state where he is in the process, at the beginning middle or end. So its clear to the OP ;

USCIS and NVC do accept translations done in the US, OP should not mail anything back to China and add on additional time if he is in the early stages of the process, follow the accepted practice for USCIS /NVC which was noted above.

For the Embassy its clear on the instruction link they need an English translation of ALL Chinese documents. Its also clear they need to see the original marriage certificate if married in China issued by local notary office .

--In China, there is no an original marriage certificate if married in China issued by local notary office... Married couple get marriage certificate in Chinese issued by Chinese marriage office at China Civil Bureau. When they apply for visa, they need to go to a local notary office to get English version of the certificate notarized. And Chinese notary autorities have their own English translation of marriage certificate.

I agree every consulate do things a bit differently. The "translation note" is at the very top of the English portion of the document in the link thats been provided and it DOES NOT SAY the Ghanzou Consulate refuses any English translations except those done at a "local Chinese Notary", it just says you need to provide English translations of all documents in Chinese.

And there are other documents to be translated on that list besides the marriage certificate.

---in China, if they want to the English version of the documents notarized, I am afraid they have to go to a notary office for tanslation. If they just want the documents translated, they can use any translator. I translated my resume and other documents by myself and US immigration offices accept them.

horse is dead now I will stop beating it.

---What a person who beats a beautiful life dead.---

Edited April 3, 2011 by xiaozhu

[pushbrk 13,268]

The original OP posted presumably if English translations done in the US would be acceptable to US Immigration officials.

Also, the OP didn't state where he is in the process, at the beginning middle or end. So its clear to the OP ;

USCIS and NVC do accept translations done in the US, OP should not mail anything back to China and add on additional time if he is in the early stages of the process, follow the accepted practice for USCIS /NVC which was noted above.

For the Embassy its clear on the instruction link they need an English translation of ALL Chinese documents. Its also clear they need to see the original marriage certificate if married in China issued by local notary office.

I agree every consulate do things a bit differently. The "translation note" is at the very top of the English portion of the document in the link thats been provided and it DOES NOT SAY the Ghanzou Consulate refuses any English translations except those done at a "local Chinese Notary", it just says you need to provide English translations of all documents in Chinese.

And there are other documents to be translated on that list besides the marriage certificate.

Local consulate issues aside, I hope if the OP is in his living room about to send in his packet to USCIS or NVC he doesn't divert his process by weeks or months chasing after translations from a local notary in China because you folks are "adding on" additional requirements that could add on additional processing time for the OP.

horse is dead now I will stop beating it.

By knowing nothing about what is required for China, you've extended and confused the discussion for the OP.

Eventually, any translation needed at the Consulate will need to be from the Notarial Office local to the Chinese beneficiary's place of residence. The efficient way to handle this is to get those needed for filing the petition, done at the (Gong Zheng Chu) prior to filing, along with the birth certificate and then get the police certificate translated once it's obtained later. Since only copies of these translations are needed with the petition and can be obtained quickly, obtaining, scanning and emailing add little time to the process.

All that said, USCIS will accept documents translated and certified by any competent translator, at the petition stage.

So, in short, USCIS will accept other than the Notarial translations from the local Gong Zheng Chu, but the Consulate will not.

Given the above, what would YOU do, if in the OP's shoes?

[Bec_Dipu 103]

If you're allowed to used American translation services, I used this website and had excellent service:

http://www.online-languagetranslators.com/

I just sent them a scanned copy of my fiance's birth certificate and they mailed me an English copy with a letter stating that a person knowledgeable in Assamese had translated it.

This is a translation only and in no way certifies that what I provided them was a legitimate document.

[pushbrk 13,268]

If you're allowed to used American translation services, I used this website and had excellent service:

http://www.online-la...ranslators.com/

I just sent them a scanned copy of my fiance's birth certificate and they mailed me an English copy with a letter stating that a person knowledgeable in Assamese had translated it.

This is a translation only and in no way certifies that what I provided them was a legitimate document.

And that's enough for USCIS but not enough for the GUZ Consulate. For example, my wife never had a birth certificate. One never existed for her. The closest thing was her household book. The Notarial Office takes the household book information as attested current at the applicable police station and actually provides a "Notarial Birth Certificate". These things vary widely by country when dealing with Consulates but not so much with USCIS. Bottom line is, it's far more efficient to get one translation that works for the petition and the Consulate than to get two.

[My_Wife_and_I 1]

Hi all - OP here. Thanks for all of the input. Some very generous people here! From what I can gather by the replies, for the petition, translation done in the US or China would suffice providing they are done by people with the right knowledge/experience and accompanied by the proper declaration/certificate (as listed in the VJ guides). But for the interview, the document translations should be done in China, so, might as well get all done in China to begin with. We have not filed our I130 yet, we are just trying to get everything together for it. I am though a little confused on the birth certificate needed for the Alien Relative in China. My wife does not have one and I thought the VJ Guide said it wasn't needed any longer. So, should my wife take her Hokou book somewhere to have it translated also?

Thank you again!!!!

David

[Ryan H 3,840]

I am though a little confused on the birth certificate needed for the Alien Relative in China. My wife does not have one and I thought the VJ Guide said it wasn't needed any longer. So, should my wife take her Hokou book somewhere to have it translated also?

From my reading of the I-130 instructions, your wife's birth certificate is not needed now. However, the NVC will likely ask for it once they receive and start working on your file.

Since your wife does not have one, I will refer you back to this portion of Pushbrk's most recent post to what she has to do in order to obtain it:

The Notarial Office takes the household book information as attested current at the applicable police station and actually provides a "Notarial Birth Certificate".