Birth Certificate Translation
If your birth certificate is not in English and you are submitting it with a USCIS filing, it generally needs a complete English translation accompanied by the translator’s certification. Our birth certificate translation service provides professional human translation, careful name and date handling, and a signed certification statement for submission with your documents.
For the broader service and current ordering options, see our USCIS certified translation service.
Why accurate birth certificate translation matters for immigration
When you apply for a green card, citizenship, a family-based visa, or a Diversity Visa, officers rely on your birth certificate to confirm your identity, date and place of birth, and parents’ details. For any foreign-language birth certificate, federal regulations require a full English translation with a translator’s certification of accuracy and competence.
If the birth cert translation is incomplete, poorly formatted, or missing its certification, USCIS can:
Issue a Request for Evidence (RFE)
Delay your case for months
Or, in serious cases, deny the application
Because of that, official translation of a birth certificate is not the place to experiment with machine translation or amateur help. A professional certified English translation of a birth certificate reduces risk, protects your timeline, and keeps your case moving.
USCIS birth certificate translation requirements (in plain English)
USCIS doesn’t just want “good enough” English – it wants a certified translation that meets federal rules. The core standard comes from 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), which says any foreign-language document submitted to USCIS must be accompanied by a full English translation plus a signed statement from the translator confirming completeness, accuracy, and their competence.
For a birth certificate translation for USCIS, that means:
Full translation
Every word, seal, stamp, header, note, and handwritten remark is translated – not just the “main bits”.
Certified translation statement
A signed translator’s certification declaring the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate between the two languages.
Typed, not handwritten
The English translation must be clearly typed; officers must be able to read it quickly and scan/attach it to the file.
Same structure and layout
The translation mirrors the original layout so officers can match each field to the source document.
Long-form birth certificate
For immigrant and diversity visas, U.S. authorities typically require a long-form birth certificate showing full parentage, not a short extract.
Our certified birth certificate translation packages are built specifically around these USCIS rules and the way officers actually review documents
What you get with our certified birth certificate translation services
When you order birth certificate translation services from USCIS Official Translation, you receive:
- A complete English translation of the readable text on your birth certificate
- A signed translator certification addressing completeness, accuracy and translator competence
- Clear formatting that follows the structure of the source document
- Professional human translation and review
- Digital PDF delivery, with printed copies available when requested
- Notarisation or other additional formalities when specifically requested and available
For USCIS filings, the core requirement is the full English translation and translator certification. If another organisation is receiving the document, check its instructions because requirements can differ.
How to get your birth certificate translated (step-by-step)
If you’re wondering how to get birth certificate translated correctly for immigration, the process is simpler than it looks:
1. Upload a clear copy
Scan or photograph your birth certificate in full – including seals, stamps, reverse side if there’s information there. This is the starting point for a compliant birth certificate translation certification.
2. Tell us your language pair and purpose
Select your source language and target language (for most users, translate birth certificate to English; others may need translate birth certificate to Spanish or another pair). Choose your purpose: USCIS, NVC, U.S. passport, consulate, or other immigration use.
3. We assign a specialist translator
Your document is assigned to a linguist experienced in translation of documents for immigration and familiar with civil registry formats from your country. This is especially important for handwritten and older documents.
4. Translation, formatting & quality checks
We translate the certificate, mirror its layout, and run an internal check for:
Name spellings consistent with your passport
Date formats converted correctly to U.S. style
All stamps, seals, and notes included
5. Certification & delivery
You receive:
A certified English translation of birth certificate in PDF
The translator’s signed certification
Optional add-ons like notarisation or printed copies
So when you ask how to get English translation of birth certificate done properly, the answer is: follow these steps once, and you’re ready for USCIS, consulates, and other agencies.
Languages and document types we support
Our core focus is USCIS document types translation – we translate the full set of civil and supporting documents that often travel with your birth certificate:
Birth, marriage, and death certificates
Divorce decrees and custody orders
Police certificates and court records
Passports and national IDs
Academic diplomas and transcripts
Vaccination and medical records
We can translate birth certificate to English and back from dozens of languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Urdu, and more. Whether you need a birth certificate Portuguese to English translator, a Russian-to-English expert, or translate Mexican birth certificate to English, your case stays under one roof.
Who can translate a birth certificate for USCIS?
A common question is: “Who can translate a birth certificate for USCIS?”
Under 8 CFR § 103.2(b)(3), a foreign-language document submitted to USCIS must be accompanied by a full English translation and a certification that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate from the source language into English.
The rule focuses on completeness, accuracy and translator competence. It does not create a special USCIS translator licence or state that the translator must belong to a particular association.
Can I translate my own birth certificate for USCIS?
The regulation does not expressly identify or prohibit the applicant as the translator. If you are considering a self-translation, make sure you understand the certification requirement and follow the instructions for your filing. Many applicants choose an independent professional translation service for document handling, formatting and an independently signed certification.
Our service translates the source document and supplies the certification as part of the completed translation package.
Pricing and turnaround for birth certificate translation
Certified birth certificate translation currently starts from $24.45 per page for qualifying standard documents.
The exact price and delivery time depend on the language, document length, legibility, formatting and requested turnaround. Urgent options may be available subject to capacity.
See our current certified translation pricing or upload the document to receive the applicable fixed quote before work begins. For birth-certificate-specific pricing factors, see how much birth certificate translation costs. For the filing process itself, see how to translate a birth certificate for USCIS.
Frequently Asked Questions about birth certificate translation
Do I need to translate my birth certificate for USCIS?
Yes. If any part of your birth certificate is not in English, USCIS requires a full English translation plus a translator’s certification stating that the translation is complete, accurate, and that the translator is competent to do the work.
Where can I get my birth certificate translated to English?
You don’t need to go anywhere in person. You can translate birth certificate to English online by uploading a clear copy to a specialised immigration translation provider. USCIS Official Translation handles the entire process remotely, from quote to delivery, with certified birth certificate translation ready to attach to your immigration packet.
How long does a certified birth certificate translation take?
For most cases, a single certificate is completed within 24–48 hours. Longer or more complex documents (multi-page records, very old certificates, or rare language pairs) may take slightly longer, and we also offer rush options for urgent filing or interview dates. When you request a quote, we confirm your exact expected delivery time up front.
What does a certified English translation of a birth certificate include?
A certified English translation of birth certificate includes:
A full, word-for-word English translation of the original
Layout that mirrors the certificate’s structure and fields
A signed birth certificate translation certification letter containing the translator’s name, statement of accuracy, and confirmation of competence
The date and location of translation
This package is suitable for birth certificate translation for USCIS, NVC, consulates, and most U.S. agencies that require certified translations.
Do I need to translate and notarise my birth certificate?
For USCIS specifically, a certified translation is required; notarisation is not normally required by USCIS itself, though some other agencies (state courts, universities, or foreign consulates) may ask for notarised translations. If you need to translate and notarize birth certificate for another authority, we can prepare both the certified translation and the notary page so you have one cohesive package.
Can you translate my birth certificate to Spanish or another language?
Yes. While most people need to translate birth certificate to English for U.S. immigration, we also support translate birth certificate to Spanish and many other language combinations for dual-citizenship applications, consular registrations, and foreign university admissions. The same quality standards, formatting, and certification practices apply, tailored to the receiving authority’s rules.