USCIS Certified Translations
What is a certified translation for USCIS?
A certified translation is a sworn statement affirming the translator’s ability to accurately translate a document from the original language into English.
A Certified Translation is required for ALL documents in a foreign language.
This requirement is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3):
“Any document containing foreign language submitted to USCIS shall be accompanied by a full English language translation which the translator has certified as complete and accurate, and by the translator’s certification that he or she is competent to translate from the foreign language into English.”
Therefore, if any of the documents you plan to submit to USCIS are in a foreign language, you must also submit a certified translation along with it. Common documents that often need accompanying translations include birth certificates, death certificates, passports, marriage and divorce certificates, and academic transcripts.
If you don’t include a certified translation, USCIS will either reject your application or issue an RFE, which will cause a delay in the processing of your application.
Who is allowed to translated documents for USCIS?
Friends or family are allowed to translate your documents for you. However, if USCIS believes there’s a conflict of interest, they may request a new certified translation from a third party.
There are many professional translation services that provide USCIS certified translations.
Google Translate does not meet the requirements.
Does it need to be notarized?
No, the certified translation does not need to be notarized.
If my friend is certifying the translation, what should it look like?
Here’s a template of what a certified translation could look like:
I, [typed name], certify that I am fluent in English and [foreign language], and that the above/attached document is an accurate translation of the document attached entitled [name of document].
Signature ___________________
[Date]
[Typed Name]
[Address]