Two different kinds of Chinese marriage certificate notarization?

[Dongbei 22]

We are getting our Chinese wedding certificate notarized and are wondering if the notarization also has to get another stamp from a provincial office? The notary public isn’t sure if America requires it or not. He called it a 认证 (ren zheng).

 

It sounds similar to what is required to process a work visa in China (getting the notary public’s stamp approved at a county office in the US). He’s just not sure if it’s required or not. It is not something they do at the notary office, but rather has to be taken to a provincial office where they put another stamp on the notarized wedding certificate. 

 

Is this needed? Thanks!

[Dongbei 22]

I’m notarizing our marriage certificates and the notary public said there are two different types of notarization, one of which is only good for 6 months. I called the USCIS unit at the Guangzhou consulate and he said you can do both or wait and do the second type of notarization before the final interview because the I-130 only needs the first type. The first type is a translation and an authentication of the marriage booklet. I’m not super clear on what the second type is but it’s only good for 6 months so we want to wait on doing it just in case. The USCIS personnel said you can wait. 

 

The notary public said he’s never had anyone require the second type.

 

Does anyone know what the deal with this is?

[RandyW 149]

11 hours ago, Dongbei said:

I’m notarizing our marriage certificates and the notary public said there are two different types of notarization, one of which is only good for 6 months. I called the USCIS unit at the Guangzhou consulate and he said you can do both or wait and do the second type of notarization before the final interview because the I-130 only needs the first type. The first type is a translation and an authentication of the marriage booklet. I’m not super clear on what the second type is but it’s only good for 6 months so we want to wait on doing it just in case. The USCIS personnel said you can wait. 

 

The notary public said he’s never had anyone require the second type.

 

Does anyone know what the deal with this is?

 

No - no one does. The white book notarial marriage certificate has an indefinite life span.

 

"The first type is a translation and an authentication of the marriage booklet. " This is the only kind that anyone is aware of.

 

They may have been talking about the police report, which will also need to be in the notarial white book format and is only good for six months. Or they may have thought you wanted something else entirely.

Just to make sure you're doing the right thing - There ARE no "notary publics" for Chinese documents  - the correct term is Notarial Office, or Gong Zheng Chu (公证处). The notarial document is a 公证书, or  gong zheng shu.

 

These are CHINESE documents, NOT made to either your or the consulate's specification.

 

 

Edited August 16, 2018 by RandyW

[Dongbei 22]

Yes, that is where we were. They didn’t mention the police check expiring, nor did the USCIS personnel on the phone. We live very far away from my wife’s hometown so it will be difficult to come back to do it, we just wanted to do it all in one fell swoop. I’m hoping it won’t be an issue! I doubt we can have an interview in Feb of next year because it’s around Spring Festival. Any earlier and the visa might expire before we get back to America. 

[Ryan H 3,825]

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