0

I have successfully filled out my DS-260 and now I have to upload a bunch of "Civil Documents". Some of them are in my native language (German), such as:

  • Birth Certificate
  • Military Records

According to https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-5-collect-financial-evidence-and-other-supporting-documents/step-7-collect-civil-documents.html, these documents must include certified translations.

According to various sources (e.g., https://citizenpath.com/faq/certified-translation/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certified_translation#United_States_of_America) there are no strict criteria about who a translator may be.

Has anyone needed to do this before and has some advice?

  • Clearly I am fluent in English and German myself. Can I do the certified translation myself? Even if it's allowed, would be be advised?
  • Can it be someone from my family (e.g. sister)?
  • Should the translator have any proof (TOEFL score or similar) or is the signed statement enough?
  • What is the best form to do such a translation? For example, a birth certificate consists of multiple tables etc. Is it enough to just type the information in English into a word file? Or is it better to reproduce the original layout? Or is it better to take a copy of the original and write each word translated on top of the original?
1
  • I don't know about Germany, but some countries will issue documents in multiple languages, possibly including foreign languages, possibly including English. If you can get a new copy of a document with bilingual German and English data labels, you won't need to worry about translating it.
    – phoog
    Jun 14, 2022 at 15:59

1 Answer 1

0

While you can have a friend or family member translate the documents (my understanding is that as long as they speak english they can translate), I would recommend a translation service like immitranslate or similar. The charges are not excessive and gives you peace of mind knowing that USCIS won't give you a hard time.

To answer some of your other questions, you could translate yourself, although I, personally, would advise against. A signed statement is enough. Translators usually try to reproduce the layout of the document, I would recommend doing the same.

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.