A letter from IRCC about a document does not come labelled "translation problem." It may say the application is incomplete, ask for a document again, or set out a concern and a deadline to answer it. The first job is working out what is actually being questioned: the translation, the original document, or something else entirely.
That is why this page spends as much time on what the guarantee excludes as on what it covers. A guarantee you can rely on is one whose limits you know before you need it.
Below: the terms, worked examples of both sides of the line, how IRCC and other Canadian bodies raise problems, and how to claim.
What does the translation guarantee cover?
The guarantee applies when the Canadian body the translation was prepared for refuses it for one of three reasons:
- Accuracy. A date, number, name or term is translated wrongly. A birth date rendered as 03/07 in the wrong order, or a passport spelling you supplied that the translation did not follow, falls here.
- Completeness. Something on the document you supplied was left untranslated. IRCC's rule is that "all stamps and seals that are not in English or French must also be translated," so a missed stamp on a page you uploaded is covered.
- Certification. The body refuses the Certificate of Accuracy, or the affidavit if you ordered it, for example because a required element is missing.
In those cases Official Translations corrects and reissues the translation free, normally within 24 hours of receiving the refusal. If a correction cannot resolve a refusal caused by the translation, the translation fee is refunded.
What does the guarantee not cover?
Six situations fall outside it, because the cause lies somewhere other than the translation:
| Not covered | Typical example | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Refusal of the original document | An expired police certificate, or a short-form certificate where the long form was needed | Obtain the right document, then have it translated |
| The outcome of the application | Refusal on eligibility, funds or credibility | Seek advice on the decision itself |
| Name spellings you supplied that differ from the passport | You listed "Yuliya" while the passport reads "IULIIA" | Always give the passport spelling |
| IRCC affidavit requirements when the affidavit was not ordered | A certificate-only translation sent to IRCC | Order the sworn affidavit, CA$24.95 per document |
| Foreign authorities with their own sworn-translator rules | A country that accepts only its own court-appointed or sworn translators | Check the destination's rule before ordering |
| Deadlines missed because documents arrived late | Scans sent two days before an invitation expires | Order translations first, not last |
One more limit is worth knowing before you order rather than after. Some Canadian bodies accept translations only from translators they name: ICBC in British Columbia requires an "ICBC-approved translator", for example. Read the receiving body's rule first; a translation from a provider that does not meet it is the wrong purchase, however accurate.
How do IRCC and other Canadian bodies raise a problem?
Each route has its own paperwork and clock, so identify which one you are in.
Returned as incomplete. Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, an application must "include all information and documents required," and if it does not, "the application and all documents submitted in support of it" are returned (sections 10 and 12). IRCC's translation instructions say applicants who submit documents "without accompanying translations" will have their application "returned as incomplete." For Express Entry, IRCC says that if an application isn't complete it will tell you and refund the processing fee, but the invitation itself "is valid for 60 days only."
A request for documents. IRCC may ask for a document again through your account. Its Help Centre tells applicants to "send your documents the way we ask you to," and the request shows a "Required by" date, the latest day IRCC must receive it.
A procedural fairness letter. When an officer has concerns that could lead to a refusal, IRCC's operational instructions require that the applicant be told "the essence of the decision-maker's concerns" and given "a reasonable opportunity to respond." A concern about a translation's accuracy can arrive this way.
A retranslation request. IRCC "reserves the right to request a retranslation by a different translator" and "is not responsible for any translation fees." A corrected reissue from the same provider may not satisfy a request for a different translator; where the refusal was caused by the translation, the translation fee is refunded.
Hearings and courts. Tribunals work to their own deadlines. At the IRB's Refugee Protection Division, documents must be received "no later than 10 days before the date fixed for the hearing." Build that date into your order, because deadlines missed through late documents are excluded.
How do I claim under the guarantee?
- Read the letter closely. Note what is questioned and the date by which you must respond.
- Send us the written refusal or letter, with the translation as you submitted it. The 24-hour reissue window runs from receipt of the refusal.
- Receive the outcome. If the refusal is for accuracy, completeness or certification, the corrected translation is reissued free. If a correction cannot resolve a refusal caused by the translation, the translation fee is refunded.
- Submit the corrected file the way the body asked, for IRCC usually by upload in your account, and keep the confirmation.
How can you avoid needing the guarantee?
Prevention starts before the order:
- Order the affidavit for IRCC. Unless your translator is an association member whose stamp shows a membership number, IRCC requires it. See certified vs sworn affidavit.
- Give the passport spelling of everyone named. See passport and ID translation.
- Upload complete scans, every page and both sides. Our submission guide covers scan quality.
- Check the original first. A police certificate past its useful life will be refused however good the translation is.
- Read the receiving body's translation rule, starting with the IRCC requirements.
Checklist: when a letter about a translation arrives
Questions people ask
What does the translation guarantee cover?
It covers refusals by the Canadian body the translation was prepared for on grounds of accuracy, completeness or certification. Official Translations then corrects and reissues the translation free, normally within 24 hours of receiving the refusal, and refunds the translation fee if a correction cannot resolve a refusal caused by the translation.
Does the guarantee mean my application will be approved?
No. The guarantee concerns the translation, not the decision. Refusals of the original document or of the application itself, for example on eligibility or funds, are outside it.
What if IRCC returns my file because the affidavit was missing?
If you ordered the affidavit and IRCC refuses it for certification, that is covered. If you ordered a certificate-only translation for IRCC, the guarantee excludes it, and the remedy is to order the sworn affidavit at CA$24.95 per document.
What is a procedural fairness letter?
It is a letter in which an IRCC officer sets out concerns that could lead to a refusal and gives you a chance to respond before a decision. IRCC's instructions say you must be told the essence of the concerns and given a reasonable opportunity to answer. Reply by the deadline in the letter.
How quickly is a corrected translation reissued?
Normally within 24 hours of receiving the refusal. Send the written refusal or letter together with the translation as you submitted it, so the problem can be identified straight away.
When is the translation fee refunded?
When a correction cannot resolve a refusal caused by the translation. That can happen, for example, if a body insists on a retranslation by a different translator, which IRCC reserves the right to request.
Does the guarantee cover translations used outside Canada?
The guarantee applies to refusals by the Canadian body the translation was prepared for, and it expressly excludes foreign authorities with their own sworn-translator rules. Some countries accept only translations by their own sworn or court-appointed translators, so check the destination's rule before ordering.
What if my name is spelled differently from my passport?
If the translation departs from the passport spelling you supplied, that is an accuracy error and is covered. If the spelling you supplied differs from the passport, it is excluded, which is why the passport spelling is the one to give.
