"In the United States, anyone can certify a translation." That is the American Translators Association's own summary, and it surprises people who expect a government register, a license number or an official seal. USCIS approves no translators. "Certified" describes the document, not the person.
What makes the document certified is the translator's signed statement that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate from that language into English, a definition taken almost word for word from 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). The rule is simple. The exceptions are where people get caught: a translation that sails through a green card case can be sent back by a passport agency or excluded by a New York judge.
What makes a translation "certified" under US rules?
A translation is certified when it is complete and the translator signs a statement vouching for its accuracy and for their own competence. The USCIS rule is a single sentence: any document containing foreign language "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."
Read closely, that sentence sets three requirements:
- A full translation. Not a summary and not "the relevant parts". Every word, stamp, seal, handwritten note and marginal annotation is translated or described.
- A certification of accuracy and completeness.
- A certification of competence in that specific language, into English.
Now notice what is missing: no license, no degree, no ATA certification, no notary, no letterhead, no stamp. The USCIS Policy Manual adds nothing either. Its evidence chapter has a section titled "Translations", and at the time of writing that section reads, in full, "[Reserved]".
Immigration court runs on a parallel rule, 8 CFR 1003.33. The regulation requires the certification to be "signed by the translator" and "printed legibly or typed" (EOIR's current Practice Manual goes further and requires it to be typed), and it must state that the translator is competent and that the translation is "true and accurate to the best of the translator's abilities". The Immigration Court Practice Manual adds a line USCIS does not have: "The translator's address and telephone number must be included." See immigration court translation requirements.
What does a certified translation look like?
A compliant certified translation is a small package, usually delivered as one signed PDF:
- The English translation, laid out to mirror the original so a reviewer can match each field to its source. Seals and signatures are described in brackets, for example [round seal: Civil Registry Office of Kharkiv District] or [signature illegible].
- A copy of the original document. In immigration court the certification must be "attached to the foreign-language document", and ECFMG, which certifies foreign medical graduates, refuses translations that arrive without the original.
- The certification statement, signed and dated, naming the document and the language pair, with the translator's contact details. USCIS does not require those details; immigration courts do, and they cost nothing to include.
Sample certification statement
This format meets 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) and includes the extra details immigration courts ask for:
Three details separate a statement that works everywhere from one that works only sometimes.
Name the document precisely. Title, number and issue date, not "the attached document". In a 2015 appeal, USCIS's Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) faulted a single blanket certificate because it "does not list the translations it certifies".
Tie competence to the language pair. "I am fluent in Spanish" is weaker than "I am competent to translate from Spanish into English", because fluency is not what the regulation asks the translator to certify.
Use one certificate per document. Immigration courts accept a single certificate for several documents if it specifies them, but ATA recommends a certification for each translated document. Files get split, reused and refiled, and each translation should stand on its own.
What is the difference between certified, notarized and sworn translation?
A certified translation is vouched for by the translator, a notarized translation adds a notary's confirmation of who signed, and a sworn translation comes from a translator officially appointed by a court or ministry, a system the US does not have.
| Certified translation | Notarized translation | Sworn translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Translation plus the translator's signed statement of accuracy and competence | A certified translation whose statement is signed before a notary public | Translation by a translator appointed or sworn by a court or ministry |
| Who vouches for accuracy | The translator | Still the translator; the notary only confirms the signer's identity | The sworn translator, under their official appointment |
| Exists in the US? | Yes, the standard form | Yes, as an add-on | No US equivalent; common in Spain, Germany, Poland and much of Latin America |
| Accepted by USCIS? | Yes | Yes, though notarization is not required | Yes, if it is a full English translation with the required certification |
ATA is blunt about the middle column: the term "notarized translation" is "actually a misnomer as the translation cannot be notarized." A notary acknowledges the identity of the person signing the certification. Nothing more.
That is why notarization adds nothing for USCIS, and why some recipients still insist on it: it proves that a real, identified person signed. Our guide to certified vs notarized translation covers when that step is worth paying for.
Who requires a certified translation, and what does each recipient add?
Almost every US recipient of a foreign document wants a certified translation, but several add a requirement of their own.
USCIS. Every foreign-language document in a petition or application, from birth certificates to bank statements. Certification is required; notarization is not. Filing details are in our guide to USCIS certified translation requirements.
National Visa Center and US consulates. Documents "not written in English, or in the official language of the country from which you are applying" must be accompanied by certified translations, with the translator's statement that the translation is accurate and that they are competent to translate.
US passport agencies. This one catches people out. The State Department's citizenship evidence page says: "Foreign language documents should include a professional English translation. The translator must provide a notarized letter about the accuracy of the translation and their ability to translate the document." A USCIS-style certificate without a notary may not be enough.
Immigration courts. Everything USCIS asks for, plus a typed certificate carrying the translator's address and telephone number.
State courts. Rules vary by state. In California, foreign-language exhibits filed with civil motions need an English translation "certified under oath by a qualified interpreter" (Rule of Court 3.1110(g)). New York's CPLR 2101(b) requires an affidavit by the translator stating their qualifications and that the translation is accurate (since 2024, CPLR 2106 allows an affirmation under penalty of perjury in its place), and in April 2025 a Westchester County judge precluded exhibits whose translations did not comply. See court translation requirements in the US.
Licensing boards and credential evaluators. Often the strictest of all. ECFMG does not let applicants translate their own documents, and NASBA's evaluation service accepts translations only from ATA members, the issuing university, the ministry of education or its own translation service. Our professional licensing guide sets out the rules board by board.
Why do certified translations get rejected?
Most rejections have nothing to do with the quality of the English. They come from a handful of predictable gaps.
The translation is partial. In the 2015 AAO decision, which concerned an extraordinary ability petition, the translations were "all entitled, 'Translation Excerpt,'" and the AAO found they were "not full English translations or complete translations". The foreign documents and their translations were held not to have "any evidentiary weight". The appeal was dismissed.
The stamps and back page were skipped. Apostilles, registration stamps, marginal notes about later marriages or name changes, and the reverse side of a certificate are part of the document. Leaving them out makes the translation incomplete.
Names do not match the passport. If the passport reads Oleksandr and the translation reads Aleksandr, a reviewer sees two people. A professional translation follows the spelling in the applicant's passport.
The format suits a different recipient. A USCIS-style certificate sent to a passport agency, or a plain certificate filed in a New York court, can be refused even when every word is right.
Checklist: is your translation certified?
Questions people ask
Can I translate my own documents for USCIS?
The regulation does not bar it, and in 2024 the USCIS Director wrote that family members can provide a translation if they certify their competence. It is still a poor idea, because you would be vouching for evidence in your own case and an officer is entitled to doubt it. ATA says self-certified and family-certified translations are "generally frowned upon", and some recipients, such as ECFMG, do not let applicants translate their own documents at all.
Does a certified translation need to be notarized?
Not for USCIS, the National Visa Center or immigration court, none of which require a notary. US passport applications are the main exception, because the State Department asks for a notarized letter from the translator. Some state courts, universities and foreign authorities also want notarization, so check the recipient's instructions.
Is there an official list of USCIS-approved translators?
No. USCIS does not approve, license or list translators, so a provider claiming to be "USCIS approved" is misdescribing the system. What USCIS accepts or rejects is the translation itself, judged against 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3).
What is the difference between a certified translator and a certified translation?
A certified translation is any translation with a signed statement of accuracy and competence. A certified translator usually means someone who has passed a credentialing exam, such as ATA's, in a specific language pair and direction. As ATA puts it, a translator does not need to be certified to provide a certified translation.
How much does a certified translation cost?
Certified translation is usually priced per page. Ours costs $29.95 per page, so a one-page birth or marriage certificate is $29.95, with notarization available separately when a recipient requires it. See our guide to certified translation cost for how pricing works elsewhere.
How long does a certified translation take?
We deliver typical one-page civil documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, within 24 hours as a signed PDF. Longer documents such as court judgments, transcripts or medical records usually take one to three business days. Allow extra time if you also need notarization.
Is a PDF certified translation acceptable, or do I need a paper original?
For USCIS a signed PDF works: upload it with an online filing, or print it and file it with a copy of the original for a paper filing. USCIS can still ask to see original documents at any time under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(5), so keep your originals safe. Recipients that require notarization, such as passport agencies, need the notarized paper document itself.
Does a certified translation expire?
The translation itself does not expire, because it describes a fixed original. What can expire is the underlying document, such as a police certificate, which then needs a fresh translation of the new certificate. If the original is reissued with different details, the old translation no longer matches it.
Is a sworn translation from abroad accepted in the US?
Generally yes, if it is a full English translation and carries a statement of accuracy and of the translator's competence in English. A sworn translator's stamp and a certification written only in the foreign language may not satisfy USCIS on their own. When in doubt, have an English certification added.