Does USCIS require a certified translation?
By CredPronto Editorial Team.
Last updated Oct 12, 2026
Yes. If any document you send to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is in a language other than English, it needs an English translation. The translator also has to sign a statement about that translation. People often call that combination a "certified translation."
What USCIS actually asks for is narrower than most people expect. Here's what the rule says and what it leaves out.
The rule: 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)
The requirement comes from a federal regulation, 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). Here is the full text:
"Translations. Any document containing foreign language submitted to USCIS shall be accompanied by a full English language translation which the translator has certified as complete and accurate, and by the translator's certification that he or she is competent to translate from the foreign language into English."
That one sentence asks for three things:
- A full English translation. Translate the whole document, not a summary and not only the lines that seem to matter. Stamps, seals, handwritten notes, and anything printed on the back count too.
- A statement that the translation is complete and accurate. The translator makes this statement.
- A statement that the translator is competent to translate from that language into English.
USCIS says the same thing in its own filing instructions. Its Tips for Filing Forms Online page says: "If your documents are in a foreign language, upload the original document, a certified English translation, and the translator's certificate for each document." If you file on paper, include a copy of the original document, the translation, and the certification together.
What the rule doesn't require
There are a few things people assume they need that the regulation never mentions:
- No government list of approved translators. USCIS doesn't license, approve, or certify translators or translation companies. "Certified" refers to the translator's signed statement, not to a government credential.
- No notarization. The regulation asks for the translator's certification, not a notary's stamp.
- No required membership or degree. The rule asks the translator to certify that they're competent. It doesn't name a specific credential.
That doesn't make every translation good enough. An officer who finds an incomplete or inaccurate translation can send a Request for Evidence, and that delays your case. The rule is simple, but you still have to get it right.
Can I translate my own documents?
People ask this more than anything else, and the answer is less clear-cut than you'll often read.
The regulation doesn't say who can or can't be the translator. It only requires that the translator certify the translation is complete and accurate and that they're competent in both languages. Nothing in 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) expressly bars the applicant, the petitioner, or a relative from doing it.
Even so, most immigration attorneys tell clients not to translate their own documents or a family member's. The reason is practical. You or your spouse are a party to the case, so an officer may question whether your translation is neutral. It also tends to draw more scrutiny. An independent translator removes that question, so it's the safer choice even though the rule doesn't require it.
Sample certification statement
The certification doesn't have to follow a fixed format, but it should cover everything the regulation asks for. A typical statement looks like this:
Certification of Translation
I, [Full Name], certify that I am competent to translate from [Language] into English, and that the attached English translation of the [document type, e.g., birth certificate of Maria López] is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and ability.
Signature: ____________________ Name: [Full Name] Address: [Translator or company address] Date: [Date]
Include the translator's name, signature, address, and the date so the officer can see who made the statement and when.
Documents that commonly need translation
Any document you submit that isn't in English needs a translation. The ones we see most often in family and employment cases are:
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Divorce decrees and death certificates
- Police and court records
- Adoption and name-change records
- Diplomas, degrees, and academic transcripts
- Passports and national ID cards, when the filing needs the non-English parts
- Bank statements, tax records, and employment letters used as supporting evidence
If a document is mostly in English but has a stamp, seal, or annotation in another language, translate that part too. A "full" translation means everything on the page.
Certified vs. notarized translation
USCIS asks for the translator's certification, and the regulation says nothing about a notary. If another office has asked you for a "notarized" translation, our guide to certified vs. notarized translation explains the difference and who actually asks for it.
How CredPronto handles it
We built CredPronto around this rule. Every order includes a full English translation and a signed translator certification covering completeness, accuracy, and competence. These are certified translations accepted by USCIS.
It works like this:
- Upload a photo or scan of your document.
- Check your free preview. In 3 minutes you'll get a watermarked, side-by-side preview of the original and the translation. Check every name, date, and place against your document.
- Pay only if it's right. At $9.95 a page, you pay to unlock the certified PDF, ready to upload to your USCIS account or print for a paper filing.
You see the translation before you pay anything, so a misspelled name or a wrong date gets fixed before it reaches an officer.
This guide explains USCIS's translation requirement and isn't legal advice. Your form instructions or a USCIS notice may ask for something specific, and those always take priority. If your case is complicated, talk to an immigration attorney.
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