"I Need a Certified Translator for USCIS" — No, You Don't (Here's What You Actually Need)

The Myth That Won't Die

Every week, we receive calls from people asking the same question: "Are your translators certified by USCIS?"

The answer is no—because USCIS doesn't certify translators. Neither does any other U.S. government agency.

Unlike countries such as Argentina (where traductores públicos are licensed by the government) or Germany (where court-sworn translators must pass state exams), the United States has no translator licensing system.

None. Zero. It doesn't exist.

So when a translation company claims their translators are "USCIS certified" or "federally certified" or "government approved," they're either confused or misleading you.

What USCIS Actually Requires

Let's look at what the law actually says. The regulation governing translations for USCIS is 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."

Read that carefully. It requires:

• A complete translation

• A certification that the translation is accurate

• A certification that the translator is competent

Notice what it doesn't mention:

• Government certification
• Special licenses
• Specific credentials
• ATA membership
• Years of experience

The translator certifies themselves. That's the whole system.

Certified Translation ≠ Certified Translator

This is the crucial distinction:

USCIS requires a certified translation—not a certified translator.

A certified translation is simply a translation that comes with a signed statement (the "certificate of accuracy") where the translator declares:

• The translation is complete
• The translation is accurate
• They are competent to translate between the two languages

That's it. The certificate is what makes the translation "certified."

What a Certificate of Accuracy Looks Like

Here's a real example of the certification statement that accompanies our translations:

I, [Translator Name], certify that I am fluent in the English and Spanish languages, and that the attached document is an accurate and complete translation of the document entitled "Acta de Nacimiento" from Spanish to English.

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I further certify that I am competent to translate from Spanish into English.

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Signature: [Signed]

Date: January 31, 2026

This certificate—attached to the translation—is what USCIS requires. Not a badge. Not a license number. Not a government ID. Just this signed statement.

"But What About ATA Certification?"

Good question. The American Translators Association (ATA) does offer a certification exam. Passing it means a translator has demonstrated competency in a specific language pair.

Is ATA certification valuable? Absolutely—it shows a translator takes their profession seriously.

Is it required by USCIS? No.

An ATA-certified translator who doesn't include a certificate of accuracy will have their translation rejected.

A non-ATA translator who includes a proper certificate of accuracy will have their translation accepted.

The certificate matters. The credentials don't—at least not to USCIS.

Can I Translate My Own Documents?

Technically, yes. The regulation doesn't prohibit self-translation.

Should you? We strongly advise against it.

Here's why:

• Objectivity concerns — USCIS officers may view self-translations skeptically

• Error risk — Mistakes in your own documents could be seen as intentional misrepresentation

• Legal exposure — Misrepresentation on immigration documents has serious consequences

• No one to blame — If there's a problem, you can't point to the translator

For the cost of professional translation (usually $25-50 per page), the peace of mind is worth it.

Red Flags: Translation Scams to Avoid

Watch out for translation services that claim:

• "Our translators are USCIS certified" — This credential doesn't exist
• "We're the only company authorized to translate for immigration" — No company has exclusive authorization
• "You must use a notarized translation" — USCIS doesn't require notarization
• "Certified translations start at $200 per page" — This is price gouging

Legitimate certified translations typically cost $25-75 per page depending on language and complexity. If someone quotes you hundreds of dollars for a birth certificate translation, keep looking.

What About Notarization?

Notarization is when a notary public verifies the translator's identity and witnesses their signature. That's all it does—it doesn't verify translation quality or accuracy.

USCIS does not require notarization.

Some people include notarization anyway for extra formality. That's fine—it won't hurt your application. But it won't help either, and it's an unnecessary expense if you're on a budget.

Common Documents We Translate for Immigration

At JB Linguistics, we regularly provide certified translations for:

• Birth certificates — For citizenship, green cards, visas
• Marriage certificates — For spousal petitions
• Divorce decrees — To prove termination of prior marriages
• Police certificates — Required for many visa categories
• Academic records — For student visas and credential evaluation
• Bank statements — For financial evidence
• Medical records — For medical examinations

Every translation includes a certificate of accuracy that meets USCIS requirements.

The Bottom Line

Stop searching for a "certified translator"—you're looking for something that doesn't exist in the U.S. system.

What you need is a certified translation: a complete, accurate translation accompanied by a signed certificate of accuracy.

Any competent bilingual person can legally provide this. But for your immigration case, you want a professional who:

• Knows USCIS formatting requirements
• Has experience with immigration documents
• Provides proper certificates with every translation
• Will stand behind their work if questions arise

That's exactly what we do at JB Linguistics.

Need a Certified Translation for USCIS?

We provide certified translations in 50+ languages, with turnaround times as fast as 24 hours. Every translation includes a certificate of accuracy that meets 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) requirements.

Get a free quote: Contact us with your document, and we'll respond within hours. Or learn more about our certified document translation services.