Certified translation can be very important for working overseas, or dealing with a visa or foreign insurance… No need to worry! Here are the details.

HI-COM is an accredited expert in this field!

Many people won’t have heard of certified or notarized translations before traveling and working internationally. For many coming to or leaving China, it may come as a surprise when they’re asked for a certified translation, and moreover a challenge to figure out exactly how and by whom it can be done.

Countries do not automatically recognize the authenticity of a given legal document, be it a diploma or birth certificate, in its original language. Whether applying for a visa, starting a company, or getting married, it’s often required that a translation is made of requisite documents and that it is made by a company that has been vetted, and is licensed, by the Chinese government.

Nobody wants to apply for something only to find out they don’t have the right paperwork. So, to remove any unwanted surprises below is a list of examples where a certified translation is needed in China.

Certified Translation of Civil Documents in China

# 1. Foreign Diplomas

If you are applying to a university in China, it is often required that any previous diplomas and degree certificates are translated by a certified body. Even if it’s not listed as a specific requirement in the application procedure, it is always good to be overprepared. Likewise, if you gained a diploma in China, you may need a certified translation to prove its authenticity abroad.

# 2. Chinese Work Permit

When you apply for a work permit, there are several documents that need to be provided to the Chinese authorities, many of which need to be translated. Some examples of documents that need to translate:

• letters of recommendation from former employers
• curriculum vitae
• diplomas
• grade cards
• criminal record notes

# 3. Academic Transcripts

In the same vein as diploma translation, academic transcripts may be needed when applying to study in China. A good practice here is to also translate the guide to how the grading system is structured, as a percentage score in one system might denote something significantly different from that in another.

# 4. School Marks

You may wish to supplement translations of your school marks with the comments given in report cards, which giving a qualitative edge to your quantitative appeal. Important for young students looking to study internationally.

# 5. Registration at International Schools

Often families want their children to be immersed in an international environment, in order to learn fluent English and prepare them for their expatriate lives. One solution is to enroll the child at an international school. Here are the necessary documents needed to translate into English: proof of affiliation between parents and children, previous recommendations in mathematics, English, etc., certificate of any previous schooling (if applicable), and certificates of previous vaccinations.

# 6. Registration at a Chinese (or other foreign) University

In order to register at a Chinese university, you will need to provide some documents translated from French/English into Chinese. Certified translation is required in this case.

There is often mention of a degree in partnership with foreign universities, which can facilitate procedures. However, even within the framework of a partnership, the direct classical application is common and you may be asked to provide the translation of transcripts and diplomas in a digital format as well as the application file.

Also, it is necessary to present the original documents and translations on the day of arrival at the university.

# 7. Driving License in China

Unlike other countries, China doesn’t recognize international driver’s licenses so if you are brave enough to want to drive in China, you will need to get a Chinese driver’s license.

For this, you will need a certified copy of your overseas driver’s license to form part of your application and will also need to pass a theory driving exam. Please find the process for obtaining a Chinese (Shanghai) license below:

# 8. Non-Criminal Record Certificates

Leaving China? Depending on where you’re going, you may be asked for proof that you didn’t get up to anything naughty while you were here. Certified translations may be necessary for visas, employment and health insurance in other countries.

In need of a certified translation in China? Contact us today for a free quote!

# 9. Resumes and CVs

Those wishing to get a job with a large company in China might find that it’s a requirement for their HR to have a certified translation of their resume. Even for those who don’t require it, submitting one alongside a resume in the original language shows a degree of effort that might leave a good impression.

# 10. Marriage Certificate

In order to get a spousal visa (L-visa) using an international marriage certificate, it must be presented with a certified translation. Vice-versa, you may need a certified translation for your Chinese marriage certificate to be recognised elsewhere.

*Mixed Marriage certificate certified translation

Documentation for Franco-Chinese marriage:

The application is equivalent to civil marriage in many western countries but it is entirely administrative and there is no ceremony. It normally takes just under an hour, sometimes as little as 15 minutes.

Firstly, you should obtain the forms and complete them before attending the Civil Affairs Bureau. In some cities, there will be a special section for ‘international marriages’, which involves submitting an application with the following:

• Both: Single Status Certificate Original (for foreign citizen – issued by consulate/embassy). If applicable, finalized divorce papers or the death certificate of the ex-spouse if widowed (translated, if issued in foreign languages)

• Both: Birth certificate (for foreign citizen the birth certificate shall be translated and translation shall be notarized by the notary of the country where the document was issued)

• Both: Three official style photos of the couple together – generally, the civil affairs office provides this service.

• Both: The fee • Chinese person: Household registration book (hukou)

• Foreigner: Passport After the wedding, the marriage certificate will be translated, notarized (by Chinese notary), and legalized by the Chinese Legalization Authority). The final paper will be submitted to the Consulate/Embassy of the foreign citizen’s country for internal legalization in that country.

*As from late 2019, two foreign citizens are not permitted to get legally married in China by the Chinese authorities (with the exception of getting married in one of the consulates/embassies which varies per country).

# 11. Birth Certificate

Children born in China will be provided a Chinese birth certificate, which for a whole host of reasons might be necessary to translate for government agencies elsewhere in the world.

# 12. Death Certificate

This may be required to prove relationships between the deceased and those who wish to take care of their remains and effects.

# 13. Police Records

Slightly different from non-criminal record certificates, these are obtainable from the police office at which a temporary resident of China is registered. In some cases, a certified translation of police records abroad is sufficient in place of a notarized non-criminal record certificate.

# 14. Passports

A certified translation of a passport is often required for work and residence permits in countries all over the world. For Chinese nationals whose visa or residence permit may be tied to a foreign national in another country, it’s likely that a certified translation will be required.

# 15. Bank Statements

Applying for credit, a mortgage or even opening up a new account can often require that one’s financial history is robust and reliable. Banks, both in China and internationally, will often require bank statements as proof of an individual’s history, and will need to see these in a language they can understand.

How to have your document certified? Learn more in our guide!

# 16. 1000 Internships visa (China-France visa program)

This type of visa is issued to a limited number of young French students, allowing them to complete an internship in China.

With this visa, it is only possible to obtain a work permit + category C resident permit. The duration of the internship ranges from 3 to 6 months, whilst only students enrolled at a French higher education institution can apply.

France considers an intern as a trainee, whilst China considers an intern as a short-term employee – therefore, the pay is mandatory. This visa allows students to travel to and from China, which makes the procedure almost as complex as that of a work visa.

First step: Send the documents to a company located in China, in order for them to translate into Chinese. The two most essential documents in need of translation are the criminal record and the internship agreement.

Next step (similar to the work visa): Registration by the company at the Labor Bureau, the visa application in France and then definitive registration after the medical tests in China, as well as the application for the Resident Permit.

Certified Translation in China for Business

# 1. Business License

China is a hub of multinational business. For contracts and deals negotiated across borders, it is simply a matter of due diligence for all parties involved to check each other’s credentials.

# 2. Certificate of Incorporation

The business license is only valid under the aegis of the certificate of incorporation. This is a document that details exactly what type of company was formed, and thereby what specific tax and scope limitations apply to it.

# 3. Shareholders’ Agreement

It can be vital that a shareholders’ agreement is translated verifiably, especially in the case of joint ventures. Shareholders in any company are prone to differences of opinion, internal strife, or unforeseen circumstances that cause one or more of them to want to leave. The conditions under which this may be done are better-set crystal clear, and verified, from the get-go.

# 4. CPA Reports

When operating internationally, one or more governmental bodies might require that a certified translation of a CPA report be given as part of an audit.

# 5. Employee Handbook

When you are working overseas, all the documents that concern your work, such as a labor contract or Employee Handbook aren’t always translated into your mother tongue.

Such a situation is not particularly beneficial as it means they are not aware of the rules and regulations to follow especially in China, where they may vary a great deal from those in Western countries.

Therefore it is a necessity for every employer to know that their employees can understand and follow the employee Handbook, especially in situations like this.

Every China employer should have a set of rules and regulations set out the duties and obligations of the employer and the employee.

To begin with, you may find yourself in a situation where your employee handbook is available only in Chinese. If you can’t read or understand Chinese characters, you expose yourself to unknown legal risks. Labor rules and regulations in China may be very different from what you are familiar with, so not knowing your rights and what you can or cannot do represents a legal risk.

Then, if you decide to translate your employee handbook in a language you can fully understand then you can’t be confronted with any kind of critical situation in the workplace. On the other hand, if your company has its employee handbook in English or French, but you are still working in China, it’s important to have it translated into Chinese, in the event you need it for legal reasons.

More

As the law changes frequently all around the world, there will inevitably be more cases where the certified translation is required in the future. The best thing to do, when in doubt, is to reach out to a certified translation company and ask.

HI-COM is a multilingual translation agency dedicated to providing professional translation services to businesses around the world. Contact us for your free consultation today!

If you’d like more information, feel free to get in touch as we’d be delighted to hear from you!

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Types of Legal translation

Finding out how a translation agency works will help you best decide whether an agency, machine translation, or a freelance translator is the most suitable option for your business needs.

Like every business, each translation agency has their own individual structure, pricing and range of services to offer. When it comes to translating documents, there are numerous processes that can be applied. This article aims to highlight the multiple benefits of choosing a translation agency over a freelance translator or non-professional translator. Read on to find out more about how HI-COM works!

But, even if you do opt for a translation agency, it can then be difficult to choose which agency will best suit the needs of your project.

So how does a translation agency actually work?

Every agency is of course different in terms of size, location, organisation and structure.

But for a typical translation project, an agency such as HI-COM will begin by assigning the customer a first point of contact to take care of any needs and expectations in order to simplify the task. The agency will then assign a project manager who will be completely dedicated to the specific translation task. The project manager will then select the most suitable translator available according to the client’s needs (in terms of language and industry).

Once the translator has been allocated and the translation is completed, the agency will ask a proofreader to check and revise the translation where necessary so as to minimise any potential mistakes.

After the content of the translation has been validated, most agencies, including HI-COM use translation memory software (such as SDL Trados) to store terminology and sentences, to enable them to be used for future projects, which will in the long term save the customer time and money.

The production manager will ensure the quality of the projects by making some final process checks, before sending the translations to the client.

In most translation agencies, each translation project is subject to a very rigorous and comprehensive production process, to ensure a consistent level of quality in each one.

• A wider range of services

Most translation agencies offer a wide range of services whereas a freelance translator will only typically provide one type of service. Translation agencies tend to specialise in a variety of translation services such as certified translation, translation in specific fields (e.g. medical, legal, etc.), translation of websites, audiovisual files, branding localization, and many more.

Interpreting and multilingual content writing is also often on offer at agencies.

As a multilingual translation agency, HI-COM offers services such as:

• Translation & Localisation
• SEO-optimised translation
• Interpreting
• Content writing
• Glossary creation
• Digital & KOL Marketing
• Websites & SEO
• Subtitles and voice-overs

• Selection of translators

When running a translation agency, one of the most crucial factors is using professional and experienced translators.

In order to best understand the process of an agency, it is necessary to know how translators, interpreters, and editors are selected.

Translation agencies typically require their translators to have a certain level of experience, qualifications, and the ability to adapt to each project or task.

At HI-COM, all of our translators and interpreters are:

• Native speakers
• Experts in their field
• Degree holders from well-known universities
• Have a minimum of 5 years experience

• Pricing

Every translation agency has its own way of pricing. At HI-COM, our prices differ according to the language pair, the type of document, the industry field, and the service chosen.

How are prices set in translation agencies such as HI-COM?

The translation rates are determined based on the original language and the desired translated language. To view our translation rates, click here!

The price also depends on the specifications of the project.  For example, are you requesting a certified translation? A website translation with integration, or similar?

Requesting a certified or sworn translation involves using a recognised specialist and sworn translator, which will alter the final price.

Agency translation prices include a dedicated project manager, a qualified and experienced translator, and a proofreader. Prices also include the delivery of the digital and original copy in the agreed time frame.

The design can also be included in the price list, which will influence the final price depending on the design/POA requested (professional software is used for each design).

HI-COM is a multilingual translation agency dedicated to providing professional translation and interpreting services to companies around the world. Working with more than 40 languages, HI-COM is the localization partner for hundreds of companies and brands.

Contact us today for a free consultation!

8 major mistakes that almost all companies make when they are in need of a translation for the first time. Translation mistakes are common but avoidable! How to avoid making mistakes when working with translation? That path is bumpy, time-consuming and stressful. So before you make any snap decisions, check out these steps and make sure you don’t slip down the same slope as many others did before you.

We have compiled 8 major mistakes in chronological order that almost all companies make when they are in need of a translation for the first time.

Our  experience show that once small or mid-sized companies have a translation task to arrange, most of them go down the same well-trodden path. That path is bumpy, time-consuming and stressful.

Even companies like COCA-COLA when entering China suffered from the translation disasters.

Translation Mistake 1. Transferring a task to your staff

You are a manager and you have a text/brochure/catalog or even a website  to translate, and usually the first thing you will do is scan the office to see who could be up to the job:

•   the administrator, who handles most random tasks;
•   the sales guys, who are supposed to have a wicked way with words;
•   and even the engineering team, which stands behind the product itself

Whichever one you choose, you decide to have the translation done in-house.

This means that the staff will have to take some of their own time to translate these texts, i.e. do something out of their scope and what they are not qualified to do. It is also unlikely that they will take the task with much enthusiasm.

As a result you have inefficient and overloaded staff, questionable results that may not even be usable, frustration in the office and wasted time.

You now realize that your office needs some help with the task.

So then you will go to your admin or someone local and move on to:

Translation Mistake 2. Asking friends and non professionals to lend a hand

It probably wasn’t even your own idea. Your admin will convince you that her cousin/friend/English teacher will have the job done in no time and it won’t cost a thing.

And at this point if you don’t specify that you need the job done to a professional standard, she will find a student or a freelance newbie, who has the time and the will.

It will not be surprising that your text will lack style, and some terms may get lost in translation or even untouched, as most non-professionals have no idea how to translate industry specific terminology and business jargon.

The same applies when outsourcing for exhibitions. Getting a student or even a freelance translator that does not specialize in your industry brings huge risks to the reputation of your company:

• he might lack confidence

• he may get confused with professional terminology

• he may not understand the etiquette specific to your line of business

• and he might just take off unexpected

   

So back to our text translation. Seeing the result of a non-pro you will quickly
understand that this approach does not work so well, and you finally head for some professional help.

Or, at least, that’s what you think you’ll be doing.

Mistake 3. Finding a ‘cheap’ agency

We all know that price matters. We all appreciate good value, and once you have done some research in the translation world, you will be facing quite a dilemma: to go to a cheaper agency that promises fantastic time frames, a dream price and a 30% off coupon on top? Or to others that are costly, will not bargain and be quite slow in comparison to the former.

You imagine that all translation agencies are alike (read: the same), and you would imagine some are overpriced just because their office is located in a better part of the city, or they come from abroad, or their boss needs a new car. So you choose the cheap one.

And we all know the old truth – you get what you pay for. But in this case, low-cost agencies hire random foreigners, texts are not proof read (read: extra-cost) and “cheap” translators use software that will make your text sound robotic at best, or completely indecipherable at worst.

At one point you will realize you still are overloading your team to review these translations. in other words, you pay people who don’t do their job well, who delay, and who may also randomly change their prices.

After going through such issues, you will wish you had chosen the professionals who don’t bargain at the very beginning, as now you have lost so much time and the due date is fast approaching.

So this brings us to:

Mistake 4. Last minute translations

Now this is one of the translation mistakes is made by companies who already went through the first 3 steps and have now switched to more professional services. Their documents have been sitting on a desk for weeks, and only when the deadline arrives “tomorrow”, they are shipped to translators, who are forced to provide both an ultra speedy and spotless service.

This situation will put your translator under a lot of pressure, and will deprive him of time to read the reference material carefully, and adjust the style to bring out your brand’s identity.

But things could be even worse. You may have to put several different translators on one project, making the style and terminology used even harder to align.

But we still haven’t reached rock bottom: once you send your text to the agency, they may send the entire project back to be redone, as it contains so many inconsistencies and omissions:

Mistake 5. Poor quality source documents

Yes, it happens often when we receive a text drafted by a non-native speaker and/or a non professional, translators have trouble understanding it. Most likely, this text was drafted during step 1 or step 2 described above, or it was itself a poor quality translation from another language:

Mistake 6. Skipping the English version 

It is important to understand that translating… lets say from Arabic to Spanish, may have to be done via English. Using English as a pivot language will save you headaches, future costs and embarrassment. Firstly, your project manager will do a good job with the quality control, and it’s common for project managers of translation companies to be native English speakers.

Secondly, you can use that copy to convert the text to as many languages as you want without extra costs (as language pairs that include English are much less costly)

Mistake 7. Priorities in the wrong order

Another very important point companies have to understand when working with service companies, is about setting their priorities right.

This means that: PRICE—> TIME—> QUALITY is not the recommended route. In fact it’s the exact opposite.

For a quality translation, a suitable time frame and realistic costs must be factored in, as professionals cost more than students.

So make sure your admin/manager understands the priorities before outsourcing your translation service. And make sure you do not fall into one of the various traps during your next move:

Mistake 8. Choosing the price over the experience

This is one of the most common translation mistakes we deal with.

Some companies have all documents translated and ready for the business event, and inviting industry gurus and high profiles guests, yet providing them with a “reasonably priced” freelance interpreter.

Why will this scenario cost a company much more than what they put into this interpreting mission?

What most companies don’t know, is that on average, we lose about  10% of the technical value in professional, specialized interpreting. Therefore the training will only be 90% efficient.

When you hire a non specialized professional, you lose up to 30% of the original information.

And when you hire an interpreter at random, who does not specialize in the required field or who shows no passion for it, you might actually lose up to 50% of the training via lack of professional terminology and understanding of the processes.

So do not waste any more time and money: find a professional service that will take care of the entire process, and make your life much easier.

How do you know if an agency is any good?

6 rules of a Good agency:

1. The translators used are highly experienced in their respective fields (normally around 5-10 years)

2. The translators translate into their native language

3. The translators use professional and industry-recognized tools

4. The documents are proofread by a separate party not involved in the translation

5. The agency has a Project Manager who will be in touch with the client and will communicate the needs and modifications to the team

6. The agency offers their clients a free translation test before any work is undertaken

As a multilingual expert, HI-COM respects all these rules and more: we offer professional services in translation, interpreting and copywriting in more than 40 language pairs. We are an International standard agency with headquarters in Shanghai. We specialize in the Chinese market, yet we have clients all over the world. 

At HI-COM we use high-performance CAT tools such as Trados, the industry standard. Our multinational team is highly trained, efficient, and at your service.  

Still want to trudge through all the steps above on your quest for an efficient translation service? Why not send us a quick email instead, and we’ll take care of the rest!

“How can I import to China and start selling my products there?” is the question every entrepreneur and business owner asks lately. China’s market size make it seem appealing to companies trying to expand internationally, it also relates closely to China’s growing middle class, which by the year 2022 will have same spending power as the middle class of Italy (earning $9,000 to $34,000 a year) but with a population of 550 million people.

“How can I import my products and sell them in China?” is the question every entrepreneur and business owner asks lately. China’s market size make it seem appealing to companies trying to expand internationally, it also relates closely to China’s growing middle class, which by the year 2022 will have same spending power as the middle class of Italy (earning $9,000 to $34,000 a year) but with a population of 550 million people.

To gain a better understanding of the topic “import to China”, we discussed with ASI Group, a service provider which helps hundreds of brands entering the Chinese market, by providing supply chain,  logistics ,and import solutions.

1-Could you briefly describe what is your company about? And what are its main activities?

ASI Group is a business facilitator company based in Shanghai since 2008, we are specialized in helping companies wanting to import from Europe and export from Asia, mainly China, Vietnam, Cambodia and whether you want to penetrate Chinese market or export manufactured products across the world. Our services includes: Global Trade Management, integrated supply chain solutions:  E-commerce, textile and Food & Beverage solutions.

• Expansion in China

2-If a company is wishing to expand and start selling in China, does it need to be physically present in the country?

Strictly speaking, yes. Normally, a company should have an entity in China to be able to invoice Chinese customers.

Except if it grows through distributers and resellers, who will buy products from the country of origin. But in this case, the brand might have little to no information of who exactly sells the products in China or how they are sold.

This is the case for some brands who are used to working with distributors and promoters.

If a company wants to have control of their distribution in China, they must be able to invoice using an established Chinese entity.

One way to find a compromise is to use existing structures of importers or agents.

Some companies go further and take care of the whole supply chain, physical flow, documentation, and payments, like ASI.

Regarding a cross border operation, companies are required to have a Chinese legal partner who will represent them on cross border platforms. In that case your Chinese partner will be responsible for the product that you are selling.

Want to localise your marketing materials for the Chinese market? Need help communicating on an upcoming trade show? Shoot us a line!

3-What are the fastest ways to enter the Chinese market when considering the legal side, such as incorporation and bank/tax account setting up?

While the brand is going through the registration of a new company, which takes around 8 months, they can use agents like ourselves to handle all their paperwork, invoicing, as well as reporting.

This is the fastest way to start the operation. This is also a good way to test the market for the first few shipments, without the risk of investing in the legal side and loosing time setting up a company, when in the end the success is not guaranteed.

4-How can foreign brands begin to start selling their products in China?  What are the different ways?

Brands can sell their products through mass offline retail, wholesale, F&B channel (hotels, restaurants, bars), e-commerce, TV Shopping, App shopping, and more. China has developed dozens of business channels with the aim of increasing spending.

You have all the distributers, who could also be an intermediary and who could sell later on and they can be situated between manufacturer and mass retail. And of course, with mass retail, you have to distinguish for sure between offline and online. The online market is growing fast in China and is overtaking traditional offline retailers as well. Online selling has a strong potential, which can be better developed here than in Europe or the US.

5-Should a brand concentrate on online or offline markets when doing business in China? 

When you start to import to China, you will have many retail options. Right now online shopping is a big trend in China.  But the choice between online and offline models depends on the category of the product.

For apparel products for example, experimenting on different online platforms is a must as the market needs more distribution levels, even though the brands still have a lot of offline presence. Think of Uniqlo, Adidas, and others. Online represents 10-30% of their overall business.

But it’s very hard to say because it depends whether your initial business model strategy is more focused on online or offline. I know some Chinese brands of textiles who are 100% online. They have no physical presence.

If you push your online channels you still should have some offline outlets, especially if you are not a known brand. One needs to create visibility and credibility.

Chinese consumer, before buying any product, will always check online what it is said about the brand and its products on the different social media.

Your offline operation could be a window of marketing that shows your products and convinces people to buy online. In fact, many physical stores are playing the role of a showroom mixed with an “entertainment spot”.  Indeed, the Chinese consumer, before buying any product, will always check online what it is said about the brand and its products on the different social media. If the brand has no online presence, no one is mentioning it, then it will be very difficult to attract sales. That is why it is crucial to work on brand awareness in china’s online ecosystem, before even importing.

6-From your experience, what are the biggest challenges brands are facing when starting to import to China?

I would say a lot of brands come with a product that they want to sell to Chinese customers.  However, sometimes it’s better to go the other way around and ask, “What do the Chinese customers want?”

Most brands don’t know the Chinese customer preferences or habits. They say, “I have a good product that works worldwide in 10 different countries, for sure it’s going to work in China”. This is not the case.

Maybe 10 or 15 years ago most foreign products would import to China almost anything and it could work, but now the competition is so high, you have to show the Chinese customers that your products offer added value to their life.

This can be done by learning about your target customer and personalizing your marketing strategy according to your target, long before importing and selling your goods.

For example, you know that Chinese people don’t like overly sweet tastes. So, if you are a pastry manufacturer, maybe you may have to lower the amount of sugar in your products.

Packaging is another thing when you want to import to China. Maybe in Europe people like to have “family packs”, but in China they will go for different sizes. For example, milk. In Europe the best sales are 1 Liter pack, in China it is the 500 ml.

When we say “adaptability” it doesn’t always mean recipes. It might be naming, packaging, delivery time, brand story and so on.

Some brands, who sell to China don’t have any knowledge about their products in China. Due to the sales rights, which brands give to the importers or general distributors, in the end brands don’t have any insights of what Chinese customers actually need.

The only knowledge they have comes from their distributors and those may pay attention only to the most obvious facts that are not necessarily the essential ones.

Wherever you want to sell your products, you have to know your customers. This comes of course firstly with the research, but also with experience. And this is the information brands lack when they export the products without being here. Brands in the end may not have the opportunity to redesign or change the recipe of their products to better fit to the Chinese market, and will then inevitably fail.

• Import process:

7- Import to China: will all products make the cut?

When talking about imports, one must remember, all countries have their regulations. One product might be blacklisted not because it is harmful, but because of one of the ingredients.

For example, if you want to import lasagna, Chinese authorities will check that the meat in the product comes from a licensed and approved by Chinese authorities producer.

So your vegetable lasagna might have a green light, but you must change your producer of the meat for lasagna. This means, before you even start calculating costs of your import to China, you will need to adjust your production to fit the Chinese market. In this case you should always check the ingredients.

Once you are sure that your category of products is importable, you have to provide information about the product itself including the ingredients that you put in your products, even small percentages, all the conservatives, all the colorants, etc. And you have to check one by one and make sure that all those ingredients are allowed in China.

Then you have to look at the financial side.  Maybe the taxes for this category of products will be 100%, which might make the product non-competitive. If competition here is selling at one yuan and I sell at 10 yuan after taxes, maybe there is no point importing it.

Here is where your decision might depend on the marketing survey we talked about earlier, which will help you to understand how to position your product, will you want to sell in premium or even luxury category etc.

When your decision is made, the actions are to come.

Let’s say a brand owner decided  “ I want to start with one container”, what shall he start with?

Here are some important steps in your everyday import business that is accurate for China with some time frame:

• The market research takes 3 to 8 months,
• The importability check takes 2-4 weeks depending on the ingredients.
• The production of let’s say one container takes about 3 weeks ( depending on the production lead time of the product )
• The export 1 week.
• The shipping with logistics from Europe (France) to China, by sea it takes about 1 month.
• Then there is import clearance and re-labelling (according to the law, all products that sell in China must have a Chinese label on them). This could take up to 2 weeks to have clearance and labelling done here.
• Then the CIQ test (on food products) takes 21 days, but it starts at the same time as the import and custom clearance.

Then the shipment goes to the warehouse. The products are labelled and ready to be sold. So are you are all set in about 2 months!

This works for dried food and for frozen products etc. but if you work with fresh food it is obviously going to be more complicated.

Regarding the budget, with around EUR 10,000 you can import to China a container, have it cleared, and it will take 2 months. Market research can cost more than EUR 5000.

Another thing to keep in mind, most offline and more and more online retailers in China refuse to accept your products if they have passed 1/2 or sometimes even 1/3 of the expiration time. So, if your products have 12 months of expiration time, you must sell them all within 6 months.

If your products have passed even one day over their limit, you can only sell them at a discount. That’s one of the drawbacks for new brands who import to China a few containers of food as a “trial” batch.

8-Do you think second and third tier cities still appreciate and look for imported products?

Yes. There is actually a huge boom. In second and third tier cities, people have fewer choices. In Shanghai and Beijing you can find everything you want. In terms of income, there is not much difference as the middle class of China exists throughout China. Wealthy people are not living solely in the top 3 cities, and they want to buy imported goods just as much.

Furthermore, in those areas in China there is still less competition. That’s why e-commerce is working better in those cities. So when you want to test the water, consider to import to China starting with those cities.

Depending on the target of the brand, some brands prefer to begin in lower tier. They start getting known in these second and third tier cities and do good business there because there is less competition, then head to the big cities.  It’s a good test, because it’s also cheaper to be there.

For example some supermarkets, started online almost 2 years ago, and now they open their first offline shop this week in Shanghai.

Same for some fashion brands, they start online and then switch to offline. So, online can be the first trial of a market and can be adapted according to the development of the brand and its strategy.

To have a better understanding of the market and prepare for analytical work, we recommend conducting a real market study with a professional marketing agency. Things like market surveys, focus group tests, etc. are very important when entering such a big and segmented market like China.

Brands must find information about the distribution channels, product categories and large marketplaces like JD and so on. They need the information in order to see when the biggest periods of sales are. Whether to sell more in May than in December, for example.  They also need to understand what the demographics of their customers are.

One of the advantages of the e-commerce business is that brands have access to analytics from the marketplace.

After you go and start building a business offline, for sure you also need to have some insights as we mentioned earlier such as focus groups, etc.

So, we advise the brands to have this study done before they start to sell. 

• Cross border E-commerce in China

9-How big is a cross border model of business today in China?

Cross border is 10% of the penetration of the online commerce in China. For some businesses, it can represent a big chunk of their overall business presence. This depends on their strategy or how they want to test the Chinese market.

10-What type of consumers are using cross-border platforms?

Chinese customers will go on cross-border platforms to look for high fashion goods and luxury goods because they trust the source. Cosmetics is a huge hit on cross borders as well.

Food products such as baby food, milk products and alcohol are popular too, because people trust the producers from overseas.

However, if you are selling a mass-market product, like, cookies or bathroom products, it is not recommended to use cross border models because the penetration is still very small compared to the whole e-commerce world in China.

You have to keep in mind that a larger proportion of cross border buyers are coming from top-tier cities.

So, if you want to target the middle class in China, then cross border is not going to be that effective.
The reason the cross-border trend is very popular today, is that it is good forcash flow, as you don’t pay duties immediately. You pay your duties and VAT only when you import the goods from bonded warehouses to mainland China. Then again, if you are talking about food with a limited shelf life, you might want to consider general trade.

Regarding the point of trust, technology is successfully solving the issue with the latest block chain and QR code tracking systems. Today in most supermarkets Chinese consumers can see the information of the producer, facilities, origins and business licenses.  Some products may include sanitary tests etc. by scanning a QR code. And today, with all the recent food scandals, people in China want to have assurance of quality. Standards that need to be respected to penetrate the Chinese market are becoming tougher in order to better protect the Chinese consumers and ensure quality of goods.

11-Is it necessary to import to China? Can I sell directly to a cross border platform?

Yes, but now you need to have a Chinese legal entity that represents you on cross border platforms and takes responsibility. So, you have to make sure you choose wisely who will be your partner.

So, it’s becoming quite impossible just to be in your warehouse abroad and still sell to China, especially if you are doing classic operations like Tmall, JD, Taobao and so on.

Import to China: Cross border sales and the taxes

Basically, after you did your import to China, if your stock is in the bonded warehouse (Free Trade Zone), your goods are technically outside China. So if you don’t sell the products and don’t need to physically import them, your stock remains in that special area.

As soon as you make first sale, you have to make custom clearance and pay VAT.

On the other hand, if you choose to operate as a general trader, you must clear your goods and pay 100% of your duties and VAT as soon as your goods arrive in China. And then you can start selling.

This will have an impact afterwards on your logistics, especially on the delivery. The time lags between the customer order and the product reception will be longer under cross-border.

In general, it’s not difficult to import to China most of the products, but it takes an in-depth research, various testings and experiments as well as an adoptable strategy to be successful in China. Not to forget, that the country is now trying to improve its own high quality production and increase the level of trustability in local brands. So prepare for competition, changing of trends, and sizeable investment in the market. But if and when your brand takes off, it might just rocket up! 

The translation of legal documents is the most difficult of all kinds of translations and requires the highest form of accuracy and in-depth knowledge in several fields. As the world becomes more global, the need for legal translation is increasing. Legal translators therefore face many challenges that you can discover and understand in this article.

The writing of laws varies greatly depending on the time period and the countries they are established in. Throughout history, lawyers have been confronted with the difficulties associated with the world’s wide linguistic diversity.

For example, legal translators had to transpose Roman law, written in Latin, into many other languages in order to disseminate and understand it.

What is legal translation?

Legal translation, like any other type of translation, is the replacement of the source language by the target language. However, legal translation is different because the law of each country coincides with its culture. It uses the content and terms of the legal system in force in the country of origin in the source document. As the world becomes more globalized, the need for legal translation is increasing.

In addition to language barriers, differences between legal systems turn legal translation into a very complex operation.

The translation of legal documents is the most difficult of all and requires the highest level of accuracy along with deep knowledge of legal systems, terminology, languages and cultural differences.

Legal translation is required for many documents birth certificates, application letters, technical patent confirmations, financial statements and business contracts to name a few.

Translators must not only be familiar with the field in question, but also with both languages: the source language and the target language. They must deal with the regulatory requirements and legal intricacies of the cultural and legal systems of both languages.

Terminology and legal system specific to each country:

The translation of legal documents is considered to be more difficult than most due to its terminology which varies from one country’s legal system to the next. This is often the case even when different countries share the same language.

In addition, to translate a legal document from one language to another, the translator must first have a good understanding of the legal systems themselves.

For example, the legal systems of France and Switzerland differ even though French is an official language of both countries.

The laws surrounding marriage differ considerably from one culture to another and the age of marriage is by no means a fixed concept. Some countries have no minimum legal age for marriage (Maldives, Saudi Arabia), others have a legal age as low as 9 years (parts of Lebanon) and some countries have a legal age for marriage as high as 22 (men in China).

In addition, some countries often have different legal marriage ages according to gender. For example, men are legally allowed to marry at age 18 in Chad, Niger and Iran, while girls are legally allowed to marry at age 15.

So, for a legal translator, it’s not as simple as simply translating the word marriage, there must be an awareness of the differences between legal systems and legal concepts all over the world.

Since many expressions of the source language may not have precise equivalents in the target language and literal translations may not convey meaning, the original expression is sometimes reproduced after paraphrasing. In such cases, a translator’s note is usually attached as an appendix.

Legal translators and knowledge requirements

A legal translator must have skills in three areas: knowledge of the target language, familiarity with relevant terminology and familiarity with the legal systems of both the source language and the target language. Word-for-word translation when translating legal documents is highly unadvisable.

For this reason, the legal translator must be a linguist, lawyer and researcher, constantly searching for specific terms and laws in order to be able to decode the source and find its true meaning.

Similarly, the translator must understand the purpose and usefulness of the translation as this will affect the approach when translating the document. For example, care is required regarding, syntax, phraseology and terminology.

Translators must have access to all legal resources such as legal dictionaries, online databases, libraries, journals, etc. They will have to supplement their knowledge acquired through experience in order to create translations that are legally valid in the target country. Nevertheless, translations must preserve the terminology, syntactic models and nuances of the law of the original document.

Another difficulty that concerns legal translation, unlike other forms of translation, is certification. It is generally required when documents such as birth or death certificates, immigration documents, transcripts, police certificates, marriage licences, divorce judgments, etc. are submitted to foreign countries for acceptance by courts and other institutions as legal records.

The translator or proof-reader will generally have to attest the accuracy of the translated document by signing a declaration in the presence of a public notary.

Legal translation and Culture

Legal translation is limited by the field of law and needs to maintain cultural factors found in the source document or source text. The source text therefore provides the structure of the sentence that reflects the law or culture. The translated document or target text must adhere to this cultural structure so that there is no violation of cultural norms, true meanings or jurisdiction.

This is why legal translation focuses more on clearly defining rights, duties, obligations and other specific contracts so that these factors remain unchanged after translation. On top of this, legal translation often requires a certificate of accuracy.

In the case of translation of documents concerning wills, articles of incorporation, trusts, depositions, immigration, real estate exhibitions, the presence of a translator is often required.

Translation Meaning vs. tone

Once translated, a legal document must remain faithful to the original in its absolute sense. Any deviation from the original text can render a legal document useless, with gaps that did not exist previously, thus conveying a completely different meaning. Unlike any other document, legal translations must be consistent, fair, balanced and representative of the original text.

While in other texts, translations can often literally communicate the message in another language, this is often impossible in legal documents. Translations must be legally correct rather than literal, keeping everything originally intended by the author, both in meaning and severity of tone. Due to this, translation requires a certain degree of localization relevant to the target audience.

Because of all these difficulties, which may be encountered during a legal translation, it is important to use the right translator: a professional, experienced and above all native translator.

HI-COM offers a reliable legal translation service using translators who are always native speakers of the target language to ensure the quality of the translation. In addition, our team of qualified project managers is at your disposal for any additional requests.

We will be happy to help you with your translations, so don’t wait any longer and contact us!

How to prepare your prenup in China. We have prepared this article to clear up any doubts you may have relating to prenuptial agreements and the legalization of prenups signed in China. Starting a family with a foreigner is of course very exciting, but legally speaking, things may not always run so smoothly. And when it comes to preparing a prenuptial agreement or ‘prenup’ (also called a marriage contract), it may cast a few negative shadows in the minds of those planning to tie the knot.

How to prepare your prenup in China. We have prepared this article to clear up any doubts you may have relating to prenuptial agreements and the legalization of prenups signed in China.

Prenuptial agreement China: getting a prenup in China is becoming more popular, after one too many marriage misfortunes caused by not having such a contract. Scmp reported an incident of a spouse committing suicide after receiving divorce papers together with a blackmail note from his ex-wife demanding a payment of 1.5 million dollars and a full ownership of their Beijing apartment.

Prenuptial agreement China: Why should you consider having one?

Starting a family with a foreigner is of course very exciting, but legally speaking, things may not always run so smoothly. And when it comes to preparing a prenuptial agreement or ‘prenup’ (also called a marriage contract), it may cast a few negative shadows in the minds of those planning to tie the knot. But nevertheless, it is a good idea to protect both of your assets from any not-so-happy endings.

Signing a prenup not only will protect your existing assets and inheritance, but also will protect your spouse from any future debts you or your business may have.

How to prepare your prenuptial agreement in China for foreigner-chinese marriage

The process begins in your lawyer’s or notary’s office (depending on the county of your residence) . As the marriage will be legal in your country (and in China), you will need to have a lawyer or a notary who will draft a contract in your native language. When it comes to a marriage contract, only the native language of you and your spouse counts (so for a French-Chinese marriage for example, no English documents are necessary). To have a tailor-made draft will cost you quite some cash, and there is an option of a “standard draft” with the option to adjust it as many times as you like in future.

The draft will be signed by the notary or a lawyer, as he/she will be liable for any mistakes in such an important document.

The second step is to translate your prenup to Chinese (language of your spouse). For this you will need to call upon the services of a sworn translator who also has to sign the document and mark it with their official seal.

Lastly, you will need to sign your prenup before you sign your marriage license, otherwise this contract will have no legal effect.

How to prepare your prenup in China for foreigner-foreigner marriages

If both of you are foreigners who live in China, and you are not from the same country. You still can prepare a prenuptial agreement in China.

With the exception of a few countries, you will most likely have to obtain your marriage certificate at your local Chinese Registration Centre of Marriage and Adoption. After that you will have to have it legalized it in your respective counties.

If you plan to have a prenup, sign it before your “wedding day” at the Chinese authorities. If you are already married, you may be able to get a postnuptial agreement, which will work in a similar way.

To prepare a prenup, one of the future spouses must contact a lawyer/notary of his/her home country or a embassy/consulate. The lawyer/notary will draft a prenup in the native language of one the applicants. After that the marriage contract shall be translated to the native language of the second spouse by a Sworn translator. And only after attaching those translations, both parties can schedule a meeting with the notary at one of your consulates, where all parties will sign it.

Prenuptial agreement China: What other reasons are there?

If one of you decides to stay home and raise children. I.e. stay-at-home parents who  become almost fully dependent on the income of the working spouse, as he/she forfeits years of income and working experience.

Inheritance to be kept or split. A prenuptial agreement can specify what happens with the inheritance in case of divorce.

Debt. A prenuptial agreement can protect or limit the responsibility of one of the spouses from the debt of the other.

You have a business. If one of you has a business, it makes sense to ensure its financial independence and minimize surprises. By making it clear how and if  this business will be split, you will avoid many headaches in the future.

If you have more questions about prenuptial agreement China or are looking for trusted sworn translators, look no further! HI-COM is always ready to assist you with any of your linguistic needs! Contact now.

More about certified translation.

“Prenuptial agreement China/ prenup in China: all you need to know.”

Anyone living long-term in a foreign country will know that paperwork, application forms and filing official documents with the government bureaus are all part of the joys of expat life.  HI-COM helps to make your administrative tasks in China a little less 麻烦 mafan…

Anyone living long-term in a foreign country will know that paperwork, application forms and filing official documents with the government bureau are all part of the joys of expat life.  The processes in China can be particularly tricky if you don’t speak or read Chinese.  While it can be time consuming, the process can go smoothly and efficiently if you partner with the right agencies to help you navigate through the administrative aspects.  Here we take a look at how to make your administrative tasks in China a little less 麻烦 mafan…

I Want To Apply For A Chinese Work Visa

A new policy was rolled out on 1 April 2017 bringing some changes in terms of the process and the documents required for foreigners seeking a Chinese Work Visa.  Assembling the documentation takes some time and there are certain documents which the Chinese visa officials require translated into Chinese by a certified translation agency.  Some of the documents you need to have a certified translation for are:

• Your resume
• Your work reference letter
• Proof of No Criminal Record (also needs to be notarized)
• Your original diploma or degree (also needs to be notarized)

I Want To Marry My Chinese Girlfriend/Boyfriend

Congratulations!  You found your one true love and want to get married / 结婚 jiehun. The rules may vary depending on your nationality and under which jurisdiction you want your marriage to be recognized under.  One requirement that is applied generally to all people wishing to be married in China is the need for a Certificate of Marriageability.  No, this is not a certificate stating you are a good catch and would make an excellent husband or wife.  Rather, this is proof that you are single, and not currently married.  The Chinese is 单身证明 danshenzhengming, which translates literally to “single certificate”.  It can be in the form of a statutory declaration, affidavit, or a certificate issued from your home country, depending on the rules applicable to where you come from.  If you have previously been married, you will need certified and notarized translations of any applicable divorce papers or death certificate of your former partner, to accompany with your Certificate of Marriageability.

I Want To Drive In China In The Upcoming Year of the Dog

Want to proudly drive your new Tesla around the streets of the French Concession?  You’re going to need a driver’s license.  Unlike some other countries, China does not recognize international driver’s licenses so if you are brave (or crazy?) enough to wish to drive in China, you will need to get a Chinese driver’s license.  You will need a certified copy of your overseas driver’s license to form part of your application.

Certified Versus Notarized – What’s The Difference?

Translations can be certified or certified and notarized.

A certified translation means that you need to use a professionally certified translation company who holds an official company chop (seal/stamp), and a translation chop.  The translated document will be stamped with the translation seal, and will also be accompanied by a photocopy of the translation company’s stamped business license to prove its validity and certified status.  More information about company chops is found in our previous article here.There are circumstances where a translated document will further require notarization.  Notarization is recognition of a foreign document by another foreign department (by signature and special stamp), thereby confirming its authenticity and giving it legal status in the new jurisdiction.  It carries more official weight than a certified document and can only be carried out by certain offices and individuals.  A good general rule of thumb is if the document from your home country has been issued from a government department or government authorized office, such as proof of no criminal record, university degree or marriage certificate, then you’ll need to have a notarized translation.

For Further Information

The information on this page is for reference only. For up-to-date and detailed information about China visas, marriage or driver licensing, please contact your home country’s embassy or consulate.

Further information on obtaining a Chinese Work Visa is available here.

Further information on being a foreigner marrying in China is available here.

If you intend to study, live, work or do business in another country, it is almost certain that you will need administrative documents such as contracts, audits, general conditions, birth certificates and education diplomas translated into another language.

Some of your translations may need to be certified, notarized, or even performed by a sworn translator. If all this sounds a little complicated, don’t worry, we talk you through all the various requirements and procedures right here.

If you intend to study, live, work or do business in another country, it is almost certain that you will need administrative documents such as contracts, audits, general conditions, birth certificates and education diplomas translated into another language.

Some of your translations may need to be certified, notarized, or even performed by a sworn translator. If all this sounds a little complicated, don’t worry, we talk you through all the various requirements and procedures right here.

First of all, it is important to know what other specific steps are required to ensure the translation is valid and can be used for its intended purpose. This process may not be as simple as it seems, so first of all, it’s important understand exactly what the document is going to be used for, and how it can be made official and acceptable for use.

Certified translations

You may be told that your translation needs to be ‘certified’ by a professional translator or translation agency. The definition of a certified translation may vary depending on the laws of the country concerned. In this article we will look at what certified translation means when dealing with the Chinese legal system.

If you are applying to study, live, work or start a business in China, you will most likely be asked to provide a translated copy of various documents.

In China, the only way to guarantee that your translated documents will be accepted by the Chinese Government is to have them translated by a government approved company which has the right to provide such services.

The translated documents should consist of three main parts: the translation, a copy of the document in the original language, and the company’s special seal for translations (see photos as an example). Each page of the translation should be stamped separately. The translation may also require a statement signed and stamped by the translation company to affirm that the translated text is an accurate and complete rendering of the original source document. Below is an example of the kind of statement required:

HI-COM is competent to perform translations from Chinese to English and the enclosed document is the complete and accurate translation of the original.

As well as a signature and a stamp, the translator or translation agency is also expected to add the date, and their contact information.
Make sure you also check to see if additional documents (such as a copy of the translation company’s business license) are required.

Notarized translations

Your certified translation may also need to be notarized, although this requirement is becoming less and less common. A notarized translation in China is essentially the same as a certified translation, but with one additional step. The translation company must sign the certification statement in front of a notary. It is important to note that the notary’s stamp and signature are notarizing the certification, not the content of the translation itself, as the notary is unlikely to understand the language in which the original text is presented. Therefore, the translation company is not liable for any damages in the event of an inaccurate translation.

Sworn translations

In some countries (excluding China, the US and the UK), official documents are required to be translated by a sworn translator, so before you begin it is important to do some research on the legal requirements of the specific country for which you need the translation. As an example, we are going to look at the sworn translation system in France, and how it works.

In France, a sworn translator or expert interpreter-translator (ETI) is a government official whose role is to certify that a given text is a faithful and accurate rendering of an original document. With the authorization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the sworn translator is also involved in administrative and legal matters by translating legal and official documents.

To become recognized by the French legal system, sworn translators must first obtain a professional translator’s diploma by taking a five-year university master’s degree course in one or more foreign languages or by studying at an institution specializing in the relevant language(s). Amongst other requirements, they must also be over 18, and without a criminal record.

They must then submit an application to the public prosecutor, after which the police will carry out a check on their history, interview the candidate to check the information of their application, and then send their file to the relevant Court of Appeal. If the translator is successful with their application, and after taking an oath, they then receive the title of Sworn Translator, which is valid for 5 years and can be renewed accordingly. They will then also be added onto the official directory of sworn translators.

Unlike a certified translator, a sworn translator will be held legally responsible in the event of a serious mistranslation, and will be under penalty of perjury if they translate forged or false documents. Therefore sworn translators are extremely conscientious and rigorous in their work, and deem it necessary to take out professional insurance to be defended in case of perjury. As a result of these extra responsibilities, as well as having to go through the long and often arduous process of becoming qualified, sworn translators often command much higher rates compared with standard translations.

If you are still unsure with regards to the steps to take for your legal and official documents, always make sure you contact an agency or translation expert with knowledge of the legal system of the country concerned before you proceed. The research you put in at the beginning will definitely be worth it!