A certified birth certificate translation is often required for various purposes, such as immigration, travel, obtaining a passport, and legal and academic matters. Our professional translators have handled birth certificates issued all over the world and have the knowledge to handle your translation.
What is a Birth Certificate?
A birth certificate is an official document showing the details of a person’s birth. Your birth certificate can also be used as an identity document on many official occasions.
Why must birth certificate translations be certified?
Obtaining a certified translation for a birth certificate is a necessary step to ensure legal compliance, accuracy, and acceptance by relevant authorities. It assures that the translation is a faithful representation of the original document and meets the standards required for official and legal purposes.
USCIS Requirements for birth certificate
Requesting the birth certificate in English ensures that officials can understand the document’s content correctly and use it appropriately. This requirement stems from section 11.3 of the USCIS Policy Manual, which says the following regarding Foreign Language Documents and Translations:
“All documents submitted in support of an application or petition must include complete translation into English. In addition, there must be a certification from the translator indicating that the translation is complete and accurate and attesting to his or her competence as a translator.”
Typical birth certificate translation requirement
Specific requirements vary from country to country, but we have listed below common requirements when obtaining a birth certificate translation.
Translator’s signature.
The translation of the birth certificate must contain the translator’s signature to certify the accuracy of the translation. Without a signature, the translation lacks a key component of certification.
A statement attesting to the accuracy of the translation.
This declaration may vary but usually must include an affidavit certifying that the interpreter can translate both languages and that the translation is complete and accurate to the best of its ability.
The translator must be a “disinterested party.”
Most countries (including the United States) do not allow translation by yourself, family members, friends, or other parties involved in the subject matter of the birth certificate.
Translations must be typed and follow the same format.
Keeping the same format ensures that the translation and the source document can be viewed together for verification.
Birth Certificate Translation FAQ
Can I translate my birth certificate on my own?
USCIS particularly bans you from translating your own birth certificate. The translation shouldn’t be done by friends or family either, even if they are professional translators, as this is seen as a conflict of interest and a cause for rejection.
Who Can Certify a Translated Document？
A person with no personal relationship to the document owner must prepare the certified document translation. All our documents include a certification statement by default.
Does a translated birth certificate need to be notarized for USCIS?
No, USCIS requires translations to be certified but not notarized.
How Long Does it Take？
Our professional translators typically complete 1-3 page documents within 24 hours or less. If you need to translate your birth certificate, it usually takes a day. We also offer rapid priority service options for those who need their documents completed in a shorter time.
What country’s birth certificates do you translate?
We can translate birth certificates issued by any country, as long as the document is given in a language we support.
French 
English 
Spanish 
German