USCIS Certified Translations

A USCIS certified translation is a complete English translation of a foreign-language document accompanied by a signed certification statement from the translator. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), the translator must certify that they are competent to translate from the source language into English and that the translation is accurate and complete. This signed certification is the only translation standard that USCIS enforces. Every translation we deliver includes this certification at no additional cost.

Any foreign-language document submitted to USCIS must include a certified English translation. The most common documents include birth certificates, marriage and divorce certificates, death certificates, academic transcripts and diplomas, police clearances and background checks, employment verification letters, financial records (tax returns, bank statements), medical records, military service records, court orders, and immigration forms. If a document is part of your immigration filing and it is not in English, it needs a certified translation.

No. USCIS requires certified translations with a signed translator certification statement, not notarization. A notary seal is not mentioned in 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) and is not required for any USCIS filing. However, notarized translations are required by other agencies and institutions: state and federal courts, U.S. passport applications, banks, academic credential evaluations (WES, ECE), child support proceedings, DMV submissions, and documents being apostilled for international use. If your documents are going to any of these entities in addition to USCIS, you may need the notarization add-on.

USCIS requires that every translation include a signed certification statement from the translator attesting to their competence and the accuracy of the translation. In practice, translations prepared by the applicant or a family member involved in the case are frequently questioned by USCIS officers and can result in Requests for Evidence (RFEs) that delay your case. We strongly recommend using an independent professional translator to avoid these delays.

Certified translations for USCIS start at $25 per page, with each page covering up to 500 words. Rates vary by language pair, and volume discounts apply automatically on larger orders. You can check the exact rate for your language on our pricing calculator. If a page exceeds 500 words or your order needs any adjustment, we will contact you with a revised quote before starting.

Turnaround depends on page count and processing speed: 1–3 pages: 24 hours standard, 12 hours expedited 4–8 pages: 48 hours standard, 24 hours expedited 9–20 pages: 72 hours standard, 48 hours expedited 21–30 pages: ~5 business days standard, 72 hours expedited 2-hour rush delivery is available for 1–3 page orders in select languages, Monday through Friday, 8 AM – 8 PM ET. You can choose your processing speed at checkout. See our full processing times table for details.

If USCIS finds an issue with a translation, they issue a Request for Evidence (RFE) asking you to submit a corrected version within a set deadline (typically 87 days). The most common RFE triggers related to translations are: a missing or incomplete certification statement, a partial translation instead of the full document, a translation prepared by the applicant or beneficiary of the petition, and a source document too illegible to translate accurately. Our quality review process is designed to prevent these issues. Every translation is checked for certification completeness, full document coverage, and formatting accuracy before delivery. If you received a translation-related RFE from another provider, we can prepare a corrected translation to meet the deadline.

Most USCIS forms require supporting documents, and any document not in English needs a certified translation. The most common filings and their generally required translations include: I-130 (Family Petition): birth certificates, marriage certificates for petitioner and beneficiary I-485 (Adjustment of Status): all civil documents (birth, marriage, divorce, death), police clearances, military records, financial evidence N-400 (Naturalization): birth certificate, any foreign-language documents in your application history I-751 (Remove Conditions): marriage evidence, joint financial documents, affidavits K-1 (Fiancé Visa): birth certificates, divorce decrees from prior marriages, police clearances from every country where the beneficiary lived 6+ months after age 16 Requirements vary by case and change over time. Always check the current form instructions or consult with your immigration attorney for your specific situation.

USCIS requires a complete translation of the entire document. Partial or extract translations are not accepted, except in narrow circumstances such as newspaper clippings where only the relevant article is submitted as evidence. Every element of the document must be translated, including headers, stamps, seals, handwritten notes, and marginal annotations. Submitting a partial translation is one of the common reasons USCIS issues a Request for Evidence (RFE), which can delay your case by months.