Apostile necessary for translation?

[BA2WA 5]

My fiancee's birth certificate needs to be translated from Spanish into English for her I-485 packet. Everything I read here and online says the translator simply needs to state both fluency and accuracy in the translation. However here (Argentina) everyone we ask about translating the document absolutely insists that an apostile is necessary for the U..S. and everywhere else. Not 1or 2 people, nearly dozen, some lawyers too.

Okay, perhaps an unnecessary extra step, but we tried to have the document apostiled this morning and they refused to do it because of its age --- it cannot be older then 3 month, even though the document was certified as original in January of this year.

Getting a new certificate would be very difficult, as she was born in another part of the country and would have to travel there to get it. In addition, it might take longer than the time we have remaining here.

Is there any reason to get an apostiled translation, if not for the AOS for something unforeseen down the road? Getting a "Translator College-certified" (very official but not apostiled) translation is a simple matter and hopefully sufficient.

Many thanks...

[Zedayn 485]

You do not need an apostile or a professional translator to do the translations. Anyone who is fluent, including you, can do the translation as long as you supply a statement at the bottom that certifies the translation.

From the USCIS website 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

[BA2WA 5]

That's that I thought and read. Thanks for the confirmation and have a wonderful day!