Certified Translation & USCIS Guide
Straight answers to the questions law firms, immigration applicants, and individuals ask most about certified translation, USCIS requirements, and document types.
What Certified Translation Actually Means for USCIS
USCIS and most government agencies require a certified translation for any document not originally in English, from immigration filings to court records to academic transcripts. A certified translation includes a signed statement of accuracy, but not every document needs to stop there.
This guide covers the essentials: what makes a translation certified, when notarization or an apostille also applies, how much it costs and how long it takes, and what to do if USCIS rejects a translation.
Certified Translation & USCIS Topics We Cover
- What Is Certified Translation?
- Apostille vs. Certified Translation
- How Much Does Certified Translation Cost?
- Certified Translation Requirements by State
- USCIS Certified Translation Requirements
- How Long Does Certified Translation Take?
- Can I Translate My Own Documents for USCIS?
- USCIS Rejected My Translation: What to Do
- Notarized vs. Certified Translation: What's the Difference?
- Certified Translation for Green Card Applications
- Certified Translation for Naturalization
- Birth Certificate Translation for USCIS
- Marriage Certificate Translation for USCIS
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Frequently Asked Questions About Certified Translation & USCIS
No. A certified translation includes a signed statement of accuracy from the translator or translation company. Notarization adds a notary's verification of that signature, which some agencies and courts require in addition to certification.
Yes. A qualified human linguist reviews and edits the translation, and Translate.Law certifies it with a signed and notarized Certificate of Accuracy. See our AI & Legal Translation guide for how AI-assisted and human-certified translation differ.
USCIS typically rejects a translation for a missing certification statement, an unqualified translator, or formatting that doesn't match the source document. We can review a rejected translation and issue a compliant one, usually within hours.
Requirements can vary for state courts, DMVs, and vital records offices, even though federal agencies like USCIS apply the same standard nationwide. We match the translation to the specific requirement of the requesting agency or state.
