Documents

[whatsthehaps]

My SO just informed me that her parents paid 10,000RMB for a "real" birthcertificate for her. She also mentioned that it is easy to get birthcertificates that are knock off's and cost maybe 30RMB, or the girls are using money sent to them to bribe people for these documents but not telling their fiance's about it. I have not heard of this type of problem on here before.

 

Does anyone have experience in regards to these matters? How about any pointers?

 

Thanks!

[Joanne]

My SO just informed me that her parents paid 10,000RMB for a "real" birthcertificate for her.  She also mentioned that it is easy to get birthcertificates that are knock off's and cost maybe 30RMB, or the girls are using money sent to them to bribe people for these documents but not telling their fiance's about it.  I have not heard of this type of problem on here before.

 

Does anyone have experience in regards to these matters?  How about any pointers?

 

Thanks!

165684[/snapback]

According to my experience in Shanghai, it is absolutely not necessary to bribe in order to get a real notarial certificate of birth, if you can provide REAL evidence. In my opinion, Shanghai notary public functions professionally. All evidence needed are spelled out in their instruction pamphlets.

 

To apply for a Notarial birth certificate, you need:

- Your own Hukou booklet, ID (or passport)

- Parent's Hukou booklet, IDs (in my case they accepted photocopies)

- A testimonial for birth (writen by one of the parents or an elderly who know the situation)

- If Hukou does note show your relationship with parents, then need to provide evidence for relationship

- Birth certificate (not required for some because during certain period of time, Chinese hospitals and government agencies didn't issue birth certificate)

 

Because Chinese registration system changes from time to time, from locality to locality. It is better to consult the notary office prior to application, they will provide free consulting and will list documents needed in your particular case. If you come later with required documents matching the list, they are not allowed to refuse to issue the notarial document.

 

The service is costly in Chinese standard. I don't remember the exact figures. It was around 300RMB to get three copies. (The first copy is more expensive than the duplicates.)

[warpedbored]

According to my experience in Shanghai, it is absolutely not necessary to bribe in order to get a real notarial certificate of birth, if you can provide REAL evidence.  In my opinion, Shanghai notary public functions professionally.  All evidence needed are spelled out in their instruction pamphlets.

 

To apply for a Notarial birth certificate, you need:

- Your own Hukou booklet, ID (or passport)

- Parent's Hukou booklet, IDs (in my case they accepted photocopies)

- A testimonial for birth (writen by one of the parents or an elderly who know the situation)

- If Hukou does note show your relationship with parents, then need to provide evidence for relationship

- Birth certificate (not required for some because during certain period of time, Chinese hospitals and government agencies didn't issue birth certificate)

 

Because Chinese registration system changes from time to time, from locality to locality.  It is better to consult the notary office prior to application, they will provide free consulting and will list documents needed in your particular case.  If you come later with required documents matching the list, they are not allowed to refuse to issue the notarial document.

 

The service is costly in Chinese standard.  I don't remember the exact figures.  It was around 300RMB to get three copies.  (The first copy is more expensive than the duplicates.)

This is in line with my own experience. My wifes notatorial translated documents cost us about 75 dollars for her birth certificate and divorce decree. 4 copies of each. I would be highly sceptical of claims of 10000 RMB bribes being required.

Edited November 3, 2005 by warpedbored (see edit history)

[notrevorich]

I don't believe it

My So got her's for less than 300RMB

[ckhang]

My wife got 4 copies each of her's and daughter's Notarial birth certificate in chengdu for under 500RMBs...

[se_lang]

Gesh my wife sent hers to me in Chinese I gave to a Chinese friend to translate then I made a word document that had both English and Chinese emailed back it to her she brought it back to hospital where they stamped it in both Chinese and English no problem, now her aunt also worked at that hospital so maybe that helped

[Joanne]

Gesh my wife sent hers to me in Chinese I gave to a Chinese friend to translate then I made a word document that had both English and Chinese emailed back it to her she brought it back to hospital where they stamped it in both Chinese and English no problem, now her aunt also worked at that hospital so maybe that helped

165767[/snapback]

Your wife will need a NOTARIAL birth certificate.

[frank1538]

My SO just informed me that her parents paid 10,000RMB for a "real" birthcertificate for her.  She also mentioned that it is easy to get birthcertificates that are knock off's and cost maybe 30RMB, or the girls are using money sent to them to bribe people for these documents but not telling their fiance's about it.  I have not heard of this type of problem on here before.

 

Does anyone have experience in regards to these matters?  How about any pointers?

 

Thanks!

165684[/snapback]

It would be important to know some of the background. Was this a "standard" request for a birth certificate or was this a situation where there were no records or discrpencies in the records? Which City or Province was involved? Did the Notarial Office know the reason for wanting the birth certificate? Did the parents expect to have to pay or were they shocked by the demand? Any other factors?

 

The need for a bribe seems very rare for birth certificates, and 10,000 RMB is a lot of money for a Chinese person to have to pay. Maybe this is one of the more corrupt offices or there was something else going on, but your experience seems more the exception than the rule.

[se_lang]

Gesh my wife sent hers to me in Chinese I gave to a Chinese friend to translate then I made a word document that had both English and Chinese emailed back it to her she brought it back to hospital where they stamped it in both Chinese and English no problem, now her aunt also worked at that hospital so maybe that helped

165767[/snapback]

Your wife will need a NOTARIAL birth certificate.

165769[/snapback]

My wife is already here and has that also. she did not need that until she was ready to come here. However for the purpose of the I-129f she only needed a translated birth record. Her "NOTARIAL" birth certififcate was nothing more than what I had done for her except on seperate pages in a booklet with notarial stamps on each page. Remember China did not have the same record keeping system as the US did 30-40 years ago so some things we take for granted they don't have.

Edited November 3, 2005 by se_lang (see edit history)

[jemmyell]

Hello,

 

Three notarial copies were about 300 RMB for us.

 

-James

[mercator]

We obtained 3 notarial birth certificates, 3 notarial copies of our wedding documents, and 3 notarial copies of her father's death certificate (she send me all the documents she could think of, just to be sure). She obtained them from her city government, which is a smaller (only 100,000 people) 'country' city without need for bribery. I think for all nine she paid about 800RMB. Expensive in China, we both thought, but far below the 10k explained to you.

 

These are bound with a thick paper binder (like a shiny peechee), with the certified copy, a translation to English, and two notes, one in English and Chinese that it is a certified copy and that the translation is accurate.

 

Each of the pages has the ubiquitous red star stamps on them, and the notarial impression stamp through all pages and the binder.

 

Merc

[jim_julian]

My SO just informed me that her parents paid 10,000RMB for a "real" birthcertificate for her.

 

How about any pointers?

165684[/snapback]

Our experience and cost is the same as others have reported and lao po was born on a farm with no records.

 

A key question you may want to ask yourself is are you being asked to reimburse this 10,000RMB charge?

 

If that answer is yes ... red flag.

[pkfops]

We obtained 3 notarial birth certificates, 3 notarial copies of our wedding documents, and 3 notarial copies of her father's death certificate (she send me all the documents she could think of, just to be sure).  She obtained them from her city government, which is a smaller (only 100,000 people) 'country' city without need for bribery.  I think for all nine she paid about 800RMB.  Expensive in China, we both thought, but far below the 10k explained to you.

 

These are bound with a thick paper binder (like a shiny peechee), with the certified copy, a translation to English, and two notes, one in English and Chinese that it is a certified copy and that the translation is accurate.

 

Each of the pages has the ubiquitous red star stamps on them, and the notarial impression stamp through all pages and the binder.

 

Merc

165840[/snapback]

Got ours in GZ.

 

Same as yours for 800 yen.

 

10,000?

 

"Dallas packed her suitcase"

"Drove off in the brand new car I bought her"

Edited November 3, 2005 by pkfops (see edit history)

[LeeFisher3]

I have heard of offering a gift at the Notary for expedited handling, perhaps 100-200RMB to speed things along.

[whatsthehaps]

OK, thanks for the comments and here is a little more info.

 

I have not been asked to reimburse the 10,000 RMB and my SO told me not to. Like you said, it is a lot of money for a Chinese person (who is not of the rich kind) to pay. I would like to pay them, however, and offered my SO. She knows I am not "rich" and has again said not to.

 

The big problem is, they (the government) do not keep these records (or did not used to keep or perhaps got lost or destroyed), they do not need them and they do not use them, and it is in another province. She already has a passport (this tells everything the Chinese government needs to know). She is also a teacher (her employer had all the information they needed).

 

The deal is you have to know someone who can inturn bribe someone else so you do not have to travel and wait a long time to receive your documents, because making someone wait is their leverage. This maybe different in other parts, she was born in Yinchuan. They also know if so and so wants their birth certificate, they are getting married to a foreign person. We want to make sure things are done by the book.

 

This K1 visa process is really affecting my SO negatively, to the point where she thinks about not coming. Why are we put through such outrageous requirenments?