Does USCIS accept a translated birth certificate?

Yes. USCIS accepts a birth certificate in another language when it comes with a full English translation and a signed certification from the translator. Every translation we deliver includes that certification.

What USCIS requires for a birth certificate translation

USCIS accepts a foreign birth certificate when it comes with a full English translation and a signed certification from the translator. The rule is in 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3): the translator certifies that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate from that language into English.

Every birth certificate translation we deliver includes that certification and is checked by a second linguist. USCIS does not require notarization.

How to submit your birth certificate translation

Scan or photograph every page of the birth certificate, including the back if it has text.
Upload it and add the spelling of names as in your passport.
Receive the certified translation, most documents within 24 hours.
Submit a copy of the original birth certificate together with the certified translation.

Good to know about birth certificate translations for USCIS

Stamps, seals and notes are part of the document and are translated too.
A summary or extract translation can be rejected; USCIS asks for a full translation.
You cannot certify a translation of your own documents for your own case.

Birth certificates from different countries

Birth certificates look very different from country to country: long and short versions, extracts from a civil register, handwritten registers and certificates in two languages. Which version USCIS accepts for your country is listed in the U.S. Department of State reciprocity schedule. We translate the version you send, in full.

What the translation looks like

The layout follows your original: fields, tables and order are kept, so the officer can compare line by line.
Stamps and seals are described, for example [Seal: Civil Registry Office].
Unreadable parts are marked [illegible] instead of guessed.
The signed certification is added at the end; there is one certification per order.

What it costs

A certified translation costs $20 per page. A one-page certificate with a stamped back counts as 2 pages, so $40. Notarization ($20 per document) is not needed for USCIS. Digital certification ($10 per document) and a printed copy by mail ($22 per order + $1 per page, USA only) are optional.