A translation can only be as complete as the image it is made from. If the camera flash wipes out the registrar's stamp, or nobody turns the certificate over, the translation misses something IRCC expects to see, and the officer, looking at the same image, notices.
IRCC's rule leaves no room for gaps: "All stamps and seals that are not in English or French must also be translated." Ten careful minutes at upload are what make that possible.
Below: what to send, how to capture it, how to give names, and how to build an IRCC upload that fits the portal's limits.
What should I upload for a certified translation?
Upload the exact version of the document you will submit, every page of it, front and back.
- The same paper the officer will see. IRCC requires the translation to be "of the original document, or of a certified copy of the original document." If you will file a certified copy, scan the certified copy, not the original.
- Every page and every reverse side that carries printing, stamps, signatures or handwriting, in page order.
- Everything attached: an apostille or legalization certificate, an annex, a stapled extract or a marginal note.
- The whole page, edge to edge. Registration numbers and seals often sit in the margins.
How do I scan or photograph a document properly?
A flatbed scanner at 300 dpi in colour is ideal, but a phone works if you treat it like one. Use the scan function in your phone's notes or cloud-drive app, which flattens the page and finds its edges.
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Glare on a laminated card or glossy paper | Turn off the flash and use daylight from the side |
| Shadow or curve across the page | Lay it flat and hold the phone directly above it |
| Faint or coloured seal | Scan in colour, never black and white |
| Tiny stamp text | Add a close-up photo of the stamp as an extra page |
| Missing edges | Leave a margin of background all round |
| iPhone photos saved as HEIC | Export as JPG or PDF before uploading |
Before uploading, zoom to 100 percent and read the smallest stamp. If you cannot, neither can the translator.
Which file formats can I upload?
The order page takes PDF, JPG, PNG and TXT files and reads the page count from the words automatically. Put a multi-page document into one PDF in page order, and keep separate documents in separate files with plain names, such as "marriage-certificate-front-back.pdf".
How should names be spelled in the translation?
As in each person's passport. Your translations sit in one file with your passport and forms, and one person spelled three ways is a question you do not want an officer to ask.
For languages not written in the Roman alphabet, the order form asks for the exact English spelling of all names in the document, not only yours: parents, spouses, children and anyone else named, as written in a passport or other English document. Names you do not list are transliterated by the translator using the standard system.
Our guide to passport and ID translation covers names in more depth.
What should I tell the translator?
Use the special instructions box for what the documents do not show:
- Where the translation is going. For IRCC, order the sworn affidavit with it. For a refugee hearing, the IRB's rule asks for the translator's declaration to name the language and dialect, so mention the dialect.
- Your deadline, such as the date your Express Entry invitation expires.
- Paper. Whether you need printed copies as well as the signed PDF; see delivery formats.
- Anything unusual: heavy handwriting, a faded page, a document in two languages.
How do I upload the finished translation to IRCC?
Combine the translation, the affidavit and the scan of the original into one PDF and upload it to the field for that document. IRCC is explicit: "You need to combine all your documents into 1 file," because "only 1 (the last one you upload) will be saved" if you add several files to one field. The IRCC translation requirements guide explains each element of the package.
Each IRCC account has its own formats and size limit per file:
| IRCC online account | File types accepted | Maximum size per file |
|---|---|---|
| IRCC secure account | .jpg, .png, .doc, .tiff, .pdf | 4 MB |
| IRCC Portal | .jpg, .png, .doc, .docx, .tiff, .pdf | 5 MB |
| Permanent Residence Portal | .pdf, .jpg, .jpeg, .doc, .docx, .png | 4 MB |
| Online citizenship application | .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .tif, .tiff, .pdf | 4 MB |
| Asylum Portal | .jpg, .png, .tiff, .doc, .docx, .pdf | 4 MB |
IRCC adds that "depending on what you're applying for, the limit can be as low as 2 MB." To shrink a file it suggests lower resolution, such as 150 or 96 DPI, cropping empty space, and the "Minimum size" option when saving to PDF from Word.
What if I am applying on paper?
IRCC's Help Centre asks for the translation, the translator's affidavit and "a certified photocopy of the original document." A certified photocopy is a readable copy marked by an authorized person with their name, signature, position or title, the name of the original document, the date, and the words "I certify that this is a true copy of the original document."
In Canada, IRCC gives a notary public, a commissioner of oaths and a commissioner of taking affidavits as examples of who can certify, and suggests checking with your province or territory. Abroad, a notary public may be able to. "You and your family members cannot certify copies of your documents."
Have the copy certified first, then upload a scan of the certified copy for translation. IRCC's instructions add that when a certified copy is submitted, "the translator must stamp both the certified copy and the translation," so settle with the translator how that will be done before you file.
Is it safe to upload my documents?
The order page states that files are read automatically only to count the words, and are stored only if you place the order, save your quote or send them for review.
Take more care with the tools around it. IRCC warns that it "can't guarantee the security" of third-party tools for merging or compressing files, so prefer software already on your computer to unknown websites. And do not black out numbers or crop parts away: a translation of a redacted copy no longer matches the original.
Why do submitted documents cause delays?
- The reverse side was never scanned, so the registrar's stamp on the back is missing from the translation.
- The flash bleached the seal, and the translation has to mark it illegible.
- A different version was filed: the translation was made from the original, the applicant filed a certified copy with extra stamps.
- Names were not listed, and the transliteration differs from the passport.
- Several documents in one PDF, out of order, uploaded to a single IRCC field.
Checklist: before you upload
Questions people ask
Do I need to send my original document for translation?
No. The translation is made from a clear scan or photo that you upload, and the original stays with you. For an IRCC online application you then upload a scan of the original, or of a certified photocopy, together with the translation.
Can I use a phone photo instead of a scan?
Yes, if the page is flat, evenly lit without flash, in colour and fully in frame. Zoom in before uploading and check that the smallest stamp is readable.
Do I need to upload the back of the document?
Yes, whenever anything is printed, stamped or written on it. IRCC requires all stamps and seals not in English or French to be translated, and registration marks often sit on the reverse.
What is the file size limit for IRCC uploads?
Most IRCC accounts allow 4 MB per file and the IRCC Portal allows 5 MB, though IRCC says some applications go as low as 2 MB. IRCC suggests lowering image resolution to 150 or 96 DPI to bring a file under the limit.
How do I upload a translation and affidavit to IRCC?
Merge the translation, the affidavit and a scan of the original into one PDF and upload it to the field for that document. If you upload several files to one field, IRCC keeps only the last one.
Who can certify a copy of my document for IRCC?
In Canada, IRCC gives a notary public, a commissioner of oaths and a commissioner of taking affidavits as examples. Outside Canada a notary public may be able to certify copies. You and your family members cannot certify copies of your own documents.
Why do you need the spelling of every name?
Because your translations, passport and forms sit in one file, and names should match across all of them. For documents in non-Roman alphabets, giving the passport spelling of everyone named avoids introducing a new transliteration.
