Updated July 27, 2026.

How do I translate foreign documents for USCIS adjustment of status?

What does USCIS require when I submit a document in a foreign language?

USCIS requires a full English translation of any foreign-language document you submit with Form I-485, accompanied by a signed certification statement from the translator. The translator must be competent in both English and the source language. The translator cannot be you, but may be a friend, family member, or professional service. The certification must state the translation is accurate and complete, and the translator must sign and date it.

When you submit a foreign birth certificate, passport, marriage certificate, or any other non-English record, you include the original document (or a certified copy), the full English translation, and the translator's signed certification on a separate sheet. Think of the certification as a promise: the translator is saying "I understand both languages, I translated every word, and this English version is faithful to the original." USCIS officers rely on that promise, so the certification must be present and complete.

Can a friend or relative translate my documents, or must I hire a professional?

A friend or relative may translate your documents if that person is competent in both languages and is not the applicant. USCIS does not require a professional translation service or a court-certified translator. The rule is simple: the translator must understand both languages well enough to produce an accurate translation, and the translator must sign a certification statement attesting to that competence and accuracy.

Imagine your college roommate speaks fluent Spanish and English. Your roommate can translate your Colombian birth certificate, write a certification that says "I am competent in English and Spanish, this translation is accurate and complete," sign it, and date it. USCIS will accept that. The key is honesty: the translator must genuinely be able to translate the document accurately. If you are the applicant, you cannot translate your own documents, even if you are fluent in both languages.

Do I need to translate blank pages or only the pages with information?

You must translate every page of a document that contains text, stamps, or annotations. Blank pages do not need translation. For a passport, translate the biographical data page, all visa pages, all entry and exit stamps, and any handwritten notes or official endorsements. For a multi-page certificate, translate every page that has text, signatures, seals, or official markings.

Picture your passport: the first page has your photo and name, and pages five through twelve have visas and entry stamps. You translate all of those pages. Pages thirteen through thirty are blank. You do not translate the blank pages, because there is nothing to translate. The goal is completeness: USCIS officers need to read every relevant fact in English, so if a page has a fact, it gets translated.

What must the certification statement say?

The certification statement must confirm three things: the translator is competent in both the source language and English, the translation is accurate and complete, and the translator's identity and signature. A standard certification reads: "I certify that I am competent to translate from [source language] to English, and that the above translation is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. [Translator's printed name, signature, date]."

Think of the certification as a signed note attached to the translation. It does not need to be notarized or filed on special paper. It can be typed or handwritten, as long as it is legible. The translator signs it by hand. Many translators use a simple template: "I, [name], certify that I am fluent in English and [language], and that this translation of [document name] is accurate and complete. Signed, dated." That is enough.

Can I submit a partial translation if only one section of the document matters to my case?

No. USCIS requires a complete translation of the entire document. Even if only your name and birth date are relevant, you must translate every line of text on the document, including headers, footers, official seals, and marginal notes. Partial translations are not accepted.

Imagine a Mexican birth certificate that has your name, your parents' names, the date, the place, and also a long paragraph about registration procedures and a stamped note from the civil registry. You translate all of it, even the procedural paragraph and the stamped note. Officers need the full context to verify authenticity and completeness. A partial translation raises questions and may result in a request for evidence, which delays your case.

Do I need to translate documents I already submitted in a previous immigration application?

If you previously submitted a translated document to USCIS and you are including that same document again with your Form I-485, you may submit the same translation and certification you used before. USCIS does not require a new translation of an already-translated document, as long as the earlier translation was complete and certified. If the earlier translation was partial or uncertified, you must provide a new, complete, certified translation now.

Think of translations as reusable. If you filed Form I-130 last year and translated your birth certificate then, you photocopy that same translated birth certificate and certification and include it with your I-485 packet today. You do not pay for a second translation. If you never translated the document before, or if you only translated part of it, you do the full translation now.

What happens if I submit a document without a translation or with an incomplete certification?

USCIS will issue a Request for Evidence asking you to submit a proper translation and certification. That delays your case by weeks or months. If you do not respond to the request, USCIS may deny your application for failure to submit required evidence. It is faster and safer to include a complete, certified translation with your initial filing.

Picture your I-485 packet arriving at a USCIS service center. An officer opens it and sees your Polish marriage certificate with no English translation. The officer cannot read Polish, so the certificate is unusable. The officer puts your case on hold and mails you a request: "Submit a certified English translation of your marriage certificate within 87 days." You scramble to get it translated, mail it back, and wait. Your case resumes only after USCIS receives the translation. That delay was avoidable: if you had included the translation up front, your case would have kept moving.

Ready to organize your documents? Use the intake tool to see which records you need and whether any require translation. If your case involves multiple foreign documents or a discretionary review under recent policy changes, find a licensed immigration attorney who can review your translations and certification statements before you file.