Hukou (household register, 户口本) translation for immigration
The hukou booklet (居民户口簿) is China's household register: a cover page, a household-head page and one page per member, each listing the person's relationship to the household head, ID number, birthplace and move-in/move-out history. Immigration filings normally need the whole booklet translated — not just the applicant's own page. At Smartlink Translation (zhityun.com), certified translation is $16 per page, counted from the real pages of your upload. A typical hukou (household register) is 3–6 pages (cover, household-head page and one page per member). 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 · 16 of these documents appear in the 387 client quote sheets we analyzed (Sep 2026)
Where it's used
- Family-based petitions and I-485 (proof of birth date and family relationships)
- Derivative spouse and children in EB-1A / NIW / EB-5 cases
- Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand visas that ask for household or civil-status records
Price
Certified translation: $16/page
Typical length: 3–6 pages (cover, household-head page and one page per member)
Pages are counted from your actual upload; minimum order $25. The quote you see is the final price.
How we translate it
- Cover, household-head page, the applicant's page and every member page are translated, including move-in/move-out and change records
- Addresses and police-station names use pinyin plus standard English administrative terms (Province, City, District, Sub-district)
- Every person's name is romanized exactly as on their passport
- The household-relationship field (户主关系) maps to one consistent English term per relationship across all pages
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
Relationship-to-household-head field mistranslated
The household-relationship field (户主关系) uses standardized categories (e.g. "子" for son, "配偶" for spouse) that should map to consistent English terms across every family member's translated page.
Move-in/move-out history omitted
The 迁入迁出 (move-in/move-out) history rows are sometimes skipped as "not relevant," but officers may use them to verify residency history for family-based petitions.
Provincial format differences not accounted for
Hukou booklets issued in different provinces and years have different layouts — a template built for one province's hukou can misplace fields when applied to another.
FAQ
How much does a certified hukou (household register) translation cost?
At Smartlink Translation (zhityun.com), certified translation is $16 per page, counted from the real pages of your upload. A typical hukou (household register) is 3–6 pages (cover, household-head page and one page per member). 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 to translate every page of the hukou booklet?
Most filings expect the cover page, the household-head page and the pages of every member relevant to the petition; many attorneys simply ask for the full booklet so nothing looks selectively omitted. Check with your attorney which household members are relevant to your specific filing.
What is the hukou used for in a US immigration case?
It is commonly used as supporting evidence of birth date, birthplace and family relationships (e.g. for family-based petitions and derivative beneficiaries) alongside birth and marriage certificates.
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.