A little help please.

I'm an Australian citizen intending to marry a Chinese local. We're in the process of applying for a 'prospective marriage visa' to go to Australia. The issues we are having are two-fold:

1. Does anyone know where we can get Chinese documents reliably translated into English here in Kunming?

2. Can a Chinese official legally certify Australian documents? If so, where can we have this done in Kunming (if possible)?

In order to submit the application for visa, we need to provide certified copies of all relevant documents.

I am required to submit a certified copy of my birth certificate which I don't have. I can apply for one on-line via the appropriate B.D.M. registry but I have to provide certified identification (and around and around I go!).

I have read the other forums on this topic (from 2012 and 2010) but couldn't really find a straight answer (i.e. Point 2 above). I have checked the embassy web-sites but apart from them stating that 'they' can certify documents (originals only), I couldn't find any reference to whether anybody other than the embassies could do this in China. Most frustrating!

If anybody has any relevant (and hopefully helpful) information or links to where I could get the information myself, I'd sincerely appreciate hearing from you.

Otherwise, it seems I'm off to Guangzhou! Not preferable!

Ref Item 2.

To do this for UK docs for visa purpose, I had to use consular channels. If you find a Chinese company that says they can do it, by all means give it a try, but you application may be rejected.

I did the following example of certification in the UK, there may be a shadow consular channel in China.

Basically the doc (marriage cert) went to the Foriegn and Commonwealth Office in London. They could confirm that it was a genuine document, and provide certification THAT THE CHINESE EMBASSY WOULD ACCEPT. To be honest, I doubt a local company has the means or authority to authenticate another countries legal documents.
This certified document then had to go to the Chinese Embassy, where they certified the document, attached a Chinese certificate and chopped/stamped it.

Thanks tigertiger. Appreciate your input!

Yes it seems the only way to go is through the embassy - that's the only channel for certifying in China that I've been able to find so far. They certainly don't make it easy. It would seem I have to go to Guangzhou (my nearest embassy) or mail (not sure if they'll accept that) just to get a copy of my passport certified so as I can apply for my birth certificate, which I'll then have to get certified along with our other documents! (I'm getting dizzy jumping through all these hoops!)

My fiancee is having similar difficulties - she was born in a small, rural village in Yunnan but has no 'official' record of her birth. We've been told we need to supply a (translated) copy of her Hu Kou and BC. Hmm - fun and games!

Anyway, we are determined to see this through, so we'll keep at it!

There are certain circumstances in which the Guangzhou consulate will accept documents sent by post. It would be worth ringing them to inquire.

I have sent my passport there and back twice through China Post registered mail with no problems.
I sympathise with the complicated process you are facing. I wonder if it is simpler to get your marriage legally registered in China first, perhaps making it easier to then be recognised for entry into Australia. Then in Oz you could still have a marriage celebration, even with Western-style vows if you want. I think a celebrant or minister would be fine to do that to confirm a marriage that is already legal from another country.
That is presuming that the requirements for certified documents to marry in China are actually less than to apply for the fiancee visa in Australia.
I have done it the other way around in Australia. To get my birth certificate certified to be accepted in China, I had to take it first to the Dept of Foreign Affairs & Trade in my home state for them to certify, and then take that to the Chinese consulate for them to certify! Perhaps Red Tape is the universal constant in East and West.

Something else has occured to me.

Before a person can get married in China, they need to get documentation that they are not already married, or if they are divorced a record of the divorce and I think documentation to show they have not remarried as well. This is usually through some local governement records office. However, if you wife has no papers at all, this may be another hurdle. Chinese officials are very slow. You might want to start investigating this at an early juncture as well.

@Quester - thankyou. Informative and I'll look into it. I did call them, but after 33 minutes on hold, I figured they can get stuffed and I'd look for help elsewhere (P.S. it's not the first time I've had issues with the Australian embassies in China - they are useless!). Re: Marriage in China - pretty much the same detailed requirements. We'd prefer to get married in Australia though, so are pursuing that avenue anyway. We've already arranged a marriage consultant in Australia and have hired a marriage visa agent to assist in the whole matter - they have been very helpful and will take care of 'most' things. Unfortunately, it's still our responsibilty to provide all documents and they need to be certified. Thus my current dilemma.

@tigertiger - thanks again mate but we're not getting married in China. Yes, I need to get a NOIM (notice of intent to marry) form from my government as well as a NIM (no impediment to marriage). To obtain both documents I need to provide 'certifiied' copies of an acceptable form of identification. My fiancee, although previously married, does have the supporting documents which we also need to have translated and certified. Thus my current dilemma.

At the end of the day this is all just beaurocratic BS (and probably a test of one's commitment). Still, a man (or woman) has to do what they have to do! :-)

Sometimes the consulate replies to their emails too.
From my observation of Chinese weddings, I have seen the separation of the 'legal' and 'social' elements. Chinese people marry legally at the Registry office, but often they or their families do not consider themselves really married, or married in the eyes of society, until they hold a celebration, like what we call a wedding reception. Of course in Australia it's usually both together, but it doesn't have to be. So if there was any procedural benefit, you could hold the legal part in China and the social part in Oz. It seems some Chinese people treat the 'legal' marriage like what we call engagement, and perhaps do not even live together as man & wife until the 'social' wedding.
But if the procedural requirements are just as strict, then you can only do things like search the websites and keep trying the consulate or even the Beijing embassy.

Thanks Quester. We've looked at both options but at the end of the day, we still have to apply for a 'Permanent' visa for my fiancee to live in Australia. Basically, there are only 2 options: a 'Prospective Marriage Visa' or a 'Partner Visa'. Both applications require the exact same documentation. The 'Marriage Visa' will allow my fiancee to live and work in Oz, allowing us to marry and then apply for permanent residence while in Australia.

Re: emailing the embassy. Funny story that - I recently sent a 2 page letter requesting information and advice (after downloading and reading through all the requirements) and received a 3 sentence reply simply stating there's no pre-assessment assistance and that it's the applicant's sole responsibility to supply all relevant documents. Thanks guys!

Anyway, I've sent an email today requesting information on certifying in China, so I'll wait and see what they say.