Before moving to the US as an immigrant, you require documents for a work permit. You also need documents for proof of immigration status and a valid Permanent Resident Card (Green Card). Other documents such as birth certificates, divorce papers if previously married, and police records are also mandatory. These documents must be translated into English.
Keep reading if you want to be easily approved by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Documents That Require USCIS Translation
You require many documents to be a legal immigrant in any country. These documents must be presented in a language understandable by immigration officials.
According to the US Department of State, any document written in a foreign language to be submitted to a Service must be accompanied by a full English language translation.
The rules further state that the translation has to be done by a translator certified as competent to translate the civil documents accurately.
Documents Everybody Will Need to Translate
What immigration documents require translation? Official documents that are written in a language other than English to be submitted to USCIS require translation. These official documents include;
1. Police certificate
Whether a criminal or not and above 16 years old, you must submit a police certificate. This document has to certify whether you’ve had any criminal convictions in your home country. The certificate has to be written by the law enforcement authorities in your country of origin.
A police clearance certificate for US immigration is valid for only two years.
2. Bank statements
Audited financial records stamped by a financial sponsor must be submitted to the immigration officers as evidence of self-sufficiency. The stamp is what makes the bank statement an official document. It should show the applicant’s name, date, amount, and address.
3. Divorce papers
A certified copy of divorce papers or a divorce decree has to be submitted to the USCIS. The copy has to have a stamp or seal from an authority office. This document acts as proof of the dissolution of all previous marriages. It’s also a prove to the USCIS that the marriage you’re currently in is legitimate.
4. Death Certificate
Submitting a copy of the official death certificate to the USCIS is mandatory if the deceased person is the main immigrant applicant. The copy has to be accompanied by a certified translation of the original death certificate. It’s essential to update the immigration status of the accompanying family members.
The death certificate should include the following:
- Date and place of death
- Full names of the deceased person
- Cause of death if applicable
Document a Family with Kids will Need
1. Birth Certificate
According to Chapter 4 of the USCIS department, you’re requested to submit a copy of your foreign birth certificate. It further dictates that you must submit the birth certificate with a certified English translation if it’s not written in English.
Submitting a birth certificate will help prove your country of citizenship and make it easier to obtain a visa. A birth certificate to be submitted to USCIS should show;
- Applicant’s full name
- date of birth
- place of birth
- Names of both parents
- date of issue
- Annotation to prove it’s an extract from government official records.
If your birth certificate doesn’t meet all these requirements, it should be submitted with a notarized personal affidavit.
Learn how to get your birth certificate translated for USCIS.
2. Marriage certificate
If married and applying for a green card, you must submit a marriage certificate to establish you’re in a valid marriage. A marriage certificate should contain the names of both spouses, the date of marriage, and the exact location.
USCIS dictates that if your marriage certificate isn’t written in English, you must submit a certified translation copy of the marriage certificate.
Learn how to translate your marriage certificate for immigration.
Documents a Student Will Need For USCIS
1. Academic transcripts
For USCIS to understand your education qualifications and determine the visa category that matches your qualifications, you’ve to send academic transcripts to them. If the transcripts aren’t written in English, you’ll have to translate and submit a copy of the translation to the Immigration office.
2. Affidavit of Support
A document signed by an individual taking the financial responsibility of another is called an affidavit of support. Any student financially supported to study in the US should have an Affidavit of Support. For officials to understand the Affidavit of Support, it has to be translated into English.
Translation Requirements for USCIS Immigration Application
In the US, English is the official language. It’s also the widely spoken language in all official offices, including the immigration offices. It’s vital to translate your official immigration documents into English.
When translating immigration documents, there are USCIS-specific translation requirements you have to meet. The USCIS demands all non-English documents be translated.
To avoid document approval delays or decline in approval, ensure you meet these immigration translation requirements:
1. Accuracy
It’s a federal regulation that immigration translations must be accurate. For a document translation to be approved as accurate, the translation must convey a similar message as in the original document.
Since immigration documents contain sensitive information, the message should be clear and devoid of ambiguities. The original tone and intent must be preserved during translation. Equally, cultural nuances have to be carefully factored in to avoid mistranslation.
Immigration translation has also to be completed to be termed accurate. For your documents to be complete, they should have the immigrant’s name, date, and signature.
2. Complete
In the USCIS immigration translation requirements, the term “full English language translation” is interpreted to mean complete. Every word in a translated immigration document should be translated into English. No matter how detailed a copy is, your translator must ensure every detail is translated
Police records or divorce papers maybe may be too detailed to translate all texts. Also, the complexity of some legal terms may be difficult to translate. Whichever the case, USCIS demands the translation to be complete.
3. Certification
You must have heard of certified translation.
Immigration translation lies in the category of certified translation. In this type of translation, the original and target documents must be accompanied by a certificate signed by the translator or a certified translation services for immigration.
Whether you’ve translated the documents yourself or hired an immigration document translation services provider, a certificate must be submitted to the USCIS. It also applies to immigration documents presented to the immigration court.
4. Translator Qualifications
There are no set qualification standards or certifications for translators by USCIS. However, the translator must submit a statement acknowledging he/she is competent to translate official immigration documents into the English language to the USCIS.
When selecting immigration translation services, ensure the translators can certify their competence to translate your documents from the source language to English.
Document Type That Won’t Need to be Translated into English
The world has become a small village. And whether you are moving to stay or traveling as a tourist to a foreign country, you need authorization documents. As explained above it’s mandatory to translate the documents into English before submitting them to authorization offices.
However, there are documents that you won’t need to translate into English especially if you’re moving to America.
Documents that won’t need to be translated into English include:
- International driving permits
- Health insurance card
- Hotel reservation proof
- Travel itinerary
Documents such as a driver’s license will need translation if you will use it to drive in a foreign country.
Choosing Your Preferred Translation Provider
Submitting inaccurate immigration document translations to the USCIS can result in delays in approval, document rejection, and even deportation. To avoid these implications, you have to choose the best immigration document translation services.
In determining which translation provider to translate your immigration documents, consider the LSP’s ability to meet USCIS document translation requirements. A translation provider that offers certified translation, has competent translators and has quality control systems can deliver USCIS-compliant translations.
Wordsprime offers certified translation services for immigration processes at affordable prices.
There are many reasons for you choose Wordsprime immigration translation services. They include:
Strict quality control systems – Wordsprime has taken all measures possible to avoid the consequences of inaccurate translation of documents to be submitted to USCIS. First, they’ve got a strict quality control system that guarantees the most accurate translation. To further eliminate any translation error, they’ve got a functional seamless workflow system.
Expert certified translators – Remember every immigration document to be submitted to USCIS has to be accompanied by a certified translation. Wordsprime has expert-certified translators ready to write you a translation certificate.
Experienced and competent translators – Whether it is translating passports, divorce papers, or academic transcripts, Wordsprime has the experience and competent translators to deliver complete and high-quality translations.
Request a FREE quote and get all of your immigration documents well translated. USCIS accetable guaranteed.
Cost of Immigration Translation Services
The amount you pay to get a one-page immigration document translated slightly varies depending on the company you outsource. Again, a translation services provider that specializes in certified translation may be costly compared to a general translation company.
According to the Immigration help, you’ll pay $20-$40 to get a one-page of immigration document translation. Different Immigration document translations will cost you differently.
Here’s an average cost of translating different immigration documents.
| Immigration Document | Immigration Document Translation Cost Per Page |
| Birth Certificate | $20 – $50 |
| Passport | $20 – $35 + VAT |
| Marriage Certificate | $20 – $69 for a page of 200 words |
| Bank Statement | $23 – $69 for a page of 200 words |
| Criminal Record | $20 – $50 for a page of 250 words |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Hard and digital copies of translated documents, which is acceptable?
If you’re ready to submit your documents to USCIS, USCIS recommends you avoid sending original documents and instead send photographs or photocopies. In their guide, Tips For Filling Forms By Email, forms available to file online are acceptable if submitted by email as digital copies.
For forms not available to file online, USCIS advices sending hard copies via DHL, FedEx, USPS, and UPS.
- Should the immigration translation document be typed, or handwritten?
The rules by the immigration Court Filling Manual are binding. According to Chapter 3.3, it’s a rule that immigration document translations must be typed. Equally, the certifications accompanying copies of the translations must also be typed.
- What if my documents are an abbreviated version of the original?
Immigration documents that are an abbreviated version of the original are acceptable by USCIS if:
a) They contain all the information required by USCIS, and
b) They are from an official government agency.
Conclusion
The greatest challenge arises when you’re moving to a country that speaks a different language. To start your immigration application process, first get to know the documents you need for the application to be easy and successful.
Secondly, partner with a translation provider that offers immigration translation services to guide you through the translation process. Here at Wordsprime, we’ll offer you all types of certified translation services for immigration you require at a friendly cost.
