If you plan to submit a foreign-language document in a U.S. immigration proceeding, expect to prepare an English translation that meets the requirements of the agency handling the case.
For immigration court, EOIR states that all documents filed must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation.
Common documents to check
Review your evidence for foreign-language material in:
- birth, marriage, divorce, and death records;
- passports and identity documents;
- police, court, arrest, or detention records;
- medical and mental-health records;
- letters and witness statements;
- text messages, emails, and social-media evidence;
- newspaper articles and other publications;
- membership, employment, school, or religious records; and
- stamps, handwritten notes, captions, or attachments that form part of a document.
Do not assume a document is “mostly English.” Flag every non-English portion for review.
Keep three pieces together
For each translated item, organize: the source-language document + the English translation + the translator certification. Use matching filenames or evidence numbers so no one has to guess which translation belongs to which original.
For EOIR, the certification must state that the translator is competent to translate the language and that the translation is true and accurate to the best of the translator's abilities.
USCIS forms and instructions can also contain translation requirements. Check the current instructions for the particular benefit or form you are filing rather than assuming one agency's procedure applies everywhere.
Build a translation tracker
Useful columns are: evidence number, original language, pages, translator, date sent, date returned, certification received, quality checked, and final filing status. This is especially useful when a case contains dozens of messages or multiple versions of the same record.
Official sources
This page is general educational information, not legal advice. Always check the current instructions for the filing you are preparing.