Birth Certificate Translation for the USA

Which procedure needs it, and who receives it

In the United States a birth certificate is requested as proof of relationship in family-based petitions (I-130) and as proof of identity in visa applications and certain administrative procedures. USCIS usually expects the version of the document that shows every detail, the long-form version; a document amounting to a short summary may be found insufficient. Which form of the Turkish extract is wanted, the complete civil registry extract or the full one showing recorded events, has to be confirmed from the application guidance. The document is read together with the application form and the parents’ documents, and the names must be consistent across all of them.

An inconsistency in the spelling of a name leads to the family relationship being questioned. The translation carries names and identity data across in a way that is consistent with the official documents, without interpretation.

Translating in full, and completeness of the fields

USCIS requires a foreign-language document to be translated in its entirety; that covers not only the line recording the birth but every field, annotation and explanatory note on the document. Where there are annotations of recorded events such as marriage or divorce, they are included in the translation; leaving out a field renders the document incomplete. Empty fields are shown as [blank], and seals and signatures with a [Seal] / [Signature] marker. The signed certificate of accuracy attached to the translation is the assurance of that completeness; since a document in a language other than English is not accepted in multilingual form either, a separate certified translation is essential.

The completeness that heads off a Request for Evidence

USCIS can issue a Request for Evidence for a document it finds incomplete or inconsistent, and that is a setback which stretches a case out by months. With a birth certificate translation the way to reduce that risk is to present the document completely and consistently: names identical to those on the application form, dates unambiguous, every field and annotation translated, and a signed certificate of accuracy attached. It also matters that the translation is submitted with the original document in a way that makes clear which belongs to which; the officer must be able to read the translation and its source side by side. On a birth certificate offered as proof of relationship, parents’ names that match the other documents exactly are what allow the relationship to be accepted without question. That completeness improves the chances of concluding at the first attempt a file that might otherwise come back with an RFE.

A multilingual copy is no substitute for a translation in the United States

Some European countries will accept the Turkish multilingual (formula A) birth registry extract; the United States, however, does not accept a document in a language other than English in that form. USCIS requires a complete English translation of every foreign-language document, together with the signed certificate of accuracy attached to it. So even if you obtain a multilingual copy, a separate certified translation is needed for the US file. If that distinction is not known from the outset, the application will have been made with a document that will not be accepted.

The signed certificate of accuracy, and translating in full

Because there is no sworn translator regime in the United States, the assurance behind a birth certificate translation is the signed certificate of accuracy attached to it, which carries the translator’s name, contact details and signature. The translation must cover the whole document: seals, signatures, registration numbers and any notes on the reverse. Empty fields are marked [blank]; seals and signatures are shown with a [Seal] / [Signature] marker. An incomplete translation leaves the integrity of the document open to question as far as USCIS is concerned.

Consistency of names and the date format

USCIS establishes the family relationship through names, so the spelling on the application, in the passport and on the birth certificate must be the same. Where Turkish special characters are converted inconsistently, the same person can look like somebody else. Because day and month change places in the United States, spelling the month out prevents the date of birth being misread. The place of birth is kept under its original name and is not translated.

The order of certification, and common mistakes

Watch the following steps to keep the document intact:

• Do not rely on a multilingual copy and skip having a separate translation made.
• Confirm that the certificate of accuracy is attached to the translation.
• Obtain the apostille before the translation; the United States is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention.

Confirm the apostille position on the official HCCH list. You can see the level of certification required for other document types on our document types page, upload your document for a quote, and review the cost on our pricing page. Institutional practice can change, so verify from an official source before you apply.