USCIS applications often require that the applicant submit documentation to support and verify information in their application. All documents submitted as part of an application must be in English, or, if in another language, translated into English.
The Code of Federal Regulations (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)) states that any document containing a language other than English must include a full English translation by a certified translator. The translator must certify that the translation is complete and accurate, and that they are competent to translate from the foreign language into English.
Does this mean you need to hire a professional translator, or pay for a third-party translation service online? Not necessarily! The information below outlines which documents need to be translated and who can translate them, as well as explains the translation services offered by SimpleCitizen at no extra cost to customers.
Examples of documents that often require translation include:
- Birth certificates
- Death certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Divorce decrees
- Relationship Evidence
- Adoption certificates
- Military documents
- Police records
- Court dispositions
- Other evidence
Who can translate a document?
USCIS requires that your documents be translated by an individual or organization that is competent in both English and the language in which the document is written.
Some documents, like official government-issued documents required to be included with an application (e.g., birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.), must include an official, certified translation. A company commonly used by SimpleCitizen customers is RushTranslate. However, feel free to shop around to find the certified translation service that best meets your needs, timeline, and budget.
Other documents, like relationship evidence (hand-written cards, text messages, social media posts, etc.) can be self-translated. This means that the beneficiary or the petitioner of an application may translate a document into English, as long as they include a signed certificate of translation as described below.
Certified self-translation letter requirements and template:
For self-translations, the person translating the document must certify that:
- They are fluent in both languages
- The translation is complete and accurate.
This can be done through a separate letter attached to the translation. This letter must include the translator’s full name, physical mailing address, signature, and the date the translator wrote the letter. It is recommended that this letter is typed, and not handwritten.
Applicants who need to translate their own documents (i.e, relationship evidence like text messages, cards from friends/family, travel itineraries, etc.) will need to certify that they are fluent in both English and the language the document is written in. Below is an example template of a certified translation letter. This letter can be included with the translation in order for the translator to certify that they are competent to translate the foreign language in the document to English.
| I, [translator’s name], certify that I am fluent (conversant) in English and [foreign language], and that the attached translation is an accurate translation of the attached document entitled [name of document]. [Translator’s Signature][Translator’s Typed Name][Date][Address] |
Does SimpleCitizen offer translation services?
SimpleCitizen packages include translations of all official, government-issued documents required for your application (birth certificates, marriage certificates, final divorce decrees, police records, etc.) by an authorized translation service with an official certificate of translation. This service is offered with your application package at no additional cost!
Are there any document types that SimpleCitizen cannot translate?
SimpleCitizen’s translation service is able to translate official, government-issued documents that are required for your application. However, our translation service cannot translate relationship evidence (hand-written cards, text messages, social media posts, etc.) Please see the “Who can translate a document?” section above for information about how to self-translate relationship evidence documents!
Due to HIPAA regulation, SimpleCitizen is also unable to translate vaccination records and other medical documents for the Form I-693 (Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record). However, if your vaccination records are not in English, please note that they will need a certified, official translation in order to submit them for the medical exam. Reputable online translation services like RushTranslate are great resources for translating your vaccination records!
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