Translation of required documents

[CG&LGG 27]

Has anyone had any experience having documents translated? Birth certificate, vaccination records, etc for the interview and AOS. Does the documents need to be translated by a translation service, or can we have a friend or relative translate them and have it notarized? Also, should this be done in the beneficiary country or can it be done here in the USA?

Thanks so much for any help provided!

[Zedayn 485]

You can translate it yourself if you are fluent in both languages. From http://www.uscis.gov/forms/forms-and-fees/general-tips-assembling-applications-mailing:

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

It does not need to be notarized. Simply translate the document, and add the above certification statement at the bottom of your translation.

[puffers 14]

we were told everything had to be notarized. we used rev.com, they were really fast and it wasnt too expensive - i think $20 per document and an extra $20 for it to be notarized (all of it, not per document)

[Zedayn 485]

we were told everything had to be notarized. we used rev.com, they were really fast and it wasnt too expensive - i think $20 per document and an extra $20 for it to be notarized (all of it, not per document)

You were told wrong. Nothing submitted to USCIS needs notarized.

[Ning 619]

we were told everything had to be notarized. we used rev.com, they were really fast and it wasnt too expensive - i think $20 per document and an extra $20 for it to be notarized (all of it, not per document)

Notaries simply verify signatures having nothing to do with content.. They will do that on as many pages as you want or on one but its isn't a required by USCIS.

[Unidentified 2,930]

You were told wrong. Nothing submitted to USCIS needs notarized.

OP also asked about the embassy stage were it won't be enough for him to translate it himself.

OP check with the embassy what translation service they accept. It might be that you only need it notarized but I know that in Sweden you have to use a translation service if you need your documents translation so I really recommend asking your embassy.

[usmsbow 795]

OP also asked about the embassy stage were it won't be enough for him to translate it himself.

OP check with the embassy what translation service they accept. It might be that you only need it notarized but I know that in Sweden you have to use a translation service if you need your documents translation so I really recommend asking your embassy.

First paragraph- nope, not necessarily. As you say in the 2nd paragraph, probably best to ask the embassy. My wife translated her birth certificate for the interview, didn't need anything to be notarized. I think it is the same in the Philippines and many other countries.

Edited to add: translated it herself, no requirements on using a translation service.

Edited June 18, 2015 by usmsbow

[Zedayn 485]

OP also asked about the embassy stage were it won't be enough for him to translate it himself.

OP check with the embassy what translation service they accept. It might be that you only need it notarized but I know that in Sweden you have to use a translation service if you need your documents translation so I really recommend asking your embassy.

I re-read the OP and you are right they were asking about the interview (assuming embassy interview) and the AOS process. My response was only to the AOS part of the question.

In regards to the visa interview in Bogota, nothing needs translated. If it is in English or Spanish it is fine.

[CG&LGG 27]

Thank everyone!

Yeah, I was asking about the interview in Bogota AND AOS.

That makes me feel better knowing that my fiancé can translate his birth certificate himself for AOS since he is fluent in Spanish and English.

[Love To Teach 161]

My husband provided me with translated copies of his birth certificate (even though they are available in English anyway), our marriage certificate, and our marriage registration. These translations are on letterhead paper that says Al-Masoon which is a translation service available there in Pakistan. The copies are attested and also stamped by this company, signed, and dated. Would we need yet an additional paper stating that this company is certified to translate? It IS a translation company. My husband also speaks Urdu and English, by the way.

[mz_ 0]

my fiancee translated her own documents during the interview stage and didn't have any problems. her birth certificate was all in japanese and laid out in a 'table style' format and she just recreated the table using Microsoft Word and translated each cell to english. she never mentioned any problems during the embassy phase or the interview and was approved. if you want to be extra safe i would check with the embassy just to be sure but from our experience it wasn't a problem.