Translations for documents

[mendeleev 68]

The general requirement that DOS and USCIS has for translations is simply that the translater assert (certify) that he/she is capable of understanding both languages and of providing an accurate translation.

None of my wife's translations were certified.

DOS doesn't know it, but she is an English translater certified by the Russian government to do that sort of thing. She has all the stamps and stuff that go along with those things. For things Russian, she isn't allowed to translate anything for which she benefits and affix her stamp. For our translations of all documents we used for the visa, there was no certification. (In fact, she used my translation of her divorce decrees that I used an an exercise to see if I could do it accurately.)

[mendeleev 68]

Are you sure the packet said "police report and it's translation into English" and not just that all documents must be translated?

Yes, Turbo, I'm very sure. I don't ready Russian very well, but my wife showed me the precise text. The requirement that the police report be translated was called out distinctly and specifically in a sentence separate from those discussion translations of birth certificates and divorce decrees. EVen with my limited command of the language, this requirement was clearly apparent without needing her to translate it, word for word, to me.

I'm pretty sure that, by now, she has thrown away that document from the embassy. Its my role in this marriage to keep paper and hers to toss it out.

[slim 1,514]

It seems that it may be a new requirement, but for those going soon that don't have it done, I wouldn't freak out. They can still read Russian and the Moscow embassy. (And the recent "visa issued!" posts have confirmed it's not mandatory just yet.)