Can I translate documents myself.

[MrsBocanegra 3]

Please help!!! I am putting my I-129F petition together and just need a few more things. I have two documents that are in Spanish can I translate them myself or do I need someone else do to this. I am fluent in Spanish so I was wondering if it was ok for me to do the translating. All that needs to be translated is simple stuff like name, date, car model, vin number, etc.... The back of this same document is in Spanish and English. The other document is basically the same things like name, date, payment etc... need to be translated.

Oh yeah and if I can't translate them myself does the person have to be a certified translator?

Thanks,

Andrea

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Please help!!! I am putting my I-129F petition together and just need a few more things. I have two documents that are in Spanish can I translate them myself or do I need someone else do to this. I am fluent in Spanish so I was wondering if it was ok for me to do the translating. All that needs to be translated is simple stuff like name, date, car model, vin number, etc.... The back of this same document is in Spanish and English. The other document is basically the same things like name, date, payment etc... need to be translated.

Oh yeah and if I can't translate them myself does the person have to be a certified translator?

Thanks,

Andrea

I would recommend to have someone else do the translation, to avoid any conflict of interest issues, however, I have seen some people do it themselves on this site. (Umit had a certified translator do her documents)

Here is what USCIS says:

Please submit certified translations for all foreign language documents. The translator must certify that s/he is competent to translate and that the translation is accurate.

The certification format should include the certifier's name, signature, address, and date of certification. A suggested format is:

Certification by Translator

I [typed name], certify that I am fluent (conversant) in the English and ________ languages, and that the above/attached document is an accurate translation of the document attached entitled ______________________________.

Signature_________________________________

Date Typed Name

Address

Edited May 20, 2009 by Bobby_Umit

[Mrs. Disney 0]

If I could translate it properly, then I would do it myself. Good luck!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Please help!!! I am putting my I-129F petition together and just need a few more things. I have two documents that are in Spanish can I translate them myself or do I need someone else do to this. I am fluent in Spanish so I was wondering if it was ok for me to do the translating. All that needs to be translated is simple stuff like name, date, car model, vin number, etc.... The back of this same document is in Spanish and English. The other document is basically the same things like name, date, payment etc... need to be translated.

Oh yeah and if I can't translate them myself does the person have to be a certified translator?

Thanks,

Andrea

Yes you can. The translation needs to be certified, NOT the translator. You do this by completeing the translation then add

"I, ____________________________________(name) am fluent in both the English and Spanish languages and certify that this is a true and accurate translation of _____________________________________________(document)"

___________________________________ signature __________________________date

NAME

ADDRESS

PHONE NUMBER

And then have the signature notarized.

FWIW my wife translates documents and has done so successfully for VJ members and for other clients official government documents (she translates Russian and Ukrainian, and uses exactly the above certification) BUT she chose not to do her translations for her own visa documents, but you are not doing them for your own, either. This was her decision, no one said she could not.

[bora bora 1]

Please help!!! I am putting my I-129F petition together and just need a few more things. I have two documents that are in Spanish can I translate them myself or do I need someone else do to this. I am fluent in Spanish so I was wondering if it was ok for me to do the translating. All that needs to be translated is simple stuff like name, date, car model, vin number, etc.... The back of this same document is in Spanish and English. The other document is basically the same things like name, date, payment etc... need to be translated.

Oh yeah and if I can't translate them myself does the person have to be a certified translator?

Thanks,

Andrea

Yes you can. The translation needs to be certified, NOT the translator. You do this by completeing the translation then add

"I, ____________________________________(name) am fluent in both the English and Spanish languages and certify that this is a true and accurate translation of _____________________________________________(document)"

___________________________________ signature __________________________date

NAME

ADDRESS

PHONE NUMBER

And then have the signature notarized.

FWIW my wife translates documents and has done so successfully for VJ members and for other clients official government documents (she translates Russian and Ukrainian, and uses exactly the above certification) BUT she chose not to do her translations for her own visa documents, but you are not doing them for your own, either. This was her decision, no one said she could not.

Many people translate documents themselves but I decided not to. We asked a professional to translate my husband's BC and a friend did the rest - and I translated her paperwork.

You don't need a notary. For what? The only document that needs to be notarized during this process is the I-134.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Please help!!! I am putting my I-129F petition together and just need a few more things. I have two documents that are in Spanish can I translate them myself or do I need someone else do to this. I am fluent in Spanish so I was wondering if it was ok for me to do the translating. All that needs to be translated is simple stuff like name, date, car model, vin number, etc.... The back of this same document is in Spanish and English. The other document is basically the same things like name, date, payment etc... need to be translated.

Oh yeah and if I can't translate them myself does the person have to be a certified translator?

Thanks,

Andrea

Yes you can. The translation needs to be certified, NOT the translator. You do this by completeing the translation then add

"I, ____________________________________(name) am fluent in both the English and Spanish languages and certify that this is a true and accurate translation of _____________________________________________(document)"

___________________________________ signature __________________________date

NAME

ADDRESS

PHONE NUMBER

And then have the signature notarized.

FWIW my wife translates documents and has done so successfully for VJ members and for other clients official government documents (she translates Russian and Ukrainian, and uses exactly the above certification) BUT she chose not to do her translations for her own visa documents, but you are not doing them for your own, either. This was her decision, no one said she could not.

Many people translate documents themselves but I decided not to. We asked a professional to translate my husband's BC and a friend did the rest - and I translated her paperwork.

You don't need a notary. For what? The only document that needs to be notarized during this process is the I-134.

The I-134 no longer needs a notary, unless specified by the consulate.

Other documents to be notarized are on a consulate specific basis. Kiev, for example, requires tax returns to be notarized (refer to Kiev form OF-167) and also the "acceptance letter" I had to provide for the K-2 (to follow) visa for our oldest son. Check the specific directions for the consulate you will use. I know of several cases where people got visas in Kiev without notarized tax returns, but that is what the directions say.

My wife has ALL translations she does notarized without question, but that is just her preference. She gets it done for free at our local bank, so why not?