The decision to accept or reject a translation document rests exclusively with USCIS. Some obvious reasons related to non-compliance with their specified requirements may lead to a rejection. Anything that gives reason to doubt the authenticity of translated documents, such as inaccuracies, omissions and inconsistencies in documents, can lead to rejection. If the certificate does not convince officials of the translator`s competence, the immigration file may not be accepted. Most of the supporting documents as well as all the required translations are submitted as part of the original green card application file. However, you may need to submit your documents to other steps in the green card application process, such as when the government sends additional questions via a Request for Proof (RFE). You will also bring original copies of your records, including translations, with you when you attend the green card interview. Any foreign language document submitted to the USCIS must be accompanied by a complete English translation that the translator has certified complete and accurate, as well as the translator`s certificate that he or she is authorized to translate from the foreign language into English. To avoid rejecting your translated document, it is always recommended to use a professional translator or a translation company. If USCIS has problems with a translated document you submit, it sends a Request for Proof (RFE). This may be due to the fact that some parts of the translation are inaccurate, seem inauthentic, lack information, etc.
To avoid getting an RFE and adding extra processing time to your case, hire a professional translator. You or a family member can usually translate your own documents if you can confirm that you are proficient in both languages. (Ultimately, this is at the discretion of the USCIS agent.) However, the best course of action is to use a professional translation service that is familiar with usCIS formatting and expectations. In addition, there is no conflict of interest if you hire a third party. In the United States, English is the widely spoken and written language. Documents submitted to a U.S. government agency must be in English so that they can be easily interpreted and understood. A professional translator can help you with English translation without losing the meaning of a document`s content. Even if the applicant is familiar with the English language, it is not advisable to interpret the documents himself. An applicant may use a translation service to translate his document into a foreign language. While current immigration law allows you or your spouse to be your own translators – if you can confirm that you are truly proficient in both languages – the decision to accept a certified English translation is always at the discretion of the immigration officer reviewing your documents.
So it`s a good idea to hire a professional translation service or a friend or family member with such experience to avoid delays or complications in your marriage-based green card application. Lately, many people have asked us a single question: “Can I translate my own birth certificate for immigration purposes?”, so through this blog we want to expand the courtesy of giving an informed response to all these requests. Let us give you a clear picture of the immigration translations of a source document, what it is and what it requires. Although many people do not deviate from the truthfulness and do not knowingly falsify the information contained in their application, unfortunately, there are some who do. When reviewing an immigration application, USCIS verifies the accuracy of the information provided by its sources. For foreign language documents (such as a birth certificate issued in a foreign language country or school diplomas issued by educational institutions that offer instruction in a foreign language), USCIS employees must read and understand documents in English. For more information on the supporting documents required for your immigration application, please see our complete submission guides. Even then, it`s unethical to translate your own documents, even if you were a licensed legal translator. Since the documents are you, you have a conflict of interest that can affect the translations. Even professional and certified translators often hire someone else to translate their documents for them. The conflict of interest that would otherwise arise would destroy the legitimacy of the translation.
The translator must confirm that he is competent for the translation and that the translation is correct. The certification format must include the name, signature, address and certification date of the certifier. A suggested format is as follows: Any document required by the U.S. government for a green card application must be translated into English, whether that document applies to the sponsoring spouse or the spouse applying for the green card. Here are a few examples: Bilingual people often ask, and rightly so, if they can translate their own documents into English for submission to USCIS. This article has covered most of the facts about translations of immigration documents. If you have other questions that you might need clarity for, these questions and answers can help you understand better. In addition, legal proceedings involving foreign parties and discovery documents in a foreign language require certified translations. And, of course, documents submitted to foreign authorities (consulates, etc.) must have certified translations – this time from English to the other language – to be processed.
If you have foreign language documents attached to your USCIS application or petition, you must also submit certified English translations. Common documents that need to be translated include: birth certificates, death certificates, passports, marriage and divorce certificates, and transcripts. All foreign language documents that support your USCIS form must be translated into English with a certified translation. Finally, you should choose a translation company that has a 100% approval rate for translated documents at USCIS. This extra check can save you the hassle of going through the documentation for the immigration process over and over again. It also saves you money, time and effort when you return to your immigration lawyer and selected translator. Even if your friend is fluent in both languages, they won`t be able to translate the document. Therefore, you must obtain a certified translation of the document to meet USCIS requirements. For a document to be considered “certified,” the person who translated it into English must write an official letter stating the following: If you are not a professional translator, in most cases you will spend more money translating the document yourself. It is extremely unlikely that you will create a completely accurate and legitimate translation on your first attempt.