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What a certified translation is
A certified translation is a complete translation of a document, accompanied by a signed statement confirming that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent in both languages.
In the United States there is no single government license that turns a translation into a “certified” one. The certification is that signed statement, and the professional accountability behind it. At Lingua., every certified translation comes with a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy, so the office receiving your document can see who stands behind the work.
What a certificate of accuracy includes
Requirements vary by office, but a certificate of translation accuracy typically includes:
- a statement that the translation is complete and accurate
- a statement that the translator is competent to translate between the two languages
- the document translated and the language pair
- the translator’s or company’s name, signature and the date
- contact details, so the receiving office can follow up if needed
Certified, notarized and apostilled: three different things
These terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things. A certified translation confirms the translation is accurate. A notarized translation adds a notary public, who confirms the identity of the person signing the certification; the notary does not check the translation itself. An apostille is a government certificate that allows a notarized document to be used in another country. If your document is going abroad, our apostille services guide explains how the three fit together.
When you may need a certified translation
Certified translations are usually requested whenever a foreign-language document becomes part of an official process. The most common situations are:
- Immigration filings. USCIS requires a full English translation of any foreign-language document, with the translator’s certification that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate it.Source: 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3).
- Courts and attorneys. Evidence, judgments, contracts and affidavits in another language.
- Universities and credential evaluators. Diplomas, transcripts and course descriptions.
- Banks, lenders and employers. Statements, payslips, references and identity documents.
- Licensing boards and government offices, in the U.S. and abroad.
The office receiving your document sets the rules. Requirements differ between agencies, courts, schools and countries, so it’s worth confirming what they need before you order. No translation provider can guarantee acceptance on an agency’s behalf.
Common documents that need certified translation
Birth certificates, marriage certificates and diplomas make up a large share of certified translation requests, but almost any document can be certified. Choose your document type below for practical guidance on what to send and what to check.
Document guide
What are you translating?
Select a document type to see where it’s usually used, what to send us and what to check first.
Choose a document above to see the guidance.
Human translation versus automated translation
Machine translation is genuinely useful for understanding the gist of an email or a web page. It is not designed for documents that an official will rely on. Automated tools can misread stamps and handwriting, reorder dates, mistranslate legal terms and silently skip text they can’t interpret.
More fundamentally, certification requires someone to take responsibility. The translator must state that they are competent in both languages and that the translation is complete and accurate. That is a professional judgment, and it has to be signed by a person.
A certification is a promise made by a person. That is the part software cannot sign.
For a balanced look at where AI translation helps and where it falls short, read Human Translation vs. AI Translation.
How Lingua. prepares a certified translation
- You upload a clear photo or scan. Choose the languages and tell us how many pages your document has. A photo taken on your phone is usually enough.
- A professional translator translates the full document. That includes stamps, seals, handwritten notes and marginal annotations, which officials expect to see accounted for.
- The layout follows your original. Headings, tables and signature blocks appear in the same order, so the reader can match the translation to the source line by line.
- The translation is certified. A signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy is attached. If you chose notarization, it is added to the same order.
- You receive a certified PDF by email. Apostille orders are shipped to you once the apostille is complete.
Pricing: certified translation from $37 per page
Certified translation at Lingua. starts at $37 per page. A page is one side of your original document, so a birth certificate printed on both sides counts as two pages: 2 × $37 = $74 before any options.
In every certified translation
Professional human translation, the signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy, and certified digital delivery by email.
Priced in checkout
Rush turnaround and notarization. Notarization is charged once per order, not per page.
What affects the total
- Number of pages. Each side of the original with text counts as one page.
- Turnaround. Rush translation has a higher per-page rate.
- Notarization, if the receiving office asks for it.
- An apostille, if the document will be used abroad. Apostilles are priced per document; see our apostille guide.
- Volume and complexity. Large, technical or ongoing projects are quoted individually through our corporate translation service.
The order form shows your complete price, item by item, before you pay. Nothing is added at checkout.
How to order a certified translation online
Ordering takes about two minutes. Open the order form, upload your document, choose the languages, confirm the page count and select any options. You’ll see the itemized total before you go to secure payment.
You can order from anywhere in the United States. Documents are submitted online and your certified translation is delivered by email, so there’s no office visit. Lingua. is based in Miami, Florida, and works with individuals, attorneys and businesses nationwide.
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Prefer to send your documents by email? Write to [email protected] and we’ll reply with a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Will USCIS accept my certified translation?
USCIS asks for a full English translation with the translator’s certification of accuracy and competence. Our certified translations include that certification. Acceptance of any filing is always decided by the agency, so no provider can guarantee it. Our legal and immigration guide covers USCIS documents in more detail.
Do I need my translation notarized?
Not always. USCIS generally accepts properly certified translations without notarization. Some courts, schools and foreign authorities ask for it, and it is required if you need an apostille. When in doubt, ask the office that will receive the document.
Can I translate my own documents?
Many offices expect the translation to come from an independent translator rather than the applicant or a relative. Even where it isn’t prohibited, an independent certified translation avoids questions about impartiality. Check the receiving office’s rules.
Do you need my original document?
No. A clear photo or scan of the complete document is enough to prepare the translation.
Which languages do you translate?
Our professional translator network supports more than 25 languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, French, German, Italian, Hungarian and Romanian. If you don’t see yours in the order form, email us.