RFE Dutch marriage certificate

[mapi 21]

Hi all,

 

So, finally after almost 12 months, we received an RFE today. It is clearly pointing out that we need to translate our marriage certificate.

 

We provided a Dutch marriage certificate, which comes in five (5!!) Languages. I even put it in the file name (e.g. multi-launguage_wedding_certificate).

 

We're luckily not in a hurry, but I am unsure how to proceed to get the i130 approved.

Debating between just uploading it again or getting it translated (or do it myself, that's allowed I read).

 

Anybody has some ideas about this specific Dutch case?

 

Thank you.

[Crazy Cat 39,624]

7 minutes ago, mapi said:

Debating between just uploading it again or getting it translated (or do it myself, that's allowed I read)

I would translate it myself, attach the certification statement, then upload a copy of the original plus your certified translation.  I don't see how they could complain about that.

Edited June 20, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[mapi 21]

41 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

I would translate it myself, attach the certification statement, then upload a copy of the original plus your certified translation.  I don't see how they could complain about that.

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I think I'll go that road. I'm afraid if I upload it again, the same agent will have a look at it, but is not capable of understanding multilingual documents. 

 

I will dive into the details tomorrow morning on how to provide a proper translation. I even read something in the RFE (don't have it at hand right now) about notarized etc, but the Dutch documents have a mark/stamp already.

[Crazy Cat 39,624]

Just now, mapi said:

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I think I'll go that road. I'm afraid if I upload it again, the same agent will have a look at it, but is not capable of understanding multilingual documents. 

 

I will dive into the details tomorrow morning on how to provide a proper translation. I even read something in the RFE (don't have it at hand right now) about notarized etc, but the Dutch documents have a mark/stamp already.

You can translate documents, yourself, if you are fluent in English and that language.  Just attach and sign the following statement to the translation:

 

[mapi 21]

Thank you again Crazy Cat.

 

The text in the RFE worries me, see:

 

"SUBMIT ENGLISH TRANSLATION WITH CORRESPONDING FOREIGN LANGUAGE DOCUMENT

You submitted a foreign language document that appears to be a marriage certificate. However, you did not include a certified English translation of the document. Any document that is not in English must be submitted with a complete and certified English translation. You must submit both of the following:

- A complete, accurate and certified English translation of the entire document, including a translation of the registrar’s name and information, signature and stamp of the civil authority;

AND

- A new photocopy of the corresponding foreign language document.

 

NOTE: Extract or summary translations of the original document are not acceptable. The translator must certify that the translation is complete and accurate, and that he or she is competent to translate from the foreign language to English"

 

The part in bold text is worrying me. This document is an extract, since that is the only thing you will get in the Netherlands. An official extract. There is no other certificate.

 

 

Edit: how do you translate such a thing? Do i try to mimic the structure of the document or shall I just write it out in paragraphs, following the document structure.

 

Blegh, the incapability of the officers makes me mad.

Edited June 20, 2023 by mapi

[Vickys_Mom 192]

You *can* do it yourself.  We chose not to.

 

I know that I'm paying just over $100 a page to have someone translate Indonesian to English (my wife could do it for free), and I probably put way too much faith in the "certification" document they send me and I forward to the embassy.  But it makes me feel better to have someone do it that does it "for a living".

 

By comparison we did all of the USCIS paperwork ourselves including an RFE for my wife and a 221(g) for my mother-in-law.  Never talked to an attorney and never felt uncomfortable about sending the paperwork in.  (The people here on VJ helped.)

 

There's a running joke in the movie Tommy Boy about what a guarantee is worth.  It's probably the same thing with a translation certification from a third-party.  But our comfort level was worth the money.

 

Regards,

Vicky's Mom

 

[mapi 21]

Well, the certificate is multilingual. The officer must have been incompetent.

 

I won't spend a hundred dollars because of someone's else's incompetency that I am actually already paying for.

 

I will translate the document and get a friend sign it as certified.

[Crazy Cat 39,624]

4 minutes ago, mapi said:

 

I will translate the document and get a friend sign it as certified.

The person who translates the document must sign as translator.

[Crazy Cat 39,624]

9 minutes ago, Vickys_Mom said:

But it makes me feel better to have someone do it that does it "for a living".

Not needed.  There are plenty of people here who have done their own translations. 

[mapi 21]

2 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

The person who translates the document must sign as translator.

Alright. So, do I literally translate every word? Do I need to get a similar document structure or try to point to translation to the sections (numbers) in the original document?

[mapi 21]

Also, can I just upload the new evidence (marriage certificate + translation + translation certification) without the so called coversheet in the portal?

[speedster 21]

1 hour ago, mapi said:

Alright. So, do I literally translate every word? Do I need to get a similar document structure or try to point to translation to the sections (numbers) in the original document?

Yeah, you can see examples made on google. There is no "correct" standard method of a translated document format

[pushbrk 12,233]

Note that a translator's certification is not attached to the translation.  It is part of the translated document.  Translations should be formatted as closely to the original as possible.  You are not translating just "words".  It's a document.

[Marieke H 2,336]

I had the same issue with my Dutch birth certificate, which was in 12 languages including English. I ended up typing the English pieces in a document and signing that as the "translator". It felt very redundant and unnecessary, but sometimes you just have to spell things out for USCIS to be able to move forward in the process. 

[pushbrk 12,233]

Just now, Marieke H said:

I had the same issue with my Dutch birth certificate, which was in 12 languages including English. I ended up typing the English pieces in a document and signing that as the "translator". It felt very redundant and unnecessary, but sometimes you just have to spell things out for USCIS to be able to move forward in the process. 

In this case, no need to actually translate anything.  It's already translated properly.  Use their work and if you are fluent in both Dutch and English, certify the translation.