A birth certificate is the first among the required documents you need to translate, whether you’re planning a visit or settling for smooth immigration to the United States. You might have considered translating your birth certificate to English yourself, but is it a good idea?
Keep reading to learn more about birth certificate translation for USCIS acceptance.
Birth Certificate Translation for USCIS – What are the Requirements?
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires submissions of certified translations for all necessary foreign language documents, including your birth certificate. According to USCIS standards, in order for a translation to be certified, the translator must be proven competent to translate and certify that the USCIS birth certificate translation is correct and accurate.
The USCIS-accepted certification format includes the certifier’s signature, name, address, and certification date. Unfortunately, even if your English is impeccable and you can, for instance, translate a birth certificate from Spanish to English yourself, the government authorities may not accept it because you, as the applicant, cannot translate your own birth certificate or can an accompanying spouse. You can’t risk your approval, especially when you are immigrating to the US. Thus, opting for professional and reliable certified translation services is always the right answer.
Document Translation for USCIS
A long-form version of your birth certificate is required by USCIS as well. Most national governments have a record of both a long-form and short-form version of an individual’s birth certificate on file. USCIS needs a birth certificate that has as much information as possible on it, including:
- First Name
- Last Name
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Parent’s full names
- A seal verifying that it is an official record from the issuing office
How Long Does it Take to Get a Certified Birth Certificate Translation?
This depends on the translation company, but in general, certified birth certificate translations can be done within 24 hours or less. It’s best to let them know how fast you need it, especially if you are in a rush, so they can set a deadline and know what you expect.
Certified Translation Services for USCIS
Birth certificate translation for USCIS and other relevant documents is something that you are not supposed to take for granted. The best way to ensure the translations are done accurately is to use an established and professional language company that offers certified document translation services. Most reliable language companies who can translate a birth certificate for immigration are experienced with handling immigration cases and will make sure that your documents are acceptable to USCIS. In addition, submitting the required translated documents correctly for the first time can save your application from being delayed or rejected.
Professional Language Services by Translingua
If you need to translate a birth certificate to English from any language,
Translingua’s immigration document translation services come with a 100% USCIS approval rate. We’ve already translated thousands of birth certificates, and we know exactly what and how fast you need to have it at a great price. Our USCIS translation services use certified professional language translators and proofreaders who know the USCIS rules for how translated documents must look and sound, ensuring that your documents are correct and accurate in English, just like they are in their native language. Come straight to us and get your birth certificate translated without any stress. We can also help you translate other immigration document requirements such as marriage certificates, passports and visas, asylum applications, diplomas and certifications, academic transcripts, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions About Birth Certificate Translation
A birth certificate translation is typically a certified translation accompanied by the required certificate of accuracy, which states that the translation is accurate and a true representation of the original, and that the translator has proved to be competent and qualified to translate the document. The so-called certificate of accuracy shall be signed by the translator or the translation service agency and shall contain all the relevant contact details. Additionally, the translation needs to look exactly like the original, only translated.
It depends on the person or institution that requested the translation from you. Some institutions and universities require translations to be notarized. Others, like the USCIS, no longer need translations to be notarized but are required to be certified.
A notary public is a government agent who only verifies the identification of an individual. However, in some circumstances, a notary can translate a document such as a birth certificate if he/she understands the language, but the document must be taken to another notary public to notarize as he/she cannot do it on the documents that he/she translates. This depends on the country concerned, though, because different countries have different meanings of what a notary public can do.
