Chinese Birth Certificate Translation Services in Singapore
Need your Chinese birth certificate in English? ICA needs every document that is not in English to come with an official translation. For PR, citizenship and LTVP, ICA accepts an embassy translation, a notary's translation (from Singapore or China), or a private translation that is notarised. A company stamp alone is not enough. We translate your 出生医学证明 or older 出生证, match every name to the passports, and arrange the Notary Public and the SAL step for you.
Quick answer: A certified Chinese birth certificate translation starts from S$40 a page and takes 24 to 48 hours. The ICA version (translation + notary + SAL) starts from S$202.20 for a 1-page certificate and usually takes 3 to 7 working days. Need it fast? Send it before 11am on a weekday for same-day translation of a short document. The notary and SAL steps then add a few working days.
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Certified, Notarised or Apostilled Chinese Birth Certificate Translation: Which One Do You Need?
Different offices ask for different levels of proof. MOM will take a certified translation. ICA will not. Filing with ICA? You only need card 2.
1. Certified Translation
- Who signs it: Our translator and our company, with a signed and dated statement that the English is complete and correct.
- Used for: MOM Dependant's Pass files, schools, banks, insurers, hospitals and the High Commission of Malaysia.
- Time: 24 to 48 hours.
- From: S$40 per page.
2. Notarised Translation
- Who signs it: A Notary Public in Singapore (a senior lawyer), who signs and seals our certified translation.
- Used for: ICA PR, citizenship, LTVP and LTVP+ files.
- Time: 3 to 7 working days.
- From: S$202.20 for a 1-page certificate (S$40 translation + S$75 notary + S$87.20 SAL).
3. Going Abroad: Apostille or Embassy Legalisation
- Who signs it: The Notary Public, then SAL, and for some countries the embassy too.
- Used for: A document leaving Singapore, such as a Singapore birth certificate in Chinese for use in China.
- Time: 3 to 7 working days, plus the embassy's own time where needed.
- From: Included with notarisation · embassy legalisation quoted on request.
One thing we will always tell you straight
ICA does not endorse any private translation company. No company in Singapore can promise you that ICA will say yes. What ICA looks at is the route the translation took: an embassy, a notary, or a private translation that was notarised or attested later. So we do not sell you a promise. We build your file in the exact shape ICA asks for, and we tell you honestly when you do not need an extra step. Our ICA translation services page sets out the full rules in plain words.
Chinese Birth Certificate Translation: Every Format, Old and New
We translate from Simplified and Traditional Chinese and keep every red seal, the stub number, the parents' ID numbers, handwritten corrections and any lunar date. Lunar and Gregorian dates are both shown and labelled, so we never pick one for you.
Also: Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese
Not sure what you have? Send a photo and we will tell you.
Using a Singapore Birth Certificate in China
Chinese families with a baby born in Singapore often need the birth certificate in Chinese for offices in China.
Travel Document or Passport
The Chinese Embassy may ask for the birth certificate when you apply for your child's travel document. Check its current list first.
Adding the Child to the Hukou
The local police station in China may want a Chinese translation with the apostille.
School Places and Family Matters
Schools, estate and property offices in China may want proof of the child's parents in Chinese, usually notarised.
The Apostille Step
China joined the Apostille Convention on 7 November 2023. A Singapore notarised translation with the SAL apostille needs no Chinese embassy stamp. Some Chinese offices still prefer a translation made in China, so ask the office first.
Good to Know
Singapore has no state-appointed sworn translators. When an office abroad asks for a "sworn" translation, it means a translator's affidavit of accuracy, sworn before a Notary Public in Singapore and then apostilled by SAL, or a translator on that embassy's own list. We check which one applies and arrange it.
How to Get Your Chinese Birth Certificate Translated: Send a Photo, We Handle Notary and SAL
Four simple steps, from your photo to a set that is ready to upload.
Send a clear photo or scan
Shoot it flat in daylight, with the seal and small print sharp. Include the stub and the back. Add the passport pages of the child and both parents so we can match the pinyin. Keep the original at home.
Get a price and a plan
We reply within an hour with a fixed, itemised price, and we tell you if you need the notary and SAL steps or not.
Translation and check
A human translator does the work. A second person checks every name, ID number, date, place and seal before it moves on.
Notary and SAL if needed
For ICA, we send your translation to a Notary Public in Singapore and then to SAL for the apostille. You get a PDF of the full set (original, translation, notary and SAL pages) to upload to ICA, plus the signed paper copy. A certified translation comes as a signed PDF, with paper on request. Courier for a small fee, or collect from our office.
Why Families Trust Us With Chinese Birth Certificate Translation
What you get with every Chinese birth certificate we translate.
Names Checked Against Your Passport
Pinyin given names are often joined on one paper and split on another. We follow the passport and add a translator's note where they differ.
Nothing on the Page Is Skipped
Every red seal, stub number, side note and handwritten line gets translated. A missing seal can get a file sent back.
Notary Step Handled Here
We work with a partner Notary Public in Singapore and send the paper on to SAL after that. You do not have to book a lawyer or queue anywhere yourself.
Honest Timelines
Certified translation takes 24 to 48 hours. With the notary and SAL steps, the whole job usually takes 3 to 7 working days. We tell you the real date, not a nice one.
A Real Job: Shanghai Birth Certificate and Hukou, One Name Problem, One ICA PR File
A family applying for PR sent us a Shanghai Medical Birth Certificate issued in 2011, with its stub, and the family's hukou book.
Chinese Birth Certificate Translation
Original
Shanghai Medical Birth Certificate (2011) with its stub, sent with the family's hukou book.
What the client needed
Family applying for Singapore PR
- The mother's given name was written as one word on the hukou but as two words on her passport.
- The officer must not see two different people.
What we did
One bundle for upload
- We followed the passport spelling for the mother's given name.
- We added a short translator's note that explained the difference.
- We checked all three family passports against both papers.
- The English was ready in 24 hours.
- The notary and SAL steps followed, and the full set was delivered as one bundle for upload.
How Much Does Chinese Birth Certificate Translation Cost in Singapore?
You pay per page, and you get a fixed price before we start. A 出生医学证明 is usually 1 page. Several documents, such as the birth certificate and the hukou? Send them together for one bundled quote with an itemised breakdown.
Notarised for ICA
3-7 daysStarting from · 1-page certificate, notary + SAL included
- Includes the notary fee (S$75) and the SAL fee (S$87.20)
- +S$40 for each extra page
- PDF for the ICA upload plus the signed paper set
Certified Translation
24-48 hrsStarting from
- Signed and stamped by our company
- For MOM, schools, banks and the High Commission of Malaysia
- Signed PDF, paper copy on request
Urgent
Same day*Extra charge
- *Same-day translation if sent before 11am on a weekday (short documents)
- The notary and SAL steps still take a few working days, depending on the notary's schedule
Chinese is a standard language for us. Old handwritten records and very faded papers may take longer, and we tell you before we start.
What Clients Say About Our Chinese Birth Certificate Translation
Here is what clients said after we translated their Chinese birth certificates.
Real Client Experiences
Swipe to read more success stories
Finally Accepted By ICA
"Previously my submission was rejected because translation format was wrong. I contacted this service after that. They checked every detail carefully, even name order. The new file looked clear and..."
Calm Support During PR Filing
"During PR application, we had many documents to prepare. The birth certificate was the most confusing one. They explained in simple words what ICA needs. Translation matched every detail. No..."
School Admission Without Delay
"For primary school registration, they asked for English birth certificate copy. I sent photo through WhatsApp. Process was easy. Translation came neat and clear. School office checked and accepted on..."
Smooth Online Submission
"Uploading documents to ICA portal always worries me. This time, translation of birth certificate was clean and correct. I sent it online and portal accepted immediately. No extra emails or..."
Fixed Date Mistake Quickly
"Original translation had wrong birth date. I sent it back to them. They corrected it fast. New version was correct. ICA accepted without question. Very professional and helpful team."
Accurate Details Every Time
"I worried about name order and spelling. They checked everything carefully. Date and place matched original. ICA officer accepted translation without any extra questions. Very satisfied with careful handling."
Hospital Registration Completed Smoothly
"Hospital requested English birth certificate copy for my newborn. Team helped me quickly. File was ready same day, clear and accurate. Hospital accepted without asking for corrections. Very thankful."
ICA Portal Upload Success
"I submitted birth certificate translation online for PR application. Everything was correct. Portal accepted first attempt. Team explained clearly how to send. Made the process easy for family."
Friendly Guidance During Submission
"I was confused about ICA document checklist. They guided me step by step. Translation was clear. Submission completed on time without mistakes. Family feels very confident now."
Quick Re-submission After Query
"ICA sent query about original translation. I contacted them immediately. They prepared new file same day. ICA accepted without any further question. Very efficient and reliable service."
Other Papers You May Need for the Same Application
A birth certificate rarely travels alone. We run the set as one job, so every name is spelt the same way.
Helpful guides
Several Documents? One Bundled Quote
Send them together for one bundled quote with an itemised breakdown.
Common Questions About Translating a Chinese Birth Certificate
Short, direct answers to the questions clients ask us most.
FAQ Group
Does ICA accept a certified translation, or must my Chinese birth certificate be notarised?
For PR, citizenship and LTVP, plan for notarised. ICA accepts an embassy translation, a translation by a notary in Singapore or China, or a private translation that a notary has notarised. ICA does not endorse any translation company, so a company stamp alone is not enough. We do the translation and the notarisation in one order. For a MOM Dependant's Pass, a certified translation is enough.
How much does Chinese birth certificate translation cost in Singapore?
A certified translation starts at S$40 a page. The ICA version, with translation, notary and SAL, starts at S$202.20 for a 1-page certificate, and each extra page adds S$40. Same-day translation costs S$20 more a page for short documents sent before 11am on a weekday. Send us a photo and we will give you a fixed price within an hour.
Do I need SAL authentication or an apostille for ICA?
You do not need a separate step. When a Singapore notary signs your translation, SAL must authenticate it, and since 16 September 2021 it does this with an apostille. We arrange it, and the S$87.20 fee is included in our notarised price. Embassy legalisation is only needed for some countries abroad.
I already have a Chinese notarial certificate (公证书) with an English page. Do I need a new translation?
Maybe not. ICA accepts a translation made by a notary in the country that issued the document. If your 公证书 includes a complete English translation, it may be enough on its own. Send us a photo and we will check it for free. If the English is missing or only covers part of it, we translate and notarise the rest.
Do I need to send the hukou book as well?
Often, yes. The household register shows family links, and ICA may ask for it with the birth certificate in a PR or citizenship file. Send both, and we translate them as one set so every name matches. If your file only needs the birth certificate, we will tell you, so you do not pay for pages you do not need.
The mother's name is spelt differently on the hukou and the passport. Is that a problem?
It is common, and it can be fixed. Pinyin names are often joined on one paper and split on another, or a character can be read two ways. We follow the passport spelling and add a short translator's note that explains the difference. Please send the passports of the child and both parents with your order.
Is a Dependant's Pass different from an LTVP?
Yes. A Dependant's Pass is a MOM pass, and MOM accepts a certified English translation by a translation service provider, uploaded with the Chinese original as one file. An LTVP for a spouse or child of a Singapore citizen or PR is an ICA pass, so ICA usually wants the notarised version.
My child was born in Singapore. Do we need a translation?
Not for use in Singapore. A Singapore birth certificate is already in English. You need a Chinese translation only if you use it in China, for example to add your child to the hukou or apply for a travel document. China accepts the SAL apostille, so no Chinese embassy stamp is needed.
My ICA deadline is in a few days. Can you still help?
The translation can be ready the same day if you send a short document before 11am on a weekday. The notary and SAL steps depend on their schedules and usually add a few working days. Message us on WhatsApp today and we will tell you honestly whether your date is possible.
Do I get a paper copy as well as the PDF? And do you need the original?
A clear photo or scan is enough to start, and your original stays with you. Notarised sets always come on paper, because the notary signs and stamps a real page. We also email you a PDF of the full set to upload to ICA. Collect the paper set from our office, or we courier it for a small fee.
Get Your Chinese Birth Certificate Translation Done the Right Way
Send a photo of your 出生医学证明, tell us which office it is for, and get a fixed price within an hour.