1. The Governing Regulation: 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)
Under federal regulation 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), any foreign language document submitted to USCIS must be accompanied by a full English translation that the translator has certified as complete and accurate, and that the translator is competent to translate from the foreign language into English.
2. Why Partial Translations Cause Rejections
One of the most frequent causes of USCIS Requests for Evidence (RFEs) is submitting partial translations. USCIS adjudicators require every seal, stamp, watermark, barcode note, and margin annotation to be translated.
3. Mandatory Certificate of Accuracy Statement
The certificate must explicitly assert the translator's competence and literacy in both languages. A certificate missing the competence declaration is legally invalid under USCIS adjudication policy.
4. The Risk of Self-Translation
While USCIS regulations do not explicitly ban an applicant from translating their own documents if competent, in practice USCIS adjudicators view self-translations with extreme skepticism and frequently issue RFEs demanding independent certification.
Need a USCIS-Compliant Certified Translation?
Get an instant quote and pre-payment readability check in under 5 seconds. Flat $24.95/page.
Start translation