How do you translate an adoption decree for USCIS?
For a family petition based on adoption, USCIS asks for a copy of the adoption decree showing that the adoption took place before the child turned 16, and a decree in another language needs a full English translation with the translator’s signed certification. We translate adoption decrees, adoption certificates, custody orders and the new birth certificates issued after an adoption from Russian, Ukrainian, Spanish, Romanian (including Moldovan) and Bulgarian. We charge by the page: $25 for the first page and $20 for each additional one. The translation is ready within 24 hours after payment.
What USCIS asks for
- Family petition (Form I-130). A copy of the adoption decree showing the adoption took place before the child turned 16 (18 for an older sibling adopted with a younger child), and evidence of at least two years of legal custody and living together; only a court or recognized government entity grants custody (Form I-130 instructions (opens in a new tab)). The decree comes from the civil authorities; a notarized custody affidavit is not enough (8 CFR 204.2(d)(2)(vii) (opens in a new tab)).
- Orphan petition (Form I-600). A certified copy of the adoption or custody decree with a certified translation; for a married couple adopting abroad, the decree shows a joint adoption (Form I-600 instructions (opens in a new tab)).
- Hague Convention adoption (Form I-800). Provisional approval comes before you adopt, so the instructions ask for a decree only for an older birth sibling you’ve already adopted (Form I-800 instructions (opens in a new tab)).
- Certificate of citizenship (Form N-600). For an adopted child, an adoption order is generally enough to prove legal custody (Form N-600 instructions (opens in a new tab)).
A foreign-language decree needs a full translation and a signed certification (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) (opens in a new tab)).
What the Department of State asks for
For an adopted child’s immigrant visa: a certified copy of the adoption decree, the custody decree if custody came first, and a statement of where and when the child lived with the adoptive parents (civil documents (opens in a new tab)).
Which document records an adoption
From the State Department’s country pages:
- Russia: a certificate of adoption (svidetelstvo ob usynovlenii or ob udocherenii) from ZAGS (Russia (opens in a new tab)).
- Ukraine: no adoption certificate; a court decision on the adoption, with the new birth certificate, or an extract from the State Registry (Ukraine (opens in a new tab)).
- Mexico: an adopción plena decree from a family court, after which the registry issues a new birth certificate; an adopción simple is not accepted for an immigrant visa (Mexico (opens in a new tab)).
- Romania: a civil court judgment approving the adoption (sentință pentru încuviințarea adopției) (Romania (opens in a new tab)).
- Moldova: a certificat de adopție from the Public Services Agency (Moldova (opens in a new tab)).
- Bulgaria: no adoption certificate; the regional court’s adoption decree is used instead (Bulgaria (opens in a new tab)).
What the translation includes
The court or registry, the case number, the adoptive parents, the child’s name before and after, the dates of the decision and of its entry into force, signatures and every seal. The child’s new name follows the passport in every document in your order; an unreadable word is marked [illegible].
Where it goes
- USCIS: the decree, its translation and the certification, filed with the petition. What USCIS accepts
- NVC and US consulates: the Department of State doesn’t ask for a translation of a document in a language that is official in the country where you are applying for your visa. What NVC accepts
Russian documents are translated and certified by our Russian translator. Ukrainian, Spanish, Romanian and Bulgarian documents are translated and certified by a native speaker of that language, under their own name.
What to file in your case is for you or your attorney to decide.
Questions
Do you translate the new birth certificate too?
Yes. The decree and the birth certificate issued after the adoption are separate documents, and we translate both in the same order, with the child’s name spelled the same way in each.
How much does it cost?
We charge by the page: $25 for the first page and $20 for each additional one, so a two-page decree and a one-page birth certificate are $65.
Do I need a notary?
USCIS and NVC ask for the translator’s signed certification, not a notary, and it’s included. If the decree has an apostille, we translate it too.
How long does it take?
1–4 documents: within 24 hours after payment; faster, within 12 hours (+$15 a page) or 3 hours (+$30 a page, paid between 8 am and 6 pm Pacific time). For 5 or more, we give you the date with the quote.
How we do it
- Full translation
every stamp, signature and handwritten line
- Signed certificate
with the translator’s name, address and phone
- A PDF, ready to file
original, translation and certificate, translation pages numbered
- Price
$25 for the first page up to 250 words, $20 for each additional page, in the same document or another one.
- Turnaround
1–4 documents: within 24 hours after payment; faster, within 12 hours (+$15 a page) or 3 hours (+$30 a page, paid between 8 am and 6 pm Pacific time). For 5 or more, we give you the date with the quote.
This is a summary of what the agency publishes, not legal advice.