The regulation
8 CFR 103.2(b)(3): any document containing a foreign language submitted to USCIS shall be accompanied by a full English 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.
- Full translation. The whole document, not a summary.
- Complete and accurate. The first statement.
- Competent to translate. The second statement, which is often forgotten.
A usual certificate
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am competent to translate from …… into English, and that the foregoing translation is, to the best of my knowledge and ability, a complete and accurate translation of …….
Add your name, signature, date and contact details. The regulation names no particular association, seal or notary.
Checklist
- Full English translation.
- Certified complete and accurate.
- Certified competent to translate from that language into English.
- Name, signature, date, contact details.
Where Lingverra saves time
Lingverra produces a precise translation in the layout of the original, reads handwritten entries, transliterates names as in the passport and flags uncertain passages. The certification statement is already under the translation, with the date, and it says what you actually translated from: the original, a certified copy, a copy or a scan. Your name and contact details print under the signature from your profile. You can rewrite the statement once in the profile or for a single document. Checking and signing remain your job.
Read also: where the time really goes when translating from a scan