USCIS

USCIS certified translation requirements for foreign-language documents

USCIS document translation requires more than fluent English. NARIA applies document-specific review, consistent terminology and a separate quality-control stage to Turkish and other foreign-language records.

NARIA Translation7 minUpdated September 20, 2026

Illustration of a foreign-language document moving into a USCIS English translation file

Practical experience across many document typesOfficial, legal, academic and immigration matters

Scope matched to the receiving authorityEvery document is reviewed for its intended use

Pre-delivery quality reviewTerminology, names, dates and formatting consistency

Client-focused communicationClear scope, transparent quote and planned delivery

The governing USCIS standard

The general rule in 8 C.F.R. § 103.2(b)(3) requires any foreign-language document submitted to USCIS to be accompanied by a full English translation. The translator must certify that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate from the source language into English.

A “certified translation” in this context is about the translator’s signed certification. It should not automatically be treated as the same thing as notarization, an apostille or a sworn-translation procedure used in another country.

What “full translation” means in practice

Headers, stamps, seals, marginal notes, handwritten entries, reverse-side text and legibility issues can all affect how a record is understood. If text cannot be read, that limitation should be identified rather than silently omitted.

USCIS administrative decisions have treated partial translations and certifications that fail to address completeness or competence as deficient. A page-by-page comparison before delivery reduces avoidable filing problems.

Document-by-document scope review
Treatment of visible seals, signatures and legibility issues
Consistent handling of recurring personal and institutional details
A certification prepared for the corresponding document or set

Consistency across a document-heavy filing

Turkish civil registry extracts, court records and academic documents often repeat names, dates, places and institutional titles. Those details should follow a consistent approach across the set, especially when the passport uses a specific spelling.

A discrepancy that exists in the source should not be quietly corrected in translation. NARIA preserves the source-document record and applies an appropriate translator note when the document calls for one.

NARIA’s pre-delivery quality review

Clients should not have to assemble a professional translation package from an online checklist. NARIA reviews the supplied source, translated content and certification as one deliverable, with clear communication throughout the process.

Source and translation compared before delivery
Names, dates and identifiers reviewed for consistency
Layout prepared for practical document comparison
Responsive, client-focused communication from quote to delivery

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Short answers

Does USCIS require translations to be notarized?

The general USCIS translation rule focuses on a full English translation and the translator’s certification of completeness, accuracy and competence. NARIA defines the appropriate delivery scope for the supplied document set.

Can only the relevant paragraph be translated?

The regulation calls for a full English translation. Selected excerpts can leave the submission noncompliant or reduce the evidentiary value of the document.

What should the translator certification say?

It should identify that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate from the source language into English, with the translator’s identifying and signature details.

Official sources

eCFR — 8 C.F.R. § 103.2(b)(3) standard

DOCUMENT REVIEW