What Happens to Your U.S. Immigration Application When Your Documents Aren’t in English?

You spend weeks gathering every document required by USCIS. You pay the filing fees, complete the forms, and submit everything on time. Several weeks later, you receive a message saying “Request for Evidence” because one of your documents in a foreign language was submitted without a certified English translation.

This happens frequently. If you submit any document to USCIS and it’s not in English, you’ll almost always get a “Request for Evidence.”

This guide explains the exact rule that governs this, which documents need certified translation, and what “certified” actually means, so you can get the right translation. 

The federal regulation behind the requirement

A federal legal requirement in the U.S. mandates that all foreign-language documents submitted to USCIS must be accompanied by a certified English translation. 

The governing regulation is 8 CFR § 103.2(b)(3), which states:

“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.”

In plain terms: if you are submitting a document to USCIS and it is not in English, it must include a certified English translation. No exceptions.

This rule applies to every major immigration pathway, including family-based green cards, employment-based petitions, naturalization applications, adjustment of status, asylum claims, and non-immigrant visa applications. It also applies to situations where foreign documents are to be used in legal proceedings; in such cases, it’s best to use a legal translation service to ensure compliance with the courts. 

USCIS does not maintain a list of approved translators or translation companies. The responsibility falls entirely on you, the applicant, to ensure that the translation you submit meets the federal standard.

Which documents require certified translation?

The most commonly required translated documents fall into these categories:

Civil and identity records

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Divorce decrees
• Death certificates of a prior spouse
• Adoption documents

Legal and criminal records

• Police clearance certificates
• Court records and affidavits
• Criminal disposition documents
• Military records

Financial and employment records

• Bank statements submitted as financial evidence
• Foreign employment contracts
• Tax records from foreign jurisdictions

Academic and professional credentials

• University diplomas and academic transcripts
• Professional licenses issued by foreign regulatory bodies

USCIS requires that the entire document be translated. This includes stamps, seals, handwritten notation, and signatures. Translating only the main text and leaving the official seal untranslated is considered a partial translation and will be rejected.

What “certified” actually means and what it doesn’t

Many applicants assume “certified” means something more formal than it does. Others assume it’s interchangeable with “notarised.” Neither assumption is correct.

A certified translation is an official translation that includes a statement of translation accuracy signed by the translator or translation agency, confirming the translation is true and complete to the best of their knowledge. 

Certified does not mean notarised. A certified translation and a notarised translation are different things. USCIS does not require notarisation. Notarisation may be required by other institutions, but for USCIS purposes, a signed certification statement from the translator is sufficient.

Certified does not mean the translator holds a government license. There is no federal licensing requirement for translators in the United States. Any individual fluent in both languages who is neither the applicant nor a family member can provide a certified translation for USCIS.

What a valid certification must include:

• The translator’s full name
• The translator’s signature
• The date of certification
• A statement confirming the translator is competent in both languages
• A statement confirming the translation is complete and accurate
• The translator’s contact information

The five translation mistakes that trigger an RFE

A Request for Evidence is not a denial. It is USCIS telling you something is missing or unclear, and giving you the opportunity to fix it. You typically have between 30 and 87 days to respond. But an RFE adds weeks or months to your case timeline, and if you miss the response deadline, the result is automatic denial.

These are the five translation errors most likely to trigger one:

1. Submitting only the translation without the original

USCIS requires both the original in the foreign language and a certified English translation. Submitting only the translation without the original source document is one of the most common errors in immigration applications. Officers need to be able to compare the translation against the original.

2. An incomplete translation

Failing to translate stamps, seals, signatures, or handwritten notations on a document is treated as a partial translation. USCIS will issue an RFE specifying that the translation is incomplete. 

3. A missing or deficient certification statement

If the translator’s statement does not explicitly confirm their competency and the accuracy of the translation, or if it is unsigned or undated, USCIS will not accept it. 

4. Inconsistencies between the translation and other documents

Name spellings, dates, and addresses that differ between translated documents and other application materials raise flags.

5. Using the applicant or a family member as the translator

USCIS treats this as a conflict of interest. Even if the translation is technically accurate, a self-certified translation will not be accepted. The translator must be a neutral third party with no personal stake in the outcome of the application.

Recommended Reading

Common Legal Mistakes People Make During the US Visa Process

What to do if you’ve already received an RFE about translation

If a translation-related RFE lands in your mailbox, here’s what to do instead of panicking; 

• Read the notice carefully. USCIS will identify exactly which document or documents it is requesting a corrected or newly certified translation for. 
• Note your deadline. The response window is stated on the RFE notice. Missing it results in automatic denial, regardless of the strength of the underlying application.
• Do not resubmit the original problematic translation. Get a fresh, complete, properly certified translation from a qualified provider. If the original translation was incomplete or improperly certified, correcting it may not satisfy the requirement.
• Submit the original foreign-language document alongside the new translation. USCIS needs both.
• Organize the response clearly. A cover letter referencing your receipt number and the RFE notice date, followed by the documents in the order USCIS requested them, makes the officer’s review straightforward.
• Consider legal counsel if the RFE raises concerns beyond the translation. If the notice concerns only a translation deficiency, it is one of the more manageable RFEs to resolve. If it combines a translation issue with a credibility or eligibility concern, you may need to consider involving an immigration attorney.

What to look for in a translation provider

Since USCIS does not maintain an approved list, you will need to evaluate providers yourself. Here is what matters:

• Human translators, not machine output. AI and machine translation tools are not acceptable. Verify that a qualified human translator will translate, review, and certify the document.
• Familiarity with USCIS certification requirements. The certification statement must satisfy the specific language of 8 CFR § 103.2(b)(3). A provider experienced in immigration documents will know this standard without needing to be told.
• Turnaround time. For applicants responding to an RFE on a deadline, turnaround matters. Confirm timelines before ordering.
• An acceptance or accuracy guarantee. Reputable providers will correct or reissue a translation if USCIS raises a concern about it. Ask whether this is included before you commit.
• Coverage of your specific language pair. Ensure the provider works in your source language. Some services cover only common Western European languages. For less common language pairs, confirm availability explicitly.

The takeaway

Translation errors are consistently among the most common causes of USCIS delays, and they are almost entirely preventable. The federal standard is clear, the requirements are consistent across form types, and the cost of getting a translation right the first time is far lower than the cost of responding to an RFE or watching months disappear from your processing timeline.

Before submitting any immigration application, review every foreign-language document and confirm that a qualified, neutral translator has provided a complete, certified translation accompanied by a compliant certification statement. 

For complex cases or applications already in RFE territory, it may be best to consult with an immigration attorney.

This part of the immigration process doesn’t have to be a stumbling block. With the right preparation, you will scale through.