What translation do NVC and US consulates accept
For an immigrant visa, every civil document that isn't in English or in the official language of the country where you have your visa interview comes with a certified translation. The translator signs a statement that the translation is accurate and that they are competent to translate. You upload the translation to NVC in one file with the document.
What NVC and consulates require
An immigrant visa case goes through the National Visa Center (NVC) and then to a US embassy or consulate. The State Department page on civil documents (opens in a new tab) says that every document not written in English, or in the official language of the country where you apply, comes with a certified translation. The translation includes a statement signed by the translator: the translation is accurate, and the translator is competent to translate.
The page doesn’t ask the translator for a license, accreditation or a notary.
What the translation must include
- An English translation of a document that isn’t in English or in the language of the country where you have your visa interview (scanning documents (opens in a new tab)).
- The translator’s signed statement that the translation is accurate and that they are competent to translate (civil documents (opens in a new tab)).
- One file with the document. The translation is scanned together with the foreign-language document into a single file (scanning documents (opens in a new tab)). The document goes first, then the English translation (civil documents FAQ (opens in a new tab)).
- A clear scan. Scans are in color, easy to read, and nothing is cut off (scanning documents (opens in a new tab)).
Which documents people usually translate
The State Department lists the civil documents applicants collect: birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees and other proof that a marriage ended, police certificates, court and prison records, military records and adoption documents (civil documents (opens in a new tab)). What to file in your case is for you or your attorney to decide.
Why NVC asks for corrections
If NVC decides after its review that the documents you submitted aren’t correct, it sends a notice asking you to correct them and submit the case again (uploading documents (opens in a new tab)). On the translation side, this happens when one of the rules above is broken:
- a document that needs a translation doesn’t have one;
- the translator’s statement is missing, isn’t signed, or lacks one of its two parts;
- the translation is uploaded separately from the document, not in one file;
- the scan is hard to read or cut off.
How we do it
- Full translation
every stamp, signature and handwritten line
- Certificate of accuracy
signed by the translator, with name, address and phone
- A PDF, ready to file
original, translation and certificate, pages numbered
- Price
$30 per document up to 250 words, then $20 per 250 words. From 5 documents the price per document is lower.
- Turnaround
1–4 documents: within 24 hours after payment. For 5 or more, we give you the date with the quote. Same day costs +50%, and we confirm it before we start.
This is a summary of what the agency publishes, not legal advice.