USCIS / Birth certificate translations
Does my birth certificate need to be translated and notarized for USCIS?
Learn when a birth certificate needs an English translation for USCIS, what the translator must certify, and why notarization is a separate service. Use the checklist below to prepare your documents and review the requirements for your filing.
Introduction
If you submit a birth certificate containing a foreign language to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), it must be accompanied by a complete English translation. The translator must certify that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate from the original language into English. Notarization is not required by USCIS’s general translation rule.
These requirements appear in 8 CFR § 103.2(b)(3). The USCIS Policy Manual also explains that a summary is not an acceptable substitute for a full translation. Understanding the difference between certification and notarization helps you request the right service and prepare your supporting documents.
Certification and Notarization: What Is the Difference?
Certification is the translator’s attestation that the English translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate from the source language into English. In this context, “certified translation” describes the translation and its accompanying certification; it does not mean that USCIS has accredited or endorsed the translator.
Notarization concerns the applicable notarial act, such as acknowledging a signature or administering an oath. It does not establish that a translation is accurate and does not replace the translator’s certification. Because 8 CFR § 103.2(b)(3) does not impose notarization, a notarial seal is not part of that general translation requirement.
If you plan to use the same translation with another agency, court, school, or consulate, confirm that organization’s requirements separately. Notarization or other formalities may be required for that use.
Technology does not replace the certification requirement. An unverified automated translation alone does not provide the required translator certification. Any translator certifying technology-assisted work must still be able to attest to the completeness and accuracy of the final translation and their competence in the language pair.
Your Translation Document Checklist
Prepare the following items, then check them against the instructions for your specific USCIS form:
- The birth certificate in the required form
- Use the original or a legible copy as directed by the form instructions. Under 8 CFR § 103.2(b)(4)–(5), USCIS may also request an original later.
- A complete English translation
- Include every page and all foreign-language content, including stamps, seal text, handwritten annotations, and reverse-side material where present. Do not replace the full record with an extract or summary.
- The translator’s certification
- It must attest to completeness and accuracy and the translator’s competence to translate from the source language into English. As a practical preparation step, request a signed and dated statement that clearly identifies the translated material and the translator.
- Clear treatment of unreadable content
- Ask for a clearer scan or replacement record when needed. Unreadable wording should be identified as such, never guessed; noting an illegible area does not guarantee that USCIS will consider the evidence sufficient.
Key Tips
- Review the current form instructions before ordering. Confirm which birth record is needed, whether copies are permitted, and whether you have received any case-specific request for evidence.
- Provide clear images showing all edges, pages, and relevant reverse sides. Leave time to obtain a clearer record if a stamp, annotation, or entry cannot be read.
- Compare the translation with the source for names, dates, places, and registration numbers. Do not alter a name to make it match a passport or another document. Ask a qualified immigration attorney about discrepancies that may need a separate explanation.
- Check that the certification clearly covers the material you are submitting. Keep the source document, translation, and certification together in your filing records.
- Ask what the translation quote includes. Distinguish the required translator certification from optional notarization, shipping, or other services, and request only what your receiving authority needs.
For a foreign-language birth certificate submitted to USCIS, focus on a full English translation and the required translator certification. Follow the current form instructions and any individual request from USCIS. A certified translation supports your filing; it does not guarantee acceptance of the document or approval of an application.
This article provides general information, not legal advice. Translations First is an independent translation service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by USCIS. The images are illustrative.
References
Official sources checked for this update on October 29, 2026. The regulation establishes the translation requirement; the USCIS Policy Manual explains translations and the handling of originals and copies.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. 8 CFR § 103.2(b)(3)–(5): translations, supporting documents, and requests for originals.https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-103/subpart-A/section-103.2
- USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 1, Part E, Chapter 6: Evidence. Sections C (Copies vs. Originals) and E (Translations).https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-1-part-e-chapter-6