The USCIS Document Checklist: 10 Common Items You Must Translate

Audience: Any individual applying for a US visa, green card, or citizenship.

Goal: To create a "checklist" article that will be bookmarked and shared, capturing users who are actively gathering their documents.

A "Request for Evidence" (RFE) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the single biggest cause of delays—and stress—in any immigration case. It’s an official letter stating that your application is missing crucial information.

A very common reason for an RFE? Missing or improperly translated documents.

USCIS is strict: any document in a foreign language (like Spanish, Portuguese, or French) must be accompanied by a complete, certified English translation.

To help you prepare, here is a checklist of the 10 most common documents that applicants must gather and, if not in English, get translated.

1. Birth Certificate This is the most fundamental document. It's required for almost every application, including family petitions, green card adjustments, and citizenship, to prove your identity, age, and parentage.

2. Marriage Certificate If you are applying for a visa or green card based on your marriage to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (like the I-130 or I-485), this is your primary piece of evidence.

3. Divorce Decrees (or Death Certificates) To prove your current marriage is legal, you must prove all previous marriages were legally terminated. This requires submitting the official divorce decree or a death certificate for any former spouse.

4. Passports & Visas While the photo page is often in English, you may be required to provide certified translations of entry and exit stamps, especially if they are from non-English-speaking countries, to prove your travel history or continuous presence.

5. Police Clearance Certificates This is a standard requirement for most visa and green card applicants. You must submit a police report from every country (and sometimes every city) you have lived in for more than 6-12 months since age 16.

6. Diplomas & Academic Transcripts These are critical for employment-based visas like the H-1B or EB-2. They are used to prove you have the required education for the job.

7. Legal Affidavits or Witness Statements In asylum cases, waivers, or complex marriage cases, you may submit sworn statements from friends, family, or experts in your home country. These must be translated.

8. Bank Statements For "proof of funds" or to prove a "bona fide" (real) marriage, you may submit bank statements. If they are from a foreign bank, they will need to be translated.

9. Medical Records In cases involving medical waivers or asylum claims based on physical harm, your medical records from your home country are powerful evidence.

10. Court or Prison Records If you have any criminal history, you must disclose it. This requires providing the complete, certified translation of all police reports, court dispositions, and prison records.

Don't Let a Translation Mistake Delay Your Dream

Gathering these documents is the hardest part. The translation should be the easiest. Don't risk a denial by using an unqualified friend or a free online tool.

At BEGF Global Languages, we specialize in certified translations for USCIS. We translate all these documents and more for a flat rate of $35 per page, with a 24-48 hour turnaround. All our translations are guaranteed to be accepted by USCIS.

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