How do you translate a Mexican diploma (título profesional) for WES or USCIS?
WES asks for a word-for-word English translation of a Mexican diploma, made by a professional translator; USCIS asks for a full translation with the translator’s signed certification. We translate the título profesional, the cédula profesional, the university transcript (certificado de estudios) and SEP’s constancia de situación profesional, on paper or electronic, with every folio, seal and QR code. A one-page document is $25, ready within 24 hours after payment.
What the translation includes
For WES, every word of the original is translated into English by a professional translator; WES doesn’t take translations made by the applicant (wes.org (opens in a new tab)). For USCIS, the full translation comes with the translator’s certification that it is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) (opens in a new tab)). We keep the given names and both surnames as the document splits them, and spell them as in your passport.
The título profesional
A título is issued by a public or decentralized institution, or by a private one whose program has official recognition (RVOE). Since 2018 a school may issue it in electronic form: an XML file signed with the advanced electronic signature (e.firma) of the officials authorized to sign it (SEP standard for electronic titles, Diario Oficial, 2018 (opens in a new tab)).
Under that standard, an electronic título records more than the name and the degree:
- the CURP, the program and the start and end dates of study;
- how the degree was earned (modalidad de titulación), for example by thesis;
- the date of the professional exam, or of the exemption from it;
- whether the graduate completed social service (servicio social) and its legal basis;
- the previous studies, such as the bachillerato, with their school and dates.
We translate each item, and the seals and verification data next to them.
The cédula profesional
Once a título is registered with SEP’s Dirección General de Profesiones, the graduate receives an electronic cédula profesional, which works as the license to practice the profession. Since 2026, a cédula on paper or electronic is no longer an official identity document (Diario Oficial, 2026 (opens in a new tab)). It is requested online with the CURP, an e.firma and a payment (gob.mx (opens in a new tab)), and anyone can look a cédula up in SEP’s national register of professionals (cedulaprofesional.sep.gob.mx (opens in a new tab)).
The university transcript
The certificado de estudios is the record of the courses you took and your grades. Course titles, grades, credits and averages stay exactly as printed, on the Mexican scale: converting them is the evaluator’s work, not the translator’s. For secundaria and bachillerato records, see Mexican school records.
Where the translation goes
- WES and ECE: WES asks the translator to work from the official documents, not from student copies (wes.org (opens in a new tab)); ECE has its own rules (ece.org (opens in a new tab)). What WES and ECE accept
- USCIS: the translation and certification filed with a copy of the título, cédula or transcript. What USCIS accepts
- NVC and US consulates: the Department of State doesn’t ask for a translation of a diploma in Spanish if you are applying for your visa in Mexico or another country where Spanish is an official language. What NVC 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 translations
5 samplesEach sample has the original, the translation and the signed certificate. Personal details are blurred.
Questions
My university gave me an electronic título. Can you translate it?
Yes. Send the file or the printout your university gave you. We translate every field and keep the folio, the digital seals and the verification data exactly as they appear.
Do you translate the constancia de situación profesional?
Yes. It lists the profession, the school, the degree date, the cédula number and the date of issue, then sections on professional associations, certifications, competencies and sanctions. We translate each section, including the lines that say no information was found.
How much does it cost?
A título or a cédula is usually one page: $25. A transcript often runs to several pages, and each additional page in the same order is $20, so a título, a cédula and a one-page transcript are $65.
Do I need a notary or an apostille?
Not for USCIS: it asks for the translator’s signed certification, and it’s included. WES and ECE set their own rules; if your título already carries 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.