Certified Translation Services
Professional certified translations starting at $29.95 per page — accepted by USCIS, federal agencies, universities, courts, and all institutions that require a certified translation with a signed Certificate of Accuracy.
What Is a Certified Translation?
A certified translation is a translated document accompanied by a Certificate of Translation Accuracy — a signed statement from the translator declaring that the translation is complete and accurate to the best of their knowledge and competency.
Under US federal regulations at 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), USCIS requires that all foreign-language documents submitted with immigration petitions be accompanied by a complete English translation and a certification that the translator is competent in both languages and that the translation is complete and accurate.
Critically, US law does not require the translator to hold any special license, accreditation, or government certification. Any bilingual person who is competent in the source and target languages and who signs the required declaration may provide a legally valid certified translation.
What makes a translation "certified" is the signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy — not the translator's credentials. The certificate must include the translator's full name, contact information, a statement of competency in both languages, and a declaration that the translation is complete and accurate.
At Official Translations, every certified translation includes a properly worded Certificate of Translation Accuracy that meets USCIS requirements (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)), state court requirements, university admission requirements, and the requirements of all other US institutions that request certified translations.
Our translators are vetted for bilingual fluency and subject-matter expertise. We translate immigration documents, legal documents, academic records, medical records, and more — into and from 100+ languages.
Certified translation is the standard requirement for most immigration, legal, academic, and governmental purposes in the United States. If a notary seal is additionally required — by a state court, county recorder, or other authority — that is a notarized translation, which we also offer.
USCIS does not require a notarized translation. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), a standard certified translation with a signed Certificate of Accuracy is accepted for all USCIS filings — green cards (I-485), naturalization (N-400), marriage-based visas, student visas, DACA, and all other petitions.
Who Needs a Certified Translation?
Certified translation is required whenever a US institution needs assurance that a foreign-language document has been accurately rendered into English — and that a responsible party has signed off on that accuracy.
USCIS & Immigration
All foreign documents submitted with I-485, N-400, I-130, I-751, I-90, and all other USCIS petitions must include a certified English translation. This is the single most common use of certified translation in the US.
Universities & Colleges
Academic credential evaluation services (WES, ECE, NACES members) and universities require certified translations of transcripts, diplomas, and academic records from foreign institutions.
Courts & Legal Proceedings
Federal and state courts require certified translations of foreign-language evidence, contracts, affidavits, and legal documents. For some state court filings a notarized translation may additionally be required.
Government Agencies
Social Security Administration, Department of State, state DMVs, vital records offices, and other government bodies all accept and often require certified translations of foreign documents.
Medical & Healthcare
Hospitals, insurance companies, and medical licensing boards require certified translations of foreign medical records, diagnoses, prescriptions, and healthcare credentials for patient care and professional licensing.
Banks & Financial
Mortgage lenders, banks, and financial institutions require certified translations of foreign-language financial documents, bank statements, property deeds, and tax records for loan applications and account opening.
What's Included in Every Certified Translation
Every certified translation from Official Translations includes these four deliverables — all that USCIS, courts, and institutions require.
Complete English Translation
A complete, word-for-word translation of your entire document — including headers, footers, stamps, seals, signatures, and any text that appears on the original. USCIS requires the full document, not a summary.
Certificate of Translation Accuracy
A signed declaration meeting 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3): translator's full name, contact information, statement of competency in both languages, and certification that the translation is complete and accurate.
Formatted Layout Match
The English translation preserves the layout and structure of the original document — tables, columns, text placement — making it easy to cross-reference the translation against the source for verification.
Digital & Print-Ready Delivery
Delivered as a PDF you can submit digitally to USCIS online portals, email to universities, or print for physical submission. Hard copy delivery by mail is available as an add-on.
How It Works — 3 Steps
From upload to certified translation in as little as 24 hours. No back-and-forth, no hidden steps.
Upload Your Document
Upload your document online — PDF, photo, or scanned image. Tell us the source language and any deadline. We accept documents in 100+ languages.
We Translate & Certify
A qualified translator produces your complete English translation and attaches the signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy meeting USCIS and institutional requirements.
Receive Your Translation
Your certified translation is delivered by email as a print-ready PDF within 24–48 hours. Need it faster? Rush service is available. Need a hard copy? We mail it too.
Documents We Certify in Translation
We translate and certify all foreign-language personal, legal, academic, and official documents for use in the United States.
Simple, Transparent Pricing
One clear per-page rate. No hidden fees, no quotes needed for standard documents — just upload and order.
- Complete English translation of the full document
- Signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy
- USCIS-compliant certification (8 CFR 103.2)
- PDF delivery within 24–48 hours
- Accepted by all US institutions
- Free revisions if submission is rejected
Optional Add-Ons
Notarized Translation
+$34.95Adds a notary public witness to the translator's signature. Required by some state courts, county recorders, and legal filings. Not required by USCIS.
Rush Service
+$14.95/pagePriority turnaround — same-day or next-day delivery for urgent submissions.
Hard Copy by Mail
+$14.95Printed certified translation mailed to you or directly to an institution via USPS First Class.
Apostille Service
+$149.95We obtain the official apostille on your behalf for documents destined for use in Hague Convention countries.
Certified vs Notarized vs Apostille
Three different things that are often confused. Here's exactly what each one is and when you need it.
Certified Translation
- Translated document + signed Certificate of Accuracy
- Required by USCIS for all immigration filings
- Accepted by universities, courts & all federal agencies
- No notary involvement required
- Sufficient for 90%+ of translation needs in the US
- Does not include a notary seal
Notarized Translation
- Everything in certified translation, plus:
- Notary public witnesses the translator's signature
- Official notary stamp and seal on the certificate
- Required by some state courts & county recorders
- NOT required by USCIS for immigration
- Does not verify translation accuracy — only the signature
Apostille
- Authentication of an official document or notarized signature
- Required for documents used in Hague Convention countries
- Issued by a designated US state authority
- NOT required for use in the US
- NOT issued on translations themselves — on source documents
- Different process from certified or notarized translation
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), USCIS accepts standard certified translations — a complete translation with a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy — for all immigration petitions including green cards (I-485), naturalization (N-400), marriage-based visas, student visas, and DACA. A notary seal is not required and does not provide any additional benefit for USCIS submissions.
No. US federal regulations (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)) do not require translators to hold any special license, government certification, or accreditation. Any person who is competent in both the source and target languages and who signs the required Certificate of Translation Accuracy can provide a legally valid certified translation. "Certified translation" refers to the certification of the document — not to the translator's credentials.
Standard turnaround is 24–48 hours from when your document is received and payment is confirmed. Rush service (same-day or next-day) is available for an additional fee. Complex or lengthy documents may require additional time — if you have an urgent deadline, contact us and we'll do our best to accommodate it.
We provide free revisions if your certified translation is rejected by USCIS or any institution due to an error or issue with our translation or certification. Our 0% USCIS rejection rate reflects our consistent compliance with 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) requirements. In the rare event of rejection, contact us with the rejection notice and we'll resolve it at no cost.
USCIS regulations explicitly state that the person submitting the petition cannot provide the certified translation of their own documents. An independent, qualified translator must provide the translation and certification. For all other institutions (courts, universities, etc.), self-translation is also generally not accepted.
Yes. We provide certified translations into English (most common for US immigration and legal use) and from English into 100+ languages (for use abroad, expat relocations, international business, and foreign government submissions). The same pricing and certification standards apply in both directions.
Ready to Order Your Certified Translation?
Upload your document online, get your certified translation in 24–48 hours. USCIS-accepted, institution-ready, $29.95 per page.
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