How do you translate a Dominican marriage certificate (acta de matrimonio) for USCIS?
For a marriage-based petition, USCIS asks for your marriage certificate and proof that any earlier marriage ended, each with a full English translation and the translator’s signed certification. We translate the Dominican acta de matrimonio in full, civil or Catholic, in the single format issued since July 2025 or an older inextensa, and the acta de divorcio. A certificate is usually one page: $25, ready within 24 hours after payment.
Civil and Catholic marriages
Dominican law recognizes two kinds of marriage, civil and canonical. A Catholic church wedding is the only religious marriage with legal effect, and it takes effect once the parish record is transcribed into the civil registry of the municipality within five days of the ceremony: the priest sends a verbatim copy within three days, and the civil registry officer transcribes it within two (JCE (opens in a new tab)).
For a civil marriage, the oficialía asks for both parties’ IDs and birth certificates, a divorce or death certificate for any earlier marriage, and at least two witnesses (U.S. Department of State (opens in a new tab)).
Either way, the acta de matrimonio comes from the Civil Registry Office (Oficialía del Estado Civil) where the marriage took place or any service center of the Central Civil Registry Office (same source).
The 2025 format and the inextensa
Since July 1, 2025, marriage actas have one format, with no “extracto” or “inextensa” label. If your acta is older, the US Embassy in Santo Domingo asks for the inextensa for an immigrant or K visa, since it holds more information; an acta issued in the new format can be filed as it is (U.S. Department of State (opens in a new tab)).
What the translation includes
We translate the acta in full, as USCIS requires (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) (opens in a new tab)): the officer’s certification, the record data, both spouses’ names, the date and place of the marriage, the notes, the stamps, the seals and the signature.
The notes matter. The JCE’s fee list for its offices abroad includes adding a divorce granted abroad to a Dominican marriage record as a note, and transcribing a marriage acta (JCE fees abroad, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). The translation shows every note. A word that can’t be read is marked [illegible], not guessed.
Divorce records
A Dominican divorce is decided by the Family Court for the filing spouse’s place of residence. Once the ruling is final, it is registered, published and pronounced by the Civil Registry Office, which then issues an acta de divorcio (U.S. Department of State (opens in a new tab)). We translate the acta and, if you file it, the court ruling, priced by the page.
Where the translation goes
- USCIS: for Form I-130, the marriage certificate and proof that any earlier marriage legally ended, each with a full translation and the translator’s signed certification (Form I-130 instructions (opens in a new tab)). What USCIS accepts
- NVC and US consulates: the Department of State doesn’t ask for a translation of a certificate in Spanish if you are applying for your visa in the Dominican Republic or another country where Spanish is an official language (civil documents (opens in a new tab)). What NVC accepts
- Immigration court: a typed certification with the translator’s address and phone. What the court accepts
Our Spanish documents are translated and certified by a native Spanish speaker. What to file in your case is for you or your attorney to decide.
Sample translation
The sample has the original, the translation and the signed certificate. Personal details are blurred.
Questions
We married in a Catholic church. Which document do you translate?
The acta de matrimonio from the civil registry, where the parish record is transcribed. If you also file the parish record itself, we translate it too, priced by the page.
How much does it cost?
A certificate is usually one page: $25. Each additional page in the same order is $20, so an acta de matrimonio and an acta de divorcio from an earlier marriage are $45.
Do I need a notary or an apostille?
Not for USCIS: it asks for the translator’s signed certification, and it’s included. For a visa, the Department of State notes that Dominican civil documents need no legalization.
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.