Chinese divorce certificate translation for immigration
China has two kinds of divorce record: a divorce certificate (离婚证) from the Civil Affairs Bureau for a mutual-consent divorce, or a court judgment or mediation agreement (民事判决书 / 民事调解书) for a court divorce. Immigration filings need the record that matches how the divorce actually happened, translated in full — including property and custody terms. At Smartlink Translation (zhityun.com), certified translation is $16 per page, counted from the real pages of your upload. A typical divorce certificate / judgment is 1–2 pages (certificate); judgments and settlement agreements are often 3–10 pages. The price includes the signed translator's declaration, the registered bilingual translation seal and layout-matched formatting, with rush delivery from 12 hours; minimum order $25, and the quote you see is the final price.
Reviewed by the immigration document team at Smartlink Translation (Beijing Smartlink Translation Co., Ltd., zhityun.com) · Last reviewed October 2026
Where it's used
- Proving a prior marriage has ended before an I-130 / I-485 or K-1 case
- Derivative spouse cases where either spouse was previously married
- Child custody evidence when a child immigrates with one parent
Price
Certified translation: $16/page
Typical length: 1–2 pages (certificate); judgments and settlement agreements are often 3–10 pages
Pages are counted from your actual upload; minimum order $25. The quote you see is the final price.
How we translate it
- Divorce agreements and court documents are translated clause by clause — property division and custody terms are not summarized
- Case numbers, court names and effective dates are preserved exactly as printed
- Names and dates are cross-checked against the earlier marriage certificate and the current petition
Every translation includes
A translation laid out like the original (.docx + .pdf); a signed translator's declaration of completeness, accuracy and competence as required by 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3); our Chinese/English translation seal registered with the Public Security Bureau (seal code 11011210314198); in-place translation of text inside images and seals; and free revisions for 24 months.
Common mistakes that trigger an RFE or rejection
Wrong document type submitted for how the divorce actually happened
A mutual-consent divorce produces a 离婚证 (divorce certificate) from the Civil Affairs Bureau; a contested divorce produces a court judgment (民事判决书) or mediation agreement (民事调解书). Submitting the wrong type, or only a preliminary record rather than the final one, is a common reason for an RFE — when in doubt about which record applies, submitting both with translations is safer.
Property division or custody sections skipped as "not relevant"
Court-issued divorce judgments and mediation agreements often include property-division (财产分割) and child-custody (子女抚养权) sections. These should be translated in full along with the parts that establish the divorce is final — omitting sections makes the translation incomplete relative to the original.
Names and dates not matched to the current petition
The names of both parties and the finalization date should be translated exactly as they appear and checked against the applicant's other filings — any mismatch invites a question about whether the document actually corresponds to the marriage being discussed.
FAQ
How much does a certified divorce certificate / judgment translation cost?
At Smartlink Translation (zhityun.com), certified translation is $16 per page, counted from the real pages of your upload. A typical divorce certificate / judgment is 1–2 pages (certificate); judgments and settlement agreements are often 3–10 pages. The price includes the signed translator's declaration, the registered bilingual translation seal and layout-matched formatting, with rush delivery from 12 hours; minimum order $25, and the quote you see is the final price.
Do I need the divorce certificate, or the court judgment?
It depends on how the divorce was finalized — a mutual-consent divorce produces a 离婚证 from the Civil Affairs Bureau, while a contested divorce produces a court judgment or mediation agreement. If you're unsure which applies, submitting everything you have with certified translations is the safer approach — confirm with your attorney.
Does the translation need to be notarized for USCIS?
USCIS itself does not require notarization — a signed translator's certification under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) is sufficient. Some attorneys add notarization as an extra layer, but it isn't a USCIS requirement.
I am processing through the U.S. consulate (NVC), not USCIS. Is a certified translation enough?
For an immigrant visa interview, the U.S. Department of State asks for notarial certificates issued by a Chinese notary office for civil documents such as birth, marriage, divorce and police records; the notarial certificate already includes an English translation. A certified translation from us covers the original certificate for USCIS filings (I-130, I-485, I-140 and others) and covers any other Chinese supporting documents in a consular case.
Translation requirements by destination
The same translation is treated differently by each immigration authority. Check the official rule for where you are filing:
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One transparent price includes the translation, translator's declaration and bilingual seal — the quote you see is the final price.