Language services for USCIS, EOIR, and immigration litigation.
Immigration law is uniquely language-intensive: virtually every USCIS interview, asylum hearing, and master calendar involves a non-English-speaking applicant. AMS supplies certified interpreters and USCIS-acceptable certified translation across the full immigration practice, including affirmative asylum interviews, USCIS Field Office interviews, EOIR Immigration Court hearings, BIA appeals, and federal immigration litigation. We cover every common language plus the indigenous Mesoamerican languages that surface in asylum work.
What we handle
USCIS interviews (I-485, N-400, I-130, asylum)
In-person and remote interpreting for USCIS Field Office interviews. AMS supplies the same interpreter across follow-up interviews when continuity matters.
EOIR Immigration Court hearings
Master calendar hearings, individual merits hearings, bond hearings, withholding hearings, CAT hearings at U.S. Immigration Court locations in LA, San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas, and elsewhere.
Asylum (affirmative and defensive)
Affirmative asylum interviews at the USCIS Asylum Office and defensive asylum hearings in EOIR. Asylum work especially requires accurate interpretation because credibility evaluations turn on consistency of narrative across testimony.
Indigenous-language asylum cases
A large share of Central American and southern Mexican asylum applicants are first-language indigenous speakers (Mam, Quiché, Q'eqchi', Mixtec, Triqui, Zapotec). AMS coordinates qualified indigenous-language interpreters for these proceedings.
BIA and federal immigration litigation
Board of Immigration Appeals filings, federal habeas petitions, Ninth Circuit petitions for review. Document translation and supporting interpretation as needed.
Certified document translation
USCIS-acceptable certified translation of birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, police records, military discharge papers, academic credentials, country-condition documentation, and supporting affidavits.
Country-condition expert reports
Translation of country-condition reports, foreign news articles, and academic publications used as evidence in asylum proceedings.
I-130 / VAWA / U-visa supporting documentation
Translation of personal statements, police reports, medical records, and other foreign-language evidence in family-based and humanitarian filings.
How it works
- 01
Send the matter details
Hearing date, language (including first-language indigenous if applicable), proceeding type, and venue.
- 02
We match an immigration-experienced linguist
Immigration interpretation and translation has specific terminology; we match accordingly.
- 03
Written confirmation
Confirmation includes linguist name and credential. Continuity across follow-up appearances when possible.
Why immigration attorneys choose AMS
USCIS-acceptable translation
Thousands of AMS-certified translations have been accepted by USCIS without translation-related RFEs.
Indigenous-language network
AMS is one of the few agencies coordinating Mam, Quiché, Q'eqchi', Mixtec, Triqui, and other indigenous Mesoamerican languages on a regular basis.
EOIR and Asylum Office experience
25+ years of immigration interpretation across California and Nevada immigration courts and field offices.
Immigration interpreting and translation questions, answered
Does USCIS require translation of foreign-language documents?
Yes. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), any foreign-language document submitted with a USCIS application must be accompanied by a certified English translation. The translator certifies that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate. AMS's Certificate of Accuracy meets the regulation verbatim.
Does the immigration court (EOIR) provide an interpreter or do I bring one?
EOIR provides interpreters for the respondent at all hearings. The interpreter is government-supplied and the respondent does not pay. However, defense counsel often retain a separate interpreter for case preparation, witness preparation, attorney-client meetings, and detailed declaration drafting. AMS handles all of that work.
Does AMS handle indigenous Mesoamerican asylum interpretation (Mam, Quiché, Mixtec)?
Yes. This is one of AMS's differentiated practice areas. Many Central American and southern Mexican asylum applicants are first-language indigenous speakers. Interpretation in the applicant's actual first language produces materially better credibility evaluations than interpretation through Spanish.
How does AMS handle asylum interview confidentiality?
AMS interpreters work under confidentiality agreements. Asylum interview content is protected. Same interpreter continuity is maintained for follow-up sessions when possible.
Can AMS translate country-condition reports and foreign news articles for asylum filings?
Yes. Country-condition documentation is routine asylum work. Foreign news articles, academic publications, NGO reports, and government documents are translated with certified translator statements suitable for submission as evidence.
Does AMS supply interpreters for USCIS naturalization interviews (N-400)?
For N-400 interviews, USCIS provides the interpreter in cases where the applicant qualifies for an English-language exemption. However, defense counsel sometimes wants an independent interpreter to attend, especially for older applicants or those with hearing or comprehension difficulties. AMS handles these.
Can AMS coordinate the same interpreter across an entire asylum case?
Yes. Continuity matters for asylum work because the same applicant typically appears in multiple proceedings (USCIS Asylum Office interview, then EOIR if referred, plus attorney prep sessions). AMS schedules the same interpreter across the case lifecycle whenever availability permits.
Further reading
USCIS Immigration translation: complete reference
Authentication layers explained: certified, notarized, sworn, apostilled.
Read the articleIndigenous Mesoamerican languages in U.S. courts
Critical context for asylum work involving indigenous-language applicants.
Read the articleCertified vs. notarized translation: what each one actually means
The four most common translation document statuses, explained.
Read the articleSpanish dialects in U.S. legal and medical interpreting
When dialect matching matters in immigration matters with applicants from different Spanish-speaking countries.
Read the articleTitle VI language access for courts and agencies, explained
How Title VI applies to immigration agencies and the right to qualified interpretation.
Read the articleSchedule with AMS
Request a quote or reach our scheduling team. AMS will assign the right linguist for your matter.