How to get a certified Chinese Birth Cert in Canada?

[bbz 2]

Hi guys,

Hope things are going smoooOthly with everyone's visa apps

We're almost done putting together our IV supplements and AOS package except we're stuck on the "Original birth certificate" requirement. Please help!

Wife is Canadian citizen born in China. We have the original birth certificate (it's a red, aged cardboard booklet) and a certified translation of the original. We want to submit a certified birth cert instead of the original, so we don't have to risk losing it in the mail etc. Anddd here's where we're confused:

1) Certified birth cert is not the same as certified translation, right?

2) NVC requires the "original or certified birth certificate" as IV supplement right? So we can't just send in a photocopy with certified translation?

3) Does anyone know or has experience with how to get a certified Chinese birth cert in Canada? Do we go to a Chinese embassy/consulate? If someone's done this before, what's the procedure and how long did it take?

3) Should we just send in the original with the certified translation? All originals will be returned to us at interview right? How likely are documents lost in transit?

Any help is appreciated!

[Inky 1,111]

At the interview you need to request all originals back that you want back from them.

[bbz 2]

At the interview you need to request all originals back that you want back from them.

Thanks for your reply. We're worried that the original birth cert might get lost when we mail it to NVC, or when NVC transfers it to consulate.

[Darnell 8,479]

there's another path.

Use EP for NVC. Any civil documents are sent in as a pdf scan'd file attachment in an email, originals shown on interview day.

Please study Saylin's wiki page on doing EP for Canada, soonish - it sorta smells like you've not opted in for this at NVC.

[pushbrk 13,641]

there's another path.

Use EP for NVC. Any civil documents are sent in as a pdf scan'd file attachment in an email, originals shown on interview day.

Please study Saylin's wiki page on doing EP for Canada, soonish - it sorta smells like you've not opted in for this at NVC.

Yes, that is the path that avoids the problem you fear. Otherwise, we all dealt with that fear. Of course, since my wife was in China, she obtained three original Notarial documents of everything needed, so we didn't worry about asking for any back. From pretty much all other countries though, you send originals and hope they don't get lost.

Optin for electronic processing. It's not to late.

[jaycali 415]

Yes, that is the path that avoids the problem you fear. Otherwise, we all dealt with that fear. Of course, since my wife was in China, she obtained three original Notarial documents of everything needed, so we didn't worry about asking for any back. From pretty much all other countries though, you send originals and hope they don't get lost. Optin for electronic processing. It's not to late.

The Chinese embassy in Ottawa should be able to help you get the birth certificate. If they can't provide it directly, they'll know exactly where to get it.

[pushbrk 13,641]

The Chinese embassy in Ottawa should be able to help you get the birth certificate. If they can't provide it directly, they'll know exactly where to get it.

No, they don't. This is because until recently Chinese people didn't have actual birth certificates and many don't now either. One needs to go to the correct office where their household book is recorded and get a document from that office indicating what is on record. That document is then taken to a Chinese Notarial Office for a Notarial Translation. It's a two-step process to produce the accepted document. The document doesn't already exist, to be translated.

At this time, not even USCIS will accept a document translated by anybody but the Gong Zheng Chu (Notarial Office) for China, even though their instructions indicate otherwise. This is a China specific issue that cannot be solved by traditional methods.

Edited February 22, 2012 by pushbrk

[bbz 2]

there's another path.

Use EP for NVC. Any civil documents are sent in as a pdf scan'd file attachment in an email, originals shown on interview day.

Please study Saylin's wiki page on doing EP for Canada, soonish - it sorta smells like you've not opted in for this at NVC.

Thank you you're a lifesaver! That solves our problem!

No we haven't done anything with NVC yet. Still waiting for case number. We got NoA2 Feb 15 but because of the long weekend last week, NVC said we've only been waiting 3 business days, gotta wait longer.

No, they don't. This is because until recently Chinese people didn't have actual birth certificates and many don't now either. One needs to go to the correct office where their household book is recorded and get a document from that office indicating what is on record. That document is then taken to a Chinese Notarial Office for a Notarial Translation. It's a two-step process to produce the accepted document. The document doesn't already exist, to be translated.

At this time, not even USCIS will accept a document translated by anybody but the Gong Zheng Chu (Notarial Office) for China, even though their instructions indicate otherwise. This is a China specific issue that cannot be solved by traditional methods.

Yah we don't want to go through the whole procedure to get another copy of it in China, especially since wife doesn't have other Chinese identifications. We also heard that you need to "know people" in China to get it done fast, well, we don't know people.

For USCIS though, we used a certified translation by a notary in Canada for the birth cert, not notarized by a Chinese gong zheng chu. It worked just fine for us. Maybe because the Nationality in our case is Canadian, not Chinese.

Thanks for all your help everyone!!

[Darnell 8,479]

there is 'the backup plan' -

Yer wife is listed in SOMEONE's hukuo book, back in China - probably the parents' hukuo book .

THEY can take that in to the office that PushBrk mentions back in China, get the official birth certificate, then THEY can have a white book generated, then THEY can :

1. scan all pages into pdf at a local electronic copy center (many in China, not care where you live, more prevalent than McD's) and email to her for the document intake on EP for NVC and

2. send off the white book to yer lass via postal mail or EMS - she'll need to show it on interview day.

is not really concept of 'having a friend' in China - it's more the concept of using the hukuo book to one's advantage [members listed in the hukuo book are allowed to get a birth certificate on anyone else listed in the hukuo book]

Be Good!

[Laure&Colin 562]

EP definitely seems the answer to your worries , but just for the sake of the question: if she is a Canadian citizen born in China, can't she get a Canadian birth certificate? Something like a certificate of birth abroad?

(This is how it works in France and Paris embassy actually requests people in this situation to provide both birth certificates, the one from the birth country and the French one).

[pushbrk 13,641]

Thank you you're a lifesaver! That solves our problem!

No we haven't done anything with NVC yet. Still waiting for case number. We got NoA2 Feb 15 but because of the long weekend last week, NVC said we've only been waiting 3 business days, gotta wait longer.

Yah we don't want to go through the whole procedure to get another copy of it in China, especially since wife doesn't have other Chinese identifications. We also heard that you need to "know people" in China to get it done fast, well, we don't know people.

For USCIS though, we used a certified translation by a notary in Canada for the birth cert, not notarized by a Chinese gong zheng chu. It worked just fine for us. Maybe because the Nationality in our case is Canadian, not Chinese.

Thanks for all your help everyone!!

Yes, USCIS would handle a China born Canadian differently that a China case but USCIS didn't need the foreigner's birth certificate sent in with the petition anyway. Since you'll be dealing with NVC and Montreal, I expect that translation will be fine.

Yes, it does help to know people in order to speed things up but these documents can be obtained in about three weeks under routine circumstances. Fortunately for us and our friends the big boss of all the Gong Zheng Chu offices in Nanning is one of the extended family members. We've needed to use that connection more than once for ourselves (before he was the Da Lao Ban) and since for friends.

[pushbrk 13,641]

EP definitely seems the answer to your worries , but just for the sake of the question: if she is a Canadian citizen born in China, can't she get a Canadian birth certificate? Something like a certificate of birth abroad?

(This is how it works in France and Paris embassy actually requests people in this situation to provide both birth certificates, the one from the birth country and the French one).

I'm guessing she immigrated to Canada but yes, if her parents were Canadian when she was born, your idea might work. She has what she needs though. They are just trying to avoid mailing it to a government office where it could get lost.

[bbz 2]

I'm guessing she immigrated to Canada but yes, if her parents were Canadian when she was born, your idea might work. She has what she needs though. They are just trying to avoid mailing it to a government office where it could get lost.

Yes I came to Canada with my parents when I was young (this is the wife now, hi ). In fact my mom just told me I had a white book done once when we were all in China, but the original was kept by Canadian Immigration when we got Canadian immigration visa.

there is 'the backup plan' -

Yer wife is listed in SOMEONE's hukuo book, back in China - probably the parents' hukuo book .

THEY can take that in to the office that PushBrk mentions back in China, get the official birth certificate, then THEY can have a white book generated...

Interesting.. The thing is my parents are also in Canada and they're Canadian now and I don't think they still have a hukou book in China. I mean, does a hukou book expire or does China have record of everyone who once had a hukou in China? If none of my immediate family has a hukou book (that has my name) in China, would I have to be in China in person, with my original birth cert, to get a white book? Is there no way to get one from overseas, for example, at a China consulate?

Sorry for throwing out so many questions. Just wana be sure to know how to get another birth cert in case of emergency or whatnot.

Btw Darnell and pushbrk we saw many good posts by you two everywhere on the forum, you guys are so awesome!!

[bbz 2]

EP definitely seems the answer to your worries , but just for the sake of the question: if she is a Canadian citizen born in China, can't she get a Canadian birth certificate? Something like a certificate of birth abroad?

(This is how it works in France and Paris embassy actually requests people in this situation to provide both birth certificates, the one from the birth country and the French one).

Thanks for the info but like pushbrk said my parents weren't Canadian when I was born

[pushbrk 13,641]

Yes I came to Canada with my parents when I was young (this is the wife now, hi ). In fact my mom just told me I had a white book done once when we were all in China, but the original was kept by Canadian Immigration when we got Canadian immigration visa.

Interesting.. The thing is my parents are also in Canada and they're Canadian now and I don't think they still have a hukou book in China. I mean, does a hukou book expire or does China have record of everyone who once had a hukou in China? If none of my immediate family has a hukou book (that has my name) in China, would I have to be in China in person, with my original birth cert, to get a white book? Is there no way to get one from overseas, for example, at a China consulate?

Sorry for throwing out so many questions. Just wana be sure to know how to get another birth cert in case of emergency or whatnot.

Btw Darnell and pushbrk we saw many good posts by you two everywhere on the forum, you guys are so awesome!!

If your name is in a Hukou book in China, somebody else in that same book can obtain the Chinese document and take it to the Gong Zheng Chu. Otherwise I have no clue.