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Notarized translation standardVerified August 2026

Mainland China Document Translation Requirements

Need your Chinese document translated for the U.S. — or a U.S. document accepted in China? Start with the direction: the translation, certification, and apostille rules are not the same.

USCIS accepted formatWES-ready package
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Signed & stamped Certificate of AccuracyComplete, word-for-word translationExact structure preserved
Michael Chen

Requirements reviewed by Michael Chen

Lead Immigration Document Translator · Last verified August 2026

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Verified requirements summary

Reviewed August 2026 · Michael Chen

Mainland China document translation requirements — the short answer

The destination decides the rule. For U.S. use, Chinese-language documents normally need a complete certified English translation. For use in mainland China, follow the receiving authority's notarial-certificate, translation, and apostille instructions.

01Submitting in the United States
Cover every Chinese-language page, seal, stamp, signature, and note, then attach a signed Certificate of Accuracy. If a notarial booklet already contains complete English, confirm whether the recipient needs a second translation.
02Submitting in mainland China
Confirm the exact format with the receiving authority. A U.S. public document is generally apostilled in the United States first, then translated into Chinese when required.
03Apostille
The Convention has applied in mainland China since 7 November 2023. China's MFA or an authorized local Foreign Affairs Office issues the apostille; it replaces consular legalization between member states, but not translation.

The receiving authority has the final say on document format, recency, translation, and apostille requirements.

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Quick reference

What are Mainland China's document translation requirements?

Confirm final requirements with the authority receiving the document.

Translation standardNotarized translation (Other (Notarial Certificate System)) · 公证书 (notarial certificate)
Who can translateTypically by professional translators used by local notary offices
ApostilleWhen the receiving authority requires authentication; separate from translation
Apostille authorityThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the local Foreign Affairs Offices (FAOs) it authorizes. Private documents must first be notarized by a notary office (公证处) before they can be apostilled.
Accepted languagesChinese (Mandarin) required for official use
Responsible authorityChinese Notary Offices (公证处); Ministry of Foreign Affairs (for apostille)
Important: In China, translations for official purposes are not recognised simply by the translator’s signature — they must be supported by a Notarial Certificate issued by a state Notary Office (公证处).

Official-use requirements

How do document translation rules work in mainland China?

The local certification system, who may translate, and what gives the finished document legal effect.

01

What does USCIS require for Chinese document translations?

USCIS requires every foreign-language document to be accompanied by a full English translation. The translator must certify that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate Chinese into English.

  • Translate every Chinese-language page in the packet.
  • Include seals, stamps, signatures, handwritten notes, and text on the reverse.
  • Keep personal names consistent with the passport and the rest of the filing.
  • Attach a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy.

USCIS does not require a Chinese court-sworn translator or notarization of the translation. A separately notarized Chinese civil document and a U.S.-style certified translation are different things.

02

What is a Chinese notarial certificate (公证书)?

A Chinese notary office (公证处, Gong Zheng Chu) verifies the underlying civil facts and issues a notarial certificate (公证书, Gong Zheng Shu). For Chinese civil documents used in U.S. visa and immigration processing, the U.S. Department of State explains that these certificates are issued by local notarial offices and normally include an English translation plus a statement that the English conforms to the Chinese original.

A notarial birth certificate is not the same document as the hospital Medical Certificate of Birth or the household-registration book. Request the exact civil document named by the receiving authority.

03

How should U.S. documents be prepared for use in mainland China?

For a U.S. public document used in mainland China, first ask the receiving Chinese authority which original, issue date, and translation format it accepts. When the document falls under the Apostille Convention, obtain the U.S. apostille from the competent authority before translation.

  • State and local documents: usually apostilled by the Secretary of State in the issuing state.
  • Federal documents: authenticated by the U.S. Department of State.
  • Translation: translate the document and apostille into Chinese if the receiving authority requires it.

Since 7 November 2023, Convention documents sent between the United States and mainland China no longer require Chinese consular legalization.

04

Does an apostille replace a certified translation?

No. An apostille authenticates the origin of a public document — usually the signature, the signer’s capacity, and the seal or stamp. It does not verify the document’s contents and does not translate it.

The receiving authority can still require a translation, a particular Chinese format, or a local notarial step. Treat authentication and translation as separate checks: first make the original usable across borders, then make its contents readable in the required language.

Cross-border authentication

Do documents for mainland China need an apostille or legalization?

Mainland China is part of the Hague Apostille Convention (since 2023), so public documents are authenticated with a single apostille — no consular legalization.

From Mainland China

Who issues an apostille in mainland China?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the local Foreign Affairs Offices (FAOs) it authorizes. Private documents must first be notarized by a notary office (公证处) before they can be apostilled.The Convention entered into force for mainland China on 7 November 2023, replacing consular legalization for member states.

Toward Mainland China

Do U.S. documents need an apostille for mainland China?

Since 7 November 2023, a U.S. document going to mainland China is apostilled in the United States rather than consularly legalized, then translated into Chinese.

When the receiving authority requires an apostille on the original, obtain it before translation so the apostille certificate can be translated too. See how apostilles work, or order a certified translation.

Submission checklist

How do I prepare a document translation for mainland China?

  1. 1

    Get the correct Chinese civil document or notarial certificate

    For many overseas procedures, the local notary office (公证处) issues a notarial certificate (公证书). A Chinese birth notarial certificate is different from the hospital Medical Certificate of Birth and from a household-registration record.

  2. 2

    Apostille it when the destination requires one

    For use in another Apostille Convention member, the Chinese public document is apostilled by the MFA or an authorized local Foreign Affairs Office. Consular legalization is no longer required between China and other Convention members.

  3. 3

    Cover every Chinese-language page for the U.S. submission

    USCIS requires a full English translation certified as complete and accurate. Translate the entire booklet — including seals, stamps, notarial wording, and apostille — unless the packet already includes a complete English version the receiving authority accepts.

Need the Chinese translation service rather than the rules?

Continue to the language hub or choose the exact document you have.

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Two directions, two rulebooks

Which direction are your documents going?

Choose the destination first. It determines the language, certification, and whether an apostille belongs in the packet.

Chinese → English

Translating Chinese documents for the U.S.?

Chinese birth certificates, diplomas, transcripts, and other non-English records need a complete certified English translation for USCIS, U.S. universities, and credential evaluators.

  • Every field, seal, stamp, and annotation
  • Signed Certificate of Accuracy
  • Most 1–3 page orders in 24 hours
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U.S. → Mainland China

Sending U.S. documents to mainland China?

Since 7 November 2023, a U.S. document going to mainland China is apostilled in the United States rather than consularly legalized, then translated into Chinese.

Sequence matters: when the original needs an apostille, obtain it before translation so the complete packet can be translated together.
Check apostille requirements Read the official-use rules for Mainland China
Mainland China document guide

Which Chinese documents are covered by these requirements?

Choose the document you have for its format-specific translation guidance. These links cover the records most often submitted from Mainland China to USCIS, universities, and credential evaluators.

USCIS accepted formatWES requirements includedSigned & stamped certificate
Top portion of a PRC Medical Certificate of Birth (出生医学证明) with bearer's name, birth date, mother's address, mother's ID-card number, and hospital name redacted; the form's bilingual labels and the bearer's name field structure remain visible
PRC Medical Certificate of Birth (出生医学证明) with names, ID-card numbers, certificate number, and date redacted; the mother's row and the father's row each show two adjacent fields pre-printed in English as 'Nationality,' recording the Chinese labels 国籍 (citizenship) and 民族 (ethnicity)
Chinese PRC Medical Certificate of Birth (出生医学证明) with redacted personal details and photograph, showing the bilingual field labels (Chinese and English side-by-side), the Chinese values on the right of each label, the round red hospital seal overlapping the issuing-authority block at the bottom, and the holographic security marker in the lower-right corner
3 published casesMost popular

Birth certificate

zh出生证明

Chinese birth certificate translation is frequently required for family-based immigration, green card filings, and identity verification.

Signed & stamped Certificate of Accuracy

Word-for-word · exact structure preserved

$24.95· 1-2 pagesUSCIS-ready
Translate my birth certificateChinese birth certificate translation →
Chinese Doctoral Degree Certificate (博士学位证书) with redacted personal details, showing the institutional logo and English name 'Peking Union Medical College' at top, two parallel signature blocks for Peking Union Medical College and Tsinghua University at the bottom, and a row of two distinct certificate numbers on the lower edge
1 published case

Diploma and degree certificate

zh毕业证书 · 学位证书

Chinese diploma translation is commonly required for admissions, employment verification, and credential evaluation services.

Signed & stamped Certificate of Accuracy

Word-for-word · exact structure preserved

$24.95/ pageWES-ready
Translate my diplomaChinese diploma translation →
Chinese PhD transcript from Peking Union Medical College with redacted student name, ID, supervisor, and department — showing two Marxism courses among the required subjects and a course-name field that repeats the course-type label for the program's specialized course
2 published cases

Academic transcript

zh成绩单

Transcripts require line-level translation of courses, credits, grading labels, and institutional signatures.

Signed & stamped Certificate of Accuracy

Word-for-word · exact structure preserved

$24.95· 2-6 pagesWES-ready
Translate my transcriptChinese transcript translation →

Other Chinese Documents — $24.95 / page

Marriage certificate

结婚证

→

Divorce records

离婚证 · 民事调解书 · 民事判决书

→

Death certificate

死亡证明 · 死亡医学证明书

→

Household registration book

户口本 · hukou

→

Passport and ID pages

护照 · 身份证

→

Notarial certificates

公证书

→

Medical Records

→
Michael Chen

Chinese records reviewed by Michael Chen — Chinese↔English translator — Simplified & Traditional

Avoid preventable delays

What causes Chinese document translations to be rejected?

The mistakes we see most often on Chinese documents — and what a correct certified translation does instead.

1

Graduation certificate confused with the degree certificate

China issues a graduation certificate (毕业证) and a separate degree certificate (学位证); treating them as one document misstates the qualification for a university or evaluator.

See how we handled it
2

Both nationality fields on a birth notarial certificate mishandled

A Chinese birth notarial certificate can list nationality information in two places; rendering only one creates an inconsistency across the immigration packet.

See how we handled it
3

CHSI English re-translated into a conflicting version

When a CHSI transcript already carries an official English version, producing a second, differently-worded translation triggers a discrepancy; the certified translation should match the verified record.

See how we handled it
Real casework

Real Chinese translation cases we've handled

Anonymized Chinese-to-English orders. Each case shows the exact translation problem and how we solved it for the receiving authority.

See all translation cases →

Clear per-page pricing

What affects the cost and turnaround of your Chinese document packet?

A one-page certificate is priced as a single page; a notarial booklet (公证书) or multi-page transcript is priced by its page count. Standard translation delivery is 24 hours for most 1–3 page orders. Notarization, hard-copy mailing, and apostille service are priced separately because their timelines differ.

  • No word-count markup
  • Signed certification included
  • Complete translation of all visible text
  • Corrections included

Certified translation from

$24.95/ page

One physical source page, any length.

Start my translation See all pricing and add-ons

Questions people ask before submitting

What should I know about Mainland China document translation requirements?

What translation is required for foreign documents used in mainland China?

The receiving authority decides the exact format. A foreign public document may first need an apostille or legalization in its country of origin and may then need a Chinese translation or local notarial handling. Confirm the sequence with the Chinese office receiving the document before ordering either service.

how apostilles work
Do Chinese documents need a notarized translation for USCIS?

No. USCIS requires a complete certified English translation with a signed Certificate of Accuracy; it does not require the translation itself to be notarized. A Chinese notarial certificate (公证书) is a separate source document and should be translated in full when it is part of the filing.

USCIS translation requirements
What is a Chinese notarial certificate (公证书)?

A 公证书 is a notarial certificate issued by a mainland Chinese notary office (公证处). It records or certifies a civil fact or document for official use and commonly packages Chinese notarial wording with supporting pages and, for overseas use, an English conformity translation.

Chinese notarial birth certificate translation
Does a Chinese notarial certificate already include an English translation?

Often, but not always. Many notarial booklets prepared for overseas use include an English version stating that it conforms to the Chinese original. Check that every Chinese-language page, seal, stamp, and attachment is covered, then ask the receiving authority whether it accepts that English version before ordering a second translation.

certified Chinese translation guidance
Is a Chinese notarial certificate the same as an apostille?

No. A notarial certificate records or certifies the underlying document or civil fact. An apostille authenticates the origin of a public document for use in another Apostille Convention member. A packet can require both, and neither one automatically replaces a translation.

apostille vs translation
Do U.S. documents need an apostille for use in mainland China?

When the document falls within the Apostille Convention and the Chinese receiving authority requires authentication, obtain the apostille from the competent U.S. authority before translation. Since 7 November 2023, eligible U.S. public documents generally use an apostille instead of Chinese consular legalization for mainland China.

U.S. apostille guidance
Who issues an apostille in mainland China?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the local Foreign Affairs Offices it authorizes. A private document may first need notarization by a mainland Chinese notary office (公证处) before it is eligible for an apostille.

how Chinese apostilles work
Does an apostille replace a certified translation?

No. The apostille authenticates the document's origin, signature, and seal; it does not translate the contents. The receiving authority can still require a complete translation of the source document and, where relevant, the apostille page.

translation, notarization, and apostille compared
Does a Chinese birth certificate need an English translation for USCIS?

Yes. Every Chinese-language page submitted to USCIS must be accompanied by a full English translation certified as complete and accurate. A Chinese notarial birth certificate (出生公证书) often already includes an English conformity translation; if it covers the entire booklet, confirm with the receiving authority whether a second translation is necessary.

Chinese birth certificate translation
My Chinese transcript already has English from CHSI — do I still need a translation?

If the CHSI verification report already carries the official English version, that is usually accepted. Producing a second, differently-worded translation can create a mismatch, so match the verified record rather than re-translate it.

WES translation
Are these requirements the same for Taiwan or Hong Kong?

No. This page covers mainland China. Taiwan uses its own BOCA and overseas-mission document-authentication process rather than mainland China's MFA apostille system. Hong Kong has a separate apostille process through the High Court. The language may still be Chinese, but the authentication route depends on the issuing jurisdiction.

Chinese translation by region

Official sources

Information verified against official sources. Last verified August 2026.