Short answer: A Malaysian birth certificate usually needs a full certified translation before it can be used abroad, even though its printed headings are bilingual, because the entries, notes and stamps are often in Malay. The translation must come from a translator the receiving authority accepts: for Wisma Putra, a Malaysian court translator, DBP or the Malaysian Translators Association, ITBM, or an embassy-appointed translator. Many countries also want the certificate and translation attested at Wisma Putra (RM 20 for the certificate, RM 10 for the translation) and legalised by their embassy. Use the original or a JPN certified extract (RM 5 online). If you are overseas or cannot go to JPN yourself, our Legal, a practising Advocate & Solicitor and Notary Public in Malaysia, applies for the extract at JPN for you.
What we do: JPN birth certificate extraction through our Legal, and certified translations of Malaysian birth certificates and extracts into English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian and other languages, usually within one working day, with Wisma Putra attestation and embassy legalisation if you need them. Our team is certified by ITBM, DBP and the Malaysian Translators Association, includes Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak High Court interpreters and an MTA-Certified Director, and works with Notaries Public in Malaysia, Singapore and Australia. Send your birth certificate on WhatsApp with the destination country.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
Who can translate a Malaysian birth certificate?
It depends on who will receive it. Malaysia has no single official translation authority, so follow the receiving authority's rule:
| Receiving authority | Who may translate or certify | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Wisma Putra (for use abroad) | A Malaysian court translator, DBP or the Malaysian Translators Association, ITBM, or an embassy-appointed translator | Who can certify |
| United States (USCIS) | A full English translation with the translator's signed certification of competence and accuracy | USCIS |
| United Kingdom | A translation confirmed as "true and accurate", dated, with the translator's name and contact details | UK |
| Singapore (ICA) | A translation by the issuing country's embassy, or notarised by a notary public in Singapore or the issuing country | Singapore |
| Australia | An MTA-Certified Translation: MTA is recognised by the Australian government (DoHA and DFAT) for Malay and Malay (Jawi) documents, and our Director is MTA-Certified | Australia |
You cannot translate your own birth certificate for any of these, and a relative cannot either.
What a certified translation covers
A certified translation translates every entry, not just the headings: names, dates, places, the parents' details, the informant, the registration details, handwritten notes, amendments and every stamp. Names stay exactly as on the passport or MyKad. Common Malay terms on Malaysian birth certificates:
| Malay | English |
|---|---|
| Sijil Kelahiran | Birth certificate |
| Cabutan Daftar Kelahiran | Extract of birth registration |
| Tarikh dan waktu lahir | Date and time of birth |
| Tempat lahir | Place of birth |
| Jantina: Lelaki / Perempuan | Sex: Male / Female |
| Keturunan | Race or ethnicity |
| Agama | Religion |
| Taraf kewarganegaraan; Warganegara; Pemastautin tetap | Citizenship status; Citizen; Permanent resident |
| Butir-butir ibu / bapa | Particulars of mother / father |
| Pemberi maklumat | Informant |
| Tarikh pendaftaran; Pendaftar | Date of registration; Registrar |
Which birth document to use
Original birth certificate (Sijil Kelahiran). JPN does not issue certified photocopies of it.
Extract of birth registration (Cabutan Daftar Kelahiran). The usual substitute when the original is lost, damaged or laminated. Apply online through JPN's system (oslhr.jpn.gov.my) for RM 5, processed in about one working day, or at a JPN counter in Peninsular Malaysia for an RM 10 search fee plus RM 5 for the extract (form JPN.LM12). In Sarawak, extracts are issued only at the JPN state office and JPN Putrajaya, for RM 5.
New-design certificates. JPN began issuing birth certificates with new security features in stages from January 2023.
The printed headings are in Malay and English, but Malaysian birth certificates "are not fully in English", and the Australian High Commission requires an official translation. If the receiving authority wants the whole document in English, translate all of it.
Getting a JPN birth extract through our Legal
The record owner, parents, a lawful spouse, children, siblings, grandparents and a lawful guardian may apply at a JPN office in person. JPN also accepts an application from a law firm acting for the record owner, with the firm's official letter, the client's letter of appointment and the lawyer's practising certificate (Sijil Amalan Guaman). Our Legal, a practising Advocate & Solicitor and Notary Public in Malaysia, applies for you this way when:
you live overseas and cannot attend JPN in person;
the original is lost, damaged or laminated;
the receiving authority or embassy wants a recently issued extract;
you would rather not book a JPN visit and queue yourself.
How it works:
Send a photo of the birth certificate (or the name, date of birth and MyKad number on it) and your MyKad or passport on WhatsApp.
We prepare the letter of appointment and authorisation for you to sign, and collect the supporting evidence JPN asks for.
Our Legal attends JPN by appointment and applies for the certified extract (Cabutan Daftar Kelahiran).
We translate the extract and, if you need it, take it through Wisma Putra and the embassy, then courier it to you anywhere.
It usually takes 7 to 21 business days, depending on the JPN office and the record. If JPN asks for more, we amend and resubmit; if it refuses outright, we tell you the alternatives. The certified translation that follows is covered by our guarantees. Ask for a JPN extract on WhatsApp.
Who may apply, the forms, official JPN fees and the 2-month collection deadline: see our guide to JPN Certified Extracts (Birth, Marriage, Death).
How to legalise a birth certificate for use abroad
Get the original or a fresh JPN extract.
Have it translated by a translator Wisma Putra accepts.
Attest the certificate and the translation at Wisma Putra: RM 20 for a certified birth certificate and RM 10 for a certified translation. Walk-in documents are usually ready the same or next working day; documents lodged through an agent within three working days.
Legalise both at the destination country's embassy in Kuala Lumpur, if that country requires it. Fees vary by embassy: see the fees and processing times table.
Malaysia does not issue apostilles, so this chain is what foreign authorities accept instead. See apostille in Malaysia and the document legalisation guide.
What each destination usually asks for
United States, United Kingdom and Australia: a certified English translation in the format each one sets out above. Check whether your particular application also asks for legalisation.
Singapore: a notarised translation or one by the embassy.
China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and the Gulf: usually a translation into the local language or English, plus Wisma Putra and embassy legalisation.
Always check with the authority that will receive the document; requirements differ between visas, university admissions, citizenship and marriage registration.
Foreign birth certificates for use in Malaysia
A foreign birth certificate for JPN, Immigration (for example, a Dependant Pass) or a Malaysian court normally needs a full translation into Malay or English and legalisation by the issuing country's authorities and its embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The Immigration Department's Expatriate Services Division asks for Dependant Pass birth certificates to be translated by the embassy or ITBM, and JPN accepts translations made in Malaysia by a court translator or the national translation institute. See Malaysian government requirements.
Maklumat dalam Bahasa Melayu
Sijil kelahiran Malaysia biasanya memerlukan terjemahan penuh yang diperakui sebelum digunakan di luar negara, kerana butiran, catatan dan cop sering dalam bahasa Melayu. Terjemahan mesti dibuat oleh penterjemah yang diterima pihak berkuasa penerima; bagi Wisma Putra, penterjemah mahkamah, DBP atau PPM, ITBM, atau penterjemah yang dilantik kedutaan. Wisma Putra mengenakan RM 20 bagi sijil kelahiran dan RM 10 bagi terjemahan. Cabutan JPN berharga RM 5 dalam talian. Jika anda berada di luar negara atau tidak dapat hadir ke JPN, Peguam kami (Peguam Bela dan Peguam Cara serta Notari Awam) boleh memohon cabutan daftar kelahiran di JPN bagi pihak anda. WhatsApp: +60 17-227 9378.
中文说明
马来西亚出生证明虽然标题是马来文和英文双语，但内容、备注和印章常为马来文，因此在海外使用前通常需要完整的认证翻译。翻译须由接收机构认可的翻译员完成；如需外交部（Wisma Putra）认证，须由法院翻译员、DBP或马来西亚翻译协会、ITBM或使馆指定翻译员翻译。外交部认证费：出生证明RM 20，译文RM 10。我们提供中文、英文等语言的出生证明认证翻译。如您身在海外或无法亲自前往国民登记局（JPN），我们的法务（执业律师兼公证人）可代您向JPN申请出生登记摘录（Cabutan Daftar Kelahiran）。WhatsApp：+60 17-227 9378。
Common questions
Does a Malaysian birth certificate need translating if it is bilingual?
Usually yes. The headings are in Malay and English, but the entries, notes and stamps are often in Malay, and many authorities want the whole document in English.
Can I use a photocopy of my birth certificate?
Not on its own. Use the original or a JPN extract. Some authorities accept a certified true copy made by a notary public; check with the receiving authority first.
My birth certificate is laminated. Can it be attested?
Laminated documents can be refused, because the attestation stamp cannot be applied to them. A fresh JPN extract avoids the problem.
How long does the whole process take?
A JPN extract takes about one working day online and the translation usually one working day. Wisma Putra returns walk-in documents the same or next working day (up to three working days through an agent), and embassy legalisation adds more time depending on the embassy.
Can someone else get my JPN birth extract for me?
Yes. Close family members may apply at JPN in person, and a law firm may apply for anyone with a letter of appointment from the record owner. Our Legal, a practising Advocate & Solicitor and Notary Public, applies for you this way.
I live overseas. How do I get a new Malaysian birth extract?
Let our Legal apply at JPN for you: you sign a letter of appointment, we obtain the certified extract, translate and legalise it if needed, and courier it to you. It usually takes 7 to 21 business days.
Do you translate birth certificates into languages other than English?
Yes. We translate between Malay, English and other languages, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian.
Related guides
Certified translation in Kuala Lumpur and across Malaysia (JPN, courts, Wisma Putra, embassies)
Malaysian Single Status Certificate: JPN Letter, Translation and Legalisation
How to Legalise a Malaysian Birth Certificate for Use Abroad
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