A common struggle for immigrants seeking visas, green cards, citizenship, and so on is USCIS immigration document translation. Knowing the USCIS translation requirements and how to translate your legal documents accurately can save you time and money.
Many applicants attempt to use Google Translate to convert legal documents, then get rejected by immigration officers leading to unnecessary delays.
We understand how crucial your immigration process is. This article will discuss how to go about translating your immigration documents. We’ll talk about what you will need, doing it yourself, and the cost.
Getting to Know the US Citizenship and Immigration Services Requirements
Suppose you are an immigrant applying for citizenship, student visa, marriage green card, DACA renewal, or other immigration methods. In that case, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services will need you to provide several legal documents to prove your eligibility. These documents, such as your birth certificate and criminal history, are key to gaining approval for your immigration.
Legal documents that will require adequate translation include;
- Birth certificate
- Marriage license/certificate
- Divorce certificate (if any)
- Criminal/police records
- Bank statements
As an immigrant, your legal documents may be in the language of your country. You have to translate your legal documents into English. Also, a professional translator has to certify them before submitting them to the USCIS with the original language document.
For example, say your marriage license is in Portuguese; you must submit the Portuguese version alongside a certified English marriage license translation when applying.
Applicants must use a certified translator to translate these documents. Google translate cannot be used and is not acceptable.
A certificate of translation from a certified translation service must be attached to all translated legal documents. This certificate proves to the USCIS that the translator is well-versed in foreign and English languages.
Can I Translate My Immigration Documents Myself?
Yes, you can translate your Immigration documents into English yourself. A family or friend can also help.
To do this, the translator must provide proof of English proficiency by including a written or typed certification letter. The certification letter must also include the translator’s full name, date, signature, and residential address.
After submission, the attending immigration officer will decide if the translated documents meet USCIS’s translation standards. Ensure you submit photocopies of each required document too. If the USCIS immigration officer discovers that your translated documents are not standard, they will ask for a resubmission with a new translation.
If you have doubts about your English proficiency, then hire a professional translator to do it for you. This will save you time and effort and prevent unnecessary delays.
How do I Translate a USCIS Immigration document?
To adequately translate a USCIS immigration document, start by submitting a copy of the original document, a word-for-word translation of the original document, and the translator’s certificate.
The USCIS officers will need your legal documents and their English translations to compare with similar documents from your home country, which will help them verify that your documents are legit.
Note that long-form birth certificates should be submitted if available rather than abbreviated versions. This is because they contain sufficient information needed to vet crucial information such as family history, which makes it easier for immigration authorities to process your application.
Ensure all translated documents and certification letters are typed, not handwritten, to avoid delays from the difficulty of reading an applicant’s writing.
You won’t need a notary to validate your translations, provided you submit a certification for your translated documents, so keep that in mind.
What To Do If My Immigration Document is the Shorter version of the Orignal Document?
It is always advisable to provide long versions of legal documents. But sometimes, applicants may only have access to shorter versions provided by their government agencies. If this is your situation, then there’s no need to worry. The USCIS will accept abbreviated immigration documents provided it contains all the necessary information listed in the USCIS information requirement and are issued by an official government agency.
How Much Does it Cost to get a USCIS-certified Translation?
Translating immigration documents cost between $20 to $50, depending on the translation service you choose.
At TranslateSwift we charge $27 for a page of translation. Our USCIS-vetted native translators are experts in translating over 40 languages and are ready to help you make your application process easier. Let’s get your legal documents translated in 24 hours.
Conclusion
Accurate legal document translation is a common problem for immigrants looking to apply for US visas. We hope we have solved this problem for you in our guide above. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us on our toll-free line at +1 (800) 243-5612 or via email at [email protected]
