Need for an Official Translation?

[netminder30 1]

I am planning to submit some e-mails between my fiancée and me along with the I-129F as evidence that we have had an ongoing relationship. As my fiancée is Russian, some of the text in these letters is in Russian. Is it necessary to have these officially translated or can I type the translation somewhere below the original text? In most cases it is very elementary Russian as she was writing down to my simple understanding of the language.

Also, we often refer to each other with pet names rather than using our proper names. I am planning to explain this so the USCIS will know who is addressing whom. Is this ok? Will the USCIS dismiss the e-mails because in their eyes the use of pet names could apply to anyone and not specifically to me and my fiancée?

Thank in advance for answering my questions!

-- Steve

[TBoneTX 43,401]

The fact is that USCIS will not care about this extra information (the e-mails) but will pass it to the Moscow embassy, which will care. If you want the Moscow embassy to know that USCIS has seen and understood the e-mails, include the translations (for USCIS's eyes). Consulates are not to refuse visas by ignoring evidence that they know USCIS has seen.

Look at the e-mails to see if a non-Russian-reader can gather the context without a translation.

If you can translate them, you can include the standard "certification" language, found on this site -- no need for official translation. Type the translation wherever it fits. Purely from the embassy/consulate standpoint, translations aren't necessary if an instrument is in the native language of the country, which your e-mails are.

Pet names are fine. Just be sure that none of them (in English or Russian) translates to "husband" or "wife," or you'll be in deep trouble trying to disprove that you're already married and therefore ineligible to file the I-129F petition or apply for the K-1 visa.

[netminder30 1]

Thank you for the detailed response, TBoneTX! I had never thought about the pet names translating to something like "husband" or "wife". Fortunately, that is not the case here. Thanks again.

Steve

[netminder30 1]

Must the standard certification language attesting to the accuracy and completeness of the translation be signed? My fiancée translated some Russian text appearing in our e-mails, but she has not provided her signature. If a signature must be provided, I could alternatively provide the translation and sign -- the Russian is simple enough for me to translate myself -- but I cannot say that I am fluent in Russian. Advice anyone? Thanks.

[netminder30 1]

_{I intend to use a variation of the translation language on each page of e-mail I am submitting as I am not fluent in Russian, but know enough to translate the simple words and phrases. None of the e-mails are entirely in Russian. I have used bold, italicized font for the translations to differentiate them from the text in the e-mail.}

<sub>"I, John Smith, certify that I am fluent/conversant in the English/Russian languages, and that the bold, italicized text is an accurate translation of the applicable words and sentences in the e-mail."

Signature_________________________________
Date: Typed Name</sub>

Will this work? I appreciate all thoughts on this. Thanks in advance.

[KayDeeCee 4,892]

Should work, as the emails are not a requirement of the I-129F and the adjudicator may not even bother to read through any of them at all.

Front-loading the petition with ongoing relationship evidence is for the consulate/K-1 visa phase, and not for the actual approval of the I-129F.

[netminder30 1]

Thanks, KayDeeCee. Seems like I'm not likely to get into any trouble here.