Certified translations: what the US, Canada and Australia ask for

What "certified translation" usually means

There is no single worldwide definition. In general, a certified translation is a complete translation of a document, plus a signed statement or stamp from the translator vouching that it is accurate. What counts as acceptable, and who may sign, is set by whoever receives the document: an immigration office, a court, a university, a licensing board or an employer.

So the most useful first step is always the same: find the receiving organization's own translation rules, usually on its checklist or instructions page, and follow them exactly. The summaries below cover the immigration agencies in the US, Canada and Australia, because they are the most common reason people need one.

United States: USCIS

The federal rule for immigration filings is in 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). It says any document containing a foreign language submitted to USCIS must come with a full English translation that the translator has certified as complete and accurate, and with the translator's certification that they are competent to translate from the foreign language into English. USCIS repeats this in its tips for filing by mail.

The American Translators Association (ATA) explains how this works in practice:

• In the United States, anyone can certify a translation, and a translator doesn't need to be certified to do so.

• A certification statement should include, at minimum, the translator's qualifications, a statement that the translation is complete and accurate, identification of the document and languages, and the translator's name, signature and date.

• A notary only verifies the identity of the person signing the statement, not the accuracy of the translation.

• ATA advises against certifying your own translation or a family member's, although it isn't expressly prohibited.

Courts, state agencies, schools and employers may set different rules, including notarization, so check each one.

Canada: IRCC

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) publishes its translation requirements on canada.ca. In short:

• Translations should be done by a certified translator, which IRCC describes as a member in good standing of a professional translation association whose certification can be confirmed by a seal or stamp. Someone still in the process of becoming certified does not qualify.

• If a certified translator isn't available, the translation must come with an affidavit: a sworn statement by the translator that the translation is accurate, made before a person authorized to administer oaths.

• Applicants, their family members, and their representatives or consultants may not translate the documents, and the same limits apply to affidavits.

• Send the translation with the original document or a certified photocopy of it. When a certified copy is used, IRCC says the translator must stamp both the copy and the translation.

• Stamps and seals that are not in English or French must also be translated.

Provincial programs, licensing bodies and courts can have their own requirements on top of IRCC's.

Australia: Home Affairs and NAATI

The Department of Home Affairs asks applicants to have all non-English documents translated into English. Its "Check twice, submit once" guidance says:

• If you are in Australia, include the translator's NAATI practitioner number. NAATI is the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

• If you are outside Australia, include the translator's full name, address, phone number and qualifications in the language they are translating.

NAATI explains how to read and check its credentials:

• Certified translators receive a stamp, physical or digital. Their practitioner number has nine characters and always starts with "CPN".

• You can check a credential with the verification tool on NAATI's website, or by scanning the QR code on a digital stamp.

• The expiry date on a stamp refers to the translator's credential, not to the translation. NAATI says translations do not expire.

Other agencies set their own rules. For documents going to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), for example, NAATI says the stamp details must appear on every translated page, and the translation must come with the original or a copy signed or stamped by the translator. Check the instructions for your specific visa, form or agency.

Prepare the source document

Whichever country, a translator can only certify what they can read. A few steps help:

1. Send a clear, complete copy. Every page, including the back of any page with stamps, seals or notes.

2. Keep stamps and handwriting legible. IRCC, for example, expects stamps and seals to be translated too.

3. Check names and dates first. Tell the translator how names are spelled in your passport, so the translation matches your other documents.

4. Ask whether an editable version helps. A clean, editable file can speed up the work, but the translator will still check it against the original. See how to turn a scanned PDF into an editable Word document if you want to try.

Questions to ask a translator

• Does your certification meet the receiving agency's rules for this document?

• In Canada: are you a certified member in good standing of a provincial or territorial association, or will you provide an affidavit?

• In Australia: will the translation show your NAATI practitioner number or stamp?

• Will every page, stamp and handwritten note be translated?

• Do you need the original, a certified copy or a scan?

• What is the turnaround time, and is there a minimum charge?

A sample situation

Here is a synthetic example. Ana, applying from Toronto, has a two-page birth certificate in Portuguese with a stamp on the back. She checks her IRCC checklist, finds a certified member of a provincial translators' association, and sends a clear scan of both sides. The translator returns an English translation with a seal, a translated stamp and a stamped copy of the original, all packaged together for her application.

Get the source document ready first

EasyToDecode is building a tool for the step before translation, launching soon: turning a scan into a clean, editable .docx a translator can work from. It won't translate or certify anything, and the receiving agency's rules still decide what it accepts. See how it works or join the waitlist to hear when it opens.