24-hour delivery · Notarization included · 100% USCIS acceptance guarantee Upload your document →
HomeFAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Including several answers that cost us money to give you honestly.

Does USCIS require a notarized translation?

No. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) USCIS requires a full English translation plus the translator's signed certification of completeness, accuracy and competence. Notarization is not mentioned and is not required. We include it free anyway because courts, consulates and schools abroad often do want it.

Is there such a thing as a USCIS-approved translator?

No. USCIS maintains no approved-translator list and requires no licence, degree or accreditation. Companies advertising themselves as ‘USCIS certified’ are using a phrase with no official meaning. What gets certified is the translation, by the translator.

Do I need to be an ATA member, or do you need to be?

Neither. American Translators Association membership is a professional credential, not a legal requirement, and USCIS does not ask for it.

How much does it cost?

$35 per page, including certification and notarization. A page is one page of the original document up to 250 words.

How fast is delivery?

24 hours for standard orders up to three pages. Rush 12-hour service is +$15 per page. Longer documents are quoted with a firm delivery date at the time of the quote.

Can I send a phone photo instead of a scan?

Yes, and most of our clients do. Make sure all four corners are visible, the image is in focus, and nothing is covering a seal or stamp. Include the reverse side if it has anything printed or written on it.

What if my document is in Russian but was issued in Uzbekistan?

That is extremely common, especially for anything issued before the mid-1990s. We translate both languages at the same rate, so it makes no difference to your price. We identify the source language at intake rather than assuming from the country.

Can you handle Cyrillic-script Uzbek?

Yes. Uzbek switched to a Latin alphabet after independence, but Cyrillic-script Uzbek remained in wide use for years and is still found on older documents and in some regions. We work in both.

How should my name be spelled in the translation?

Exactly as it appears on your passport. Central Asian names can be transliterated several valid ways, and a mismatch between your translation and your other filings is one of the easiest things for an officer to flag. Send us the passport spelling with your order.

Do you translate the seals and stamps?

Yes, all of them, along with registration numbers, serial numbers, marginal notes and anything on the reverse. An incomplete translation is the leading cause of rejection, well ahead of anything to do with the translator's credentials.

What if part of my document is unreadable?

We mark it [illegible]. That is the correct professional practice. Guessing at unreadable text introduces a statement into your record that the original does not support, which is a far worse problem than the gap.

Do I submit the original document along with the translation?

Yes. The regulation says the foreign-language document must be accompanied by the translation — both go in together. We deliver the packet already assembled in the right order.

Can you apostille my Uzbek birth certificate?

Not the Uzbek original — only Uzbekistan can apostille an Uzbek document. We can apostille the notarized translation we produce here in New York, which is usually what is actually needed.

Do you offer remote online notarization?

Yes, for clients outside New York. One exception: if the document will need an apostille we use traditional wet ink instead, because New York does not issue electronic apostilles and a county clerk will not authenticate a printed-out electronic notarization.

What is your guarantee?

If a U.S. agency, court or institution rejects our translation because of the translation itself, we correct and re-issue it at no charge, and if that does not resolve it we refund you in full. We do not contradict that promise elsewhere in our terms.

How do I pay, and when?

We invoice with the quote; you pay by card or bank transfer before delivery of the finished document, not before we begin work. Law firms and agencies can be invoiced monthly.

Do you offer rates for law firms?

Yes — reduced per-page rates, monthly invoicing and direct client intake. See the attorneys page.

What happens to my documents afterwards?

Files are handled only by the translator, reviewer and notary assigned to your order, and we do not run client documents through public machine-translation services. Source files are deleted 90 days after delivery unless you ask us to keep them for a follow-on filing.

Can I translate my own documents?

The regulation does not forbid it, but it is unwise. Officers may question a translation where the translator has an interest in the outcome, and a self-translated document is the easiest thing for an officer to challenge. Use a disinterested third party.

Do you give legal advice about my case?

No. We are a translation and notarial services provider, not a law firm. We cannot tell you which documents your case requires or how to file — that is for your attorney. We can tell you exactly what a compliant translation looks like.

Ready to get started?

Send us a photo or scan of your document. We reply with a firm price and delivery time — usually within one hour during business hours. No payment needed to get a quote.

Get My Free Quote