Every document submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in a foreign language must be accompanied by a full English translation and a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy. The rule is in 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3):
Any document containing foreign language submitted to USCIS shall be accompanied by a full English language translation which the translator has certified as complete and accurate, and by the translator's certification that he or she is competent to translate from the foreign language into English.
What the certificate must contain
- A statement that the translation is complete and accurate.
- A statement that the translator is competent to translate from the source language into English.
- The translator's signature, printed name, and date.
Notarization is not required. A notary only verifies the translator's identity — not the quality of the translation.
Common mistakes that trigger RFEs
- Translating only parts of the document (e.g. skipping stamps, marginalia, or issuing authority).
- Submitting a summary instead of a literal translation of the entire document.
- Missing or unsigned certification page — the statement has to accompany every document.
Every Linguapass translation ships with a signed certificate that meets these requirements, along with a literal, full-text translation of the source document.