USCIS · 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)
Certificate of translation template for USCIS (free)
USCIS accepts a document in another language only with a full English translation and a signed statement from the person who translated it. This page gives you that statement field by field, with the rule it comes from. No account, no upload, no fee.
“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 regulation requires
- ✓A full English translation of the document — not a summary or an extract.
- ✓The translator's certification that the translation is complete and accurate.
- ✓The translator's certification that they are competent to translate from that language into English.
What is customary (not in the rule, but expected so the officer can identify the document and reach the translator)
- The document identified: type, name of the person on it, issuing authority, date and record number.
- Source and target languages.
- The translator's printed name, signature and date.
- A way to reach the translator: address, phone or email.
- For filings in immigration court (EOIR), 8 CFR 1003.33 additionally requires the signed certification to be printed legibly or typed.
The template
Copy it, replace every bracketed field, sign it and attach it right after the translation. Keep it in English.
CERTIFICATE OF TRANSLATION
I, [TRANSLATOR'S FULL NAME], certify that I am competent to translate from [SOURCE LANGUAGE] into English, and that the attached English translation of the document identified below is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and ability.
Document translated: [TYPE OF DOCUMENT, e.g., birth certificate]
Name on the document: [EXACTLY AS IT APPEARS ON THE ORIGINAL]
Issued by: [ISSUING AUTHORITY, CITY, COUNTRY]
Date of issue: [DATE] · Record / folio / certificate no.: [NUMBER, IF ANY]
Source language: [SOURCE LANGUAGE] · Target language: English · Pages translated: [N]
Signature: ______________________________
Printed name: [TRANSLATOR'S FULL NAME]
Date: [MONTH DAY, YEAR]
Address: [STREET, CITY, STATE, ZIP]
Phone / email: [CONTACT]
Who can sign it? Can I translate my own documents?
The regulation speaks of “the translator” and asks that person to certify their own competence. It does not name a credential, a license, a membership or a notary, and it does not say who may not sign.
It also does not say that a translation signed by the applicant or the beneficiary will be read the same way as one signed by a third person. That judgment belongs to the officer reviewing your case, and we cannot make it for you. Common practice is to have someone who is not a party to the case sign: a bilingual friend or relative, a colleague, or a professional translator.
Whoever signs must be able to stand behind two statements: that they can translate from that language into English, and that the translation is complete and accurate.
Do I need a notary, an ATA-certified translator or an agency?
Not under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). The text does not mention notarization, the American Translators Association, a sworn translator or an agency. What it asks for is the translation plus the translator's certification.
Other recipients have their own rules. A consulate, a court, a university or a state agency may ask for notarization, a sworn translator or an apostille of the original. Read the instructions of the specific form or office you are filing with; this template covers the USCIS requirement only.
How to use the template, step by step
- 1Translate the whole document: every stamp, seal, marginal note and handwritten line. Mark what cannot be read as [illegible] instead of guessing.
- 2Keep names, dates and numbers exactly as they appear on the original. Do not correct spellings; if the format is DD/MM/YYYY, keep it and note it.
- 3Fill in the certificate: identify the document precisely (type, name, authority, date, number) and the languages.
- 4Sign and date it. Print your name and add a way to reach you.
- 5Assemble each set in the same order: copy of the original, translation, certificate. The certificate never travels alone.
If you would rather not sign it yourself
This site also takes requests for translations reviewed and signed by a person; the request form is in Spanish and nothing is charged on it. The receiving authority decides acceptance in every case.
Frequently asked questions
Does USCIS require a certified or licensed translator?+
8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) names no credential. It requires the translator to certify that they are competent to translate from the foreign language into English and that the translation is complete and accurate.
Does the certificate have to be notarized?+
Not under that regulation: notarization is not mentioned. A consulate, court, university or state agency may still ask for it, so check the instructions of the office you are filing with.
Can the certificate be written in Spanish?+
Write it in English. The translation must be in English, and a certificate in another language would itself be a foreign-language document that needs translating.
Do I need one certificate per document?+
The regulation speaks of each document, so identify every translated document explicitly. The cleanest format is one certificate per document, attached right after its translation.
Does a correct certificate guarantee that USCIS will accept my document?+
No. The officer reviewing the case decides. This template matches the wording of the regulation and nothing more; it is not legal advice.
What if part of the original is illegible?+
Mark it as [illegible] in the translation instead of guessing. A translation is complete when it accounts for every part of the document, including what could not be read.
Can I use this for a Mexican, Salvadoran or other Latin American birth certificate?+
Yes. The certificate is the same for any document; what changes is the translation. The birth certificate page on this site lists the usual fields of Spanish-language civil registry records and their English equivalents.
Sources
- eCFR — 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), Submission and adjudication of benefit requests (USCIS)
- Cornell LII — 8 CFR 103.2 (mirror of the same text)
- eCFR — 8 CFR 1003.33, Translation of documents (immigration court, EOIR)
Not legal advice. We are not a law firm and we are not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency. The receiving authority decides whether a document is accepted.