If you’re filing immigration documents with USCIS, any document not in English must be accompanied by a full English translation and a signed Certificate of Accuracy. Here’s exactly what that means in 2026 and how to avoid a Request for Evidence (RFE).

Under 8 CFR §103.2(b)(3), every certified translation must include three things: a complete English translation of the entire document (not a summary), a statement that the translation is complete and accurate, and a statement that the translator is competent to translate from the source language into English. Miss any one and you risk a delay of months.

Notarization is no longer required — USCIS removed that requirement in 2011 — but some courts and foreign institutions still ask for it. Machine and AI translations are not accepted, because the certification implies human responsibility. Scanned PDFs are accepted for most initial e-filings, but keep the signed copy for interviews. The cleanest packets pair the source document with a complete translation and a simple, readable Certificate of Accuracy.

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