RandyW

.  . . also check with the notarial office to make sure you are doing the right thing.

Perhaps using a western lawyer in China would help convince whichever embassy you're up against that it's an impossible dream - and (hopefully) be cheaper than a trip there yourself.

Check the Gary Chodorow Law Firm web site (I can't get there right now myself) - I'll bet he's got a write-up on the difficulties of obtaining a No Criminal Certificate for a foreigner.
 
You can even have your embassy contact the Consulate in Guangzhou with any questions about the process (or lack thereof) of obtaining one.

I need to repeat what was said earlier - you are PROBABLY okay, BUT the consulate HAS rejected 公证书's that were based on other documents. The fact that yours is titled 出生公证书  may be sufficient, even though it is based on the one-child certificate.
 
 

You were given advice in the other thread on how to obtain it.  You don't have a choice but to go there and work with the local Chinese officials to obtain this certificate, or pay a lawyer or one of those services to obtain it on your behalf.  The fees are quite high because it involves a lot of work hours, and likely making trips to the town you were registered in order to get you the certificate you need.

There is no requirement for the transcript - you have a choice of which to submit. They contain the SAME information, and carry the same weight from a legal point of view.

Notarial birth certificates are issued by the Chinese notarial offices.  Your wife is in the same boat as EVERY other Chinese citizen. If she has a Chinese ID card, she can get a notarial birth certificate, which is standard issue, and what the Consulate EXPECTS.
 
The hukou is the Household Registry which contains the information used to produce the white books.
 
Notarial Certificate of Birth
 
Most confusion with the Chinese Notarial Documents is with the Notarial Certificate of Birth. Prior to 1996, birth certificates were not issued at birth. A notarial certificate with translation must be generated from the hukou. Note that if the applicant is no longer in their parents' hukou, they may need to provide other certified evidence to indicate the parents' names.
 
A notarial certificate is NOT necessarily a translation of an existing document. It is a statement BY the notarial official based on the evidence you present as to the facts of the matter. In other words, the Notarial Certificate of Birth will be generated ON THE SPOT at the Notarial Office, or Gong Zheng Chu (公证处). If they demand that you produce a "birth certificate" for them to certify, you may need to get creative, such as by going back to the PSB to get a certified statement of the facts needed for the Notarial Certificate of Birth. If the applicant is no longer on their parents' hukou, they MAY need to go to the hometown PSB where they were originally registered.
 
The notation on the notarial birth certificate is 出生公证书, or chu sheng gong zheng shu, which is what you need to ask for at the Gong Zheng Chu, or 公证处֤֤֤.
 
A sample Notarial Certificate of Birth may be found at http://candleforlove...books/?p=626052
 
Chinese Notarial Documents - see DOS China Reciprocity Schedule

 
NOTE: If the link is broken, try http://travel.state.gov/ and search for "Reciprocity by Country" (they seem to change this periodically)
 
Most of the documents needed can be obtained from one of China's Notarial Offices (Gong Zheng Chu, or 公证处֤֤). All Chinese documentation to be used abroad is processed through the notary offices and issued in the form of notarial certificates (known as "white books"). Notarial offices are located in all major Chinese cities and in rural county seats
 
Google 上海公证处, substituting the name of your home city.

The documents required are the GongZhengShu (公证书֤) ֤֤ or Notarial Certificate.
 
Sample application for documents (your province or hukou may vary):
 
http://bnpo.gov.cn/en/en_index

A discussion of the huji (or hukou system can be found at Hukou System. Chinese residents should go to their hukou for all notarial documents (birth, divorce, and/or single certificate, and police records). For the police record, one obtained at the hukou will cover all of China.

A notarial document will be in the standard white notarial booklet, have an official red seal, an English translation, and an attestation to the true translation.
 

This is NOT a birth certificate - it is simply a hospital receipt.
 
The notation on the Notarial Birth Certificate is 出生公证书, or chu sheng gong zheng shu, which is what you need to ask for at the Gong Zheng Chu, or 公证处 - it is produced from her hukou book.
 
If you are unable to obtain one, you will need to explain why. You apparently have yet to even try.

Notarial birth certificates are issued by the Chinese notarial offices.  Your wife is in the same boat as EVERY other Chinese citizen. If she has a Chinese ID card, she can get a notarial birth certificate, which is standard issue, and what the Consulate EXPECTS.
 
The hukou is the Household Registry which contains the information used to produce the white books.
 
Notarial Certificate of Birth
 
Most confusion with the Chinese Notarial Documents is with the Notarial Certificate of Birth. Prior to 1996, birth certificates were not issued at birth. A notarial certificate with translation must be generated from the hukou. Note that if the applicant is no longer in their parents' hukou, they may need to provide other certified evidence to indicate the parents' names.
 
A notarial certificate is NOT necessarily a translation of an existing document. It is a statement BY the notarial official based on the evidence you present as to the facts of the matter. In other words, the Notarial Certificate of Birth will be generated ON THE SPOT at the Notarial Office, or Gong Zheng Chu (公证处). If they demand that you produce a "birth certificate" for them to certify, you may need to get creative, such as by going back to the PSB to get a certified statement of the facts needed for the Notarial Certificate of Birth. If the applicant is no longer on their parents' hukou, they MAY need to go to the hometown PSB where they were originally registered.
 
The notation on the notarial birth certificate is 出生公证书, or chu sheng gong zheng shu, which is what you need to ask for at the Gong Zheng Chu, or 公证处֤֤֤.
 
A sample Notarial Certificate of Birth may be found at http://candleforlove...books/?p=626052
 
Chinese Notarial Documents - see DOS China Reciprocity Schedule

 
NOTE: If the link is broken, try http://travel.state.gov/ and search for "Reciprocity by Country" (they seem to change this periodically)
 
Most of the documents needed can be obtained from one of China's Notarial Offices (Gong Zheng Chu, or 公证处֤֤). All Chinese documentation to be used abroad is processed through the notary offices and issued in the form of notarial certificates (known as "white books"). Notarial offices are located in all major Chinese cities and in rural county seats
 
Google 上海公证处, substituting the name of your home city.

The documents required are the GongZhengShu (公证书֤) ֤֤ or Notarial Certificate.
 
Sample application for documents (your province or hukou may vary):
 
http://bnpo.gov.cn/en/en_index

A discussion of the huji (or hukou system can be found at Hukou System. Chinese residents should go to their hukou for all notarial documents (birth, divorce, and/or single certificate, and police records). For the police record, one obtained at the hukou will cover all of China.

A notarial document will be in the standard white notarial booklet, have an official red seal, an English translation, and an attestation to the true translation.
 

Your white book serves as a legal marriage certificate in the U.S.

Your white book serves as a legal marriage certificate in the U.S.

You will need to RE_APPLY if it expires. After one year, they toss your file, unless you are working with them.

PSB is Public Security Bureau Entry & Exit Bureau - they issue visas locally. 
 

You will need to RE_APPLY if it expires. After one year, they toss your file, unless you are working with them.

PSB is Public Security Bureau Entry & Exit Bureau - they issue visas locally. 
 

wow, thanks for the detailed explanations! This makes sense now

You will most likely need the white book Notarial Certificate of Birth, or 出生公证书, or chu sheng gong zheng shu, unless your partner has one of the newer Medical Certificate of Birth - 出生医学证明  (chu sheng yixue zheng ming).
 
Birth certificates were not issued in China prior to 1996.
 
A Medical Certificate of Birth looks like this
 

You will most likely need the white book Notarial Certificate of Birth, or 出生公证书, or chu sheng gong zheng shu, unless your partner has one of the newer Medical Certificate of Birth - 出生医学证明  (chu sheng yixue zheng ming).
 
Birth certificates were not issued in China prior to 1996.
 
A Medical Certificate of Birth looks like this
 

See USTravelDocs web site - http://ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-iv-preparedocuments.asp

They DO NOT ask for the passport unless they are ready to put a visa in it.
 
 

The consulate's holiday was Mon - Thurs of last week, only 4 days, since they don't honor the Chinese extra work day trade-off.

That is, the Chinese holiday was Mon - Sun, after 2 extra weekend work days on Feb 2-3.

The consulate's holiday was Mon - Thurs of last week, only 4 days, since they don't honor the Chinese extra work day trade-off.

That is, the Chinese holiday was Mon - Sun, after 2 extra weekend work days on Feb 2-3.

A little late to be replying to this 10-month old topic, but I wanted to report that my Hunanese in-laws applied to and interviewed at the Guangzhou consulate, and were successful in their application for tourist visas. It probably helped that we/they went all-out in preparing evidence of their ties to China, and of their intention to stay in the US for a short visit. They have since visited the US, and then returned to their home in China.
 
Thanks for your help, Randy.

An EXCELLENT write-up from someone a few years back, but still applicable. Well worth the read
http://www.candleforlove.com/FAQ/CCP_Essay.doc
This is a Word document, with no viruses. If you prefer a forum-readable format, use this link - http://candleforlove.com/forums/topic/43921-ccp-membership-issues/

I don't think I've seen these posted yet, so I thought I'd link them here in case anyone would find them useful:
K Visa Instructions (English) DEC2018
K Visa Instructions (Chinese) DEC2018
 
This document also comes in handy:
GUZ-Guangzhou pre-interview instructions (all visa types)

You will need to take it to one of China's Notarial Offices (Gong Zheng Chu, or 公证处֤).
 
All Chinese documentation to be used abroad is processed through the notary offices and issued in the form of notarial certificates (known as "white books"). Notarial offices are located in all major Chinese cities and in rural county seats
 
Google 上海公证处, substituting the name of your home city.

The documents required are the GongZhengShu (公证书֤) ֤֤ or Notarial Certificate.
 
The title on the notarial certificate is 
 
未受刑事处分公证书 （Wèi shòu xíngshì chǔfèn gōngzhèng shū)  or "No criminal sanction public certificate"

American citizens are allowed in the consulate at any, up on presenting your passport. If she's interviewing, though, it's better to give CHER the passport and wait outside.