USCIS-acceptable certified translation for immigration filings.
Every foreign-language document submitted with a USCIS application must be accompanied by a certified English translation. AMS produces USCIS-acceptable certified translations of every document USCIS routinely requests: birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, police records, military discharge papers, academic credentials, court orders, and supporting affidavits. Translations include the certified translator statement that USCIS requires and are accepted by every USCIS field office in the United States.
Documents we translate for USCIS filings
Birth certificates (actas de nacimiento)
For I-485, N-400, I-130, and most other immigration filings. Mexican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Honduran, Filipino, Korean, Chinese, and all other formats.
Marriage certificates (actas de matrimonio)
Required for spouse-based petitions (I-130, I-485, N-400). All national varieties translated, including ones with regional or religious-ceremony formatting.
Divorce decrees and dissolution orders
Required when an applicant or their spouse has a prior marriage. Court translations preserve all official seals and orders.
Police clearance and background certificates
Required for many family-based and employment-based filings. National police clearance documents from Mexico, Central America, the Philippines, China, India, and most other countries.
Academic transcripts and diplomas
Required for employment-based filings (H-1B, EB-2, EB-3) and many DACA renewals. Includes Mexican, Chinese, Korean, Indian, and European credentials.
Military discharge and service records
Required for some naturalization filings (under MAVNI or other military pathways) and for proof of national service in country-of-origin records.
Affidavits, declarations, and supporting statements
Translated as certified documents with the original's formatting preserved, suitable for inclusion as USCIS evidence.
Foreign court orders (custody, adoption, name change)
Required for adoption-based petitions and many family-based filings. Translations preserve court seals, signatures, and the procedural posture of the order.
How it works
- 01
Send the full document packet
Upload or email all documents at once so we can quote the bundle. Multi-document packets are quoted as a bundle, often at a discount versus single-document orders.
- 02
Quote and turnaround
A written quote within 2 business hours. Standard turnaround is 2 to 4 business days for most packets; rush available.
- 03
Delivery, USCIS-ready
PDF delivery with the signed Certificate of Accuracy for each document, formatted exactly as USCIS expects. Print, attach to your filing, done.
Why immigration attorneys and applicants choose AMS
No USCIS RFEs for translation issues
Thousands of AMS-certified translations have been accepted by USCIS without translation-related Requests for Evidence (RFEs).
Packet pricing
Multi-document filings (the common case) are quoted as a bundle. No per-document line-item creep.
Same-day rush when filings are urgent
When a court hearing or USCIS deadline is in 48 hours, we coordinate same-day or next-day delivery.
USCIS translation questions, answered
What exactly does USCIS require for a translation to be "certified"?
USCIS regulations (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)) require that foreign-language documents be accompanied by a full English translation, certified by the translator as complete and accurate, with the translator certifying that they are competent to translate from the foreign language to English. AMS's Certificate of Accuracy meets these requirements verbatim.
Does USCIS require translations to be notarized?
No. USCIS does not require notarization. A certified translation with the translator's signed Certificate of Accuracy is sufficient. Notarization is an additional step that adds cost without changing USCIS acceptance.
Can the applicant or a family member translate their own documents?
USCIS regulations technically allow any "competent" person to certify the translation, including family members. In practice, USCIS officers regularly reject translations done by the applicant or close family because of concerns about impartiality and competence. We strongly recommend using a third-party professional translator.
How quickly can AMS turn around a USCIS translation packet?
Standard turnaround is 2 to 4 business days for most packets (under 10 documents). Same-day and next-day rush is available for an additional fee. For very large packets (40+ documents in immigration appeals or large employment-based filings), turnaround is discussed at quote time.
What if the foreign document is partially illegible or partially handwritten?
AMS translates what is legible and marks illegible sections clearly. For handwritten or hard-to-read documents, we work from the best legible interpretation and flag any ambiguity in the Certificate. If the document is too damaged for confident translation, we will advise that a clearer source is needed.
Does AMS translate from indigenous languages of Mexico and Central America?
Yes. AMS handles indigenous-language translation (Mixtec, Zapotec, Triqui, Quiché, Mam, Náhuatl, and others) on a regular basis for asylum and family-based filings. These require advance notice because the translator pool is small. We coordinate with vetted in-language specialists.
Can AMS translate from rare languages? (Amharic, Tigrinya, Pashto, Dari, etc.)
Yes. AMS's rare-language network covers most of the languages that surface in U.S. asylum, refugee, and humanitarian-parole filings: Amharic, Tigrinya, Pashto, Dari, Burmese, Karen, Rohingya, Somali, Oromo, and dozens of others. Advance notice is recommended for the rarest languages.
What does USCIS-acceptable translation cost?
Standard documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate, simple diploma) are flat-fee priced, typically $40 to $90 per document. Multi-page legal or court documents are priced per source word or per page. Packet pricing is available. See our document-translation cost article for a detailed breakdown.
Further reading
Certified vs. notarized translation: what each one actually means
The four most common translation document statuses, explained for non-specialists.
Read the articleSworn, certified, notarized, apostilled: which authentication do you need?
A clear walkthrough of every authentication layer that can apply to a translation.
Read the articleIndigenous Mesoamerican languages in U.S. courts
When an immigration applicant's first language is an indigenous language, the path differs.
Read the articleThe Hague Apostille for translated documents
When a translation needs apostille on top of certification (less common for USCIS, more common for foreign filings).
Read the articleSpanish dialects in U.S. legal and medical interpreting
Useful context on Spanish regional variation in U.S. immigration documents.
Read the articleSchedule with AMS
Request a quote or reach our scheduling team. AMS will assign the right linguist for your matter.