Hukou (household register, 户口本) translation for US immigration

The hukou booklet has a cover page plus one page per household member, each listing the person's relationship to the household head, ID number, and move-in/move-out history — every field on the pages you submit needs translation.

USCIS requirement: Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), USCIS requires a translator's certification for any non-English document, including hukou pages. Because the hukou format changes by province and by issuance year, formatting (not just wording) is a common source of translation errors.

Common mistakes that trigger an RFE

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

Do I need to translate every page of the hukou booklet?

Typically only the cover page and the pages for family members relevant to the petition need translation — 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 family relationships (e.g. for family-based petitions) alongside birth and marriage certificates.

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