My Chinese birth certificate is handwritten — how is it translated for USCIS?
A handwritten Chinese birth certificate can be given a certified translation: every legible handwritten entry is translated as written, and any text that truly cannot be read is marked "[illegible]" — never guessed or filled in.
The situation
Older Chinese birth certificates (出生医学证明) were often filled in by hand, and the handwriting may be rushed or faded.
What the rules say
USCIS has no special rule for handwritten documents; the general rule of 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) applies — a full English translation plus the translator's certification. For immigrant visas (NVC / U.S. consulates), the Department of State asks for notarial certificates issued by a Chinese notary office for civil documents such as birth records; the notarial certificate already carries an English translation.
Official source: eCFR: 8 CFR § 103.2 (full text) · U.S. Department of State: Collect Civil Documents (translations)
Sources last verified 2026-10-01
How we handle it
- Every handwritten field is translated in the layout of the original, including the hospital, attending staff, date of issue and every seal
- Text that cannot be read is marked [illegible]; we do not reconstruct it from other documents
- If a key field (name, date of birth) is illegible, we tell you before delivery so you can obtain a notarial birth certificate or a reissued record
- For an immigrant visa interview, get the notarial birth certificate instead — it needs no separate translation
Price
Certified translation is $16 per real uploaded page (minimum order $25), including the translator's declaration and translation seal; the quote you see after uploading is the final price.
Birth certificate translation: requirements and price →More special cases
- My Chinese certificate already has English on it — do I still need a certified translation?
- I have an English CHSI verification report — do I still need a certified translation?
- The name on my Chinese documents is spelled differently from my passport — what does the translation use?
- Hukou translation: the whole booklet or just my page?
- Can I translate only part of a Chinese bank statement?
- My old Chinese marriage certificate is faded — can it still get a certified translation?
Upload your document for an itemized quote
One transparent price includes the translation, translator's declaration and bilingual seal — the quote you see is the final price.