Simplified and Traditional Chinese
Chinese Translation Services Singapore
Simplified or traditional, mainland or Taiwan, every Chinese paper reads a little differently. Chinese translation services in Singapore turn yours into clear English, with pinyin names matched to your passport.
Our Mandarin translation services keep you in control the whole way. We send an English draft first, so you can check each pinyin name against your passport before anything is stamped.
- Native readers for both Chinese scripts
- Red seals translated, never skipped
- Kind help on WhatsApp, step by step
- 18-Digit ID Numbers RecheckedWe read each ID digit twice
- Taiwan Year Counts ConvertedMinguo years shown as Western years
- Fixed Price, No ExtrasYou agree the quote before paying
- Scans And Photos AcceptedNo need to post your original papers
Chinese Document Translation To English For Family And Work
We translate documents from Chinese to English for many big moments in life. These six kinds come up most often. If yours looks a little different, please send a photo anyway. We are always happy to look.
Birth Certificates
A birth cert in Chinese may be printed or written by hand. We carry over every date, place and parent name, and we explain what the office seal says too.
Marriage Certificates
Our Chinese marriage certificate translation covers both pages of the red booklet, the note under the photo and the seal. Each name follows the passport of each spouse.
Household Register Books
The hukou lists everyone in a home, page by page. Our Chinese household register translation covers each member page, plus every change stamp added over the years.
Passports And ID Cards
Passport Chinese translation helps when a page carries Chinese notes or stamps. We also translate the Resident Identity Card, including its 18-character number, digit by digit.
Degrees And Transcripts
We copy course titles, grades and school seals just as they appear. Gentle reminder: these are often needed for a school place or a work pass, so plan a little ahead.
Driving Licences
We translate a Chinese driving licence into English, with each vehicle class and date. The Traffic Police decide on conversion, so please check their latest list first.
Mandarin To English Translation Details We Never Rush
Chinese papers have small habits that can confuse an officer. Please do not worry. A careful Chinese to English translation in Singapore should explain each one clearly, and here is how we handle the most common ones.
| On your document | Why it is tricky | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Family name written first | An officer may mix up the given name and the surname | We follow your passport order and spelling |
| Round red seals | The words around the edge name the office that issued it | We translate the seal text in full |
| Taiwan year count | Year 113 on a Taiwan paper means 2024 | We give the normal year and keep the original in brackets |
| Traditional characters | 結婚證 and 结婚证 look different but mean the same thing | Our translators read both scripts with ease |
| Divorce papers in several forms | China issues divorce certificates, mediation papers and court rulings | Our certified divorce document translation names the exact type you hold |
| 18-character ID numbers | One wrong digit can stop an application | We copy each digit and ask you to check it in the draft |
Spot something odd on your paper? Just tell us, and we will explain it kindly.
Native Chinese Translator In Singapore Who Reads Your Script
Your papers go to a Mandarin translator in Singapore who reads Chinese as a first language. They know Simplified and Traditional characters well, and they spot small seal words and old terms that others might miss.
Does your family speak Cantonese or Hokkien at home? That is perfectly fine. Those are spoken forms, while official papers are written in standard Chinese. Our team also reads older handwritten records with patience, and asks you kindly when a word is unclear.
Sometimes you need the other direction. Our English to Chinese document translation helps when Singapore papers must go to an office in China. Before we begin, we ask which script that office wants, so you do not have to guess.
Scripts And Directions
- Simplified Chinese to English
- Traditional Chinese to English
- English to Simplified Chinese
- English to Traditional Chinese
- Papers from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau
Translate Chinese Documents To English In Four Calm Steps
Our Chinese to English translation service runs in four simple steps, all from your phone. We guide you kindly along the way. Only have a Mandarin voice note? Our audio transcription in Singapore team can help instead.
- 1
Send A Photo Of Each Chinese Page
Photograph each page, including the back and any page with only a seal. WhatsApp them to us whenever you are ready.
- 2
Share Passport Spellings For Pinyin Names
Send the passport page of each person named. This keeps every pinyin name the same across all of your papers.
- 3
Read Your Chinese Draft And Receive The Final File
We send the English draft first. Check names, ID numbers and dates, and tell us about any change. The final PDF then comes by email or WhatsApp, with a hard copy at Suntec or by courier.
- 4
Notarise Your Chinese Translation If Needed
ICA asks for a notarised translation when the work is done privately, as ours is. MOM and many schools are fine with a certified copy alone. When you need it, we arrange the notary plus SAL authentication, required for notarised papers since 2019, from S$162.20 per document.
Cost Of Chinese Translation In Singapore, Explained Simply
Curious what a certified Chinese translation costs? It starts from S$25 per page. We know cost can feel stressful during an application, so we keep it simple. You get one fixed quote before you pay, and nothing is added later.
What decides your final price
Pages And Sides
Price is per page. A hukou with many member pages costs more than a one-page birth certificate.
Notary And SAL
If your ICA file needs the notary step, it is charged per document, from S$162.20, however many pages it has. This covers the notary and the SAL authentication.
Certified True Copy
Need a certified true copy in Chinese for an office? With the notary and SAL fees, it costs from S$172.20 per document, after the notary sees the original.
Express Service
Same-day express costs 50% more. It works well for many single-page papers when time is short.
Papers Going To China
China joined the Apostille Convention in 2023. For a notarised paper, the SAL step already in your price can add the apostille certificate China now accepts.
Courier Copy
We email or WhatsApp the PDF to you. If you would like paper, courier costs from S$15, or you are welcome to pick it up at Suntec.
quote
Starting from
S$25
per page
Notarisation + SAL authenticationfrom S$162.20 / document
Certified true copy (notary + SAL)from S$172.20 / document
Express same day+50%
Courier hard copyfrom S$15
Starting prices. Your exact price comes in one fixed quote before you pay.
Get my exact priceIncluded In Every Chinese Translation Order
With Chinese papers you get a fixed quote, a native Chinese translator and pinyin names checked against your passport. Should an office query a phrase, we change it free. WhatsApp us to see a sample with names and numbers removed.
See a sample translation first
Want to check our work before you order? Ask us on WhatsApp for a past translation of the same kind of document, with all personal details removed.
What every order includes
- A draft for you to check
- Names matched to your passport
- Free fix if ICA asks for a change
- Notarised PDF for upload
Frequently Asked Questions
01My passport spells my Chinese name differently from normal pinyin. Is that a problem?
Not at all. We always follow your passport spelling, because officers compare names with it. If someone named has no passport, we use standard pinyin and let you know.
02Will ICA accept my Chinese translation?
ICA allows a private translation once a notary public in Singapore notarises it, and we arrange that for you. ICA does not endorse any translation company, so the final decision is always theirs. If ICA asks for a change to our wording, we fix it at no cost.
03I already have a 公证书 from China with English in it. Do I still need you?
Maybe not. ICA accepts translations made by a notary in the country that issued the paper, so first check that every page is in English. If you are getting documents translated for a spouse LTVP, compare them with the latest ICA checklist before you pay anyone.
04Do I need to post my original Chinese papers to you?
No. Clear photos or scans are enough for the translation. The original is only needed if you want a certified true copy, because the notary must see it in person.
05How soon can I have it if my appointment is close?
Most Chinese documents are ready in 1–2 working days. A one-page paper can often be finished the same day with express. Tell us your date in your first message, and we will be honest about what is possible.
06My Hong Kong paper is in Chinese and English. Does it still need translation?
Only the parts that are in Chinese alone. Seals and handwritten notes are often Chinese only. Send a photo, and we will tell you honestly what needs work.
07My old birth record is handwritten and faded. Can it still be translated?
Yes, as long as the writing can be read. Where a character is unclear, we mark it as unclear rather than guess. You may also ask the issuing office for a newer printed copy.
08Should my English to Chinese papers use Simplified or Traditional characters?
It depends on where they are going. Mainland China uses Simplified characters, while Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau mainly use Traditional. Ask the receiving office if you are not sure, and we will follow its choice.
09What is the difference between a certified and a notarised Chinese translation?
A certified translation carries the translator's statement and our company stamp. A notarised one goes further: a notary public in Singapore witnesses the translator's declaration and adds a seal, and SAL then authenticates it. That costs from S$162.20 per document. ICA asks for the notarised route or an embassy translation.
10Can the Chinese embassy in Singapore translate my documents instead?
ICA does accept a translation made by the embassy of the country that issued the paper. Whether the embassy offers this for your particular paper, and how long it takes, is up to the embassy, so ask them first. Most applicants use a notarised private translation because it is faster to arrange.
11Do I need to translate both sides of my Chinese ID card?
Yes, if the office asks for the ID card, translate both sides. The front shows your name, birth date and address, and the back shows the issuing police office and validity dates. Officers compare these details with your other papers, so leaving one side out can cause a query.
Start Your Certified Chinese Translation Today
Take a photo and send it whenever you are ready. As a team focused on translation for ICA documents, we will reply kindly with a fixed quote and a clear ready date.