Text Messages Translation
Certified translation of WhatsApp, WeChat, SMS and social-media messages as evidence for USCIS, immigration court and civil or criminal cases.
Reviewed by Murat Saymaz, Global Certified Translations · Facts checked 4 November 2026
The short answer
Text messages filed as evidence are translated message by message with sender, date and time kept, so the reader can follow the conversation. Export the chat rather than photographing the screen. USCIS needs a full certified translation of any foreign-language message you file (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)); in court, a printout of electronic data counts as an original (FRE 1001(d)).
Messages are now among the most common evidence in immigration and court cases: proof of a relationship, of threats, of an agreement, of where someone was. They are also among the hardest to translate well, because they are informal, abbreviated, full of slang and emoji, and only make sense in order.
Rules that apply
Each rule links to its source. Checked 4 November 2026. Confirm with the office that will receive your documents.
| Rule | Source |
|---|---|
| Foreign-language documents filed with USCIS, including messages offered as relationship evidence, need a full certified English translation. | 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) |
| Immigration court filings in another language need an English translation and a translator's signed certification. | 8 CFR 1003.33 |
| For electronically stored information, a printout or other readable output that accurately reflects it is an "original". | Federal Rule of Evidence 1001(d) |
| Evidence may be authenticated by distinctive characteristics such as contents and context. | Federal Rule of Evidence 901(b)(4) |
| Voluminous writings that cannot conveniently be examined in court may be presented by summary, with the originals available. | Federal Rule of Evidence 1006 |
Typical length and price
Typical length: about 200–2,000 words per chat export (about 1–8 pages of 250 words).
Estimated price into English at that length: $39.00–$242.00 per file, certificate of accuracy included.
These figures are our estimates for a typical document of this type, not averages of past orders. Upload yours for an exact word count and price.
Export, do not photograph
WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, WeChat and Viber can export a chat to a text file or PDF with every message's date, time and sender. That export is far better evidence than a phone photo of the screen, and far easier to translate accurately. If you can only provide screenshots, make sure each one shows the contact name, the date and the time of every message, and send them in order. Tell us which participants are which, and whose phone the chat came from.
How we lay out a translated chat
- One row per message: date, time, sender, translated text.
- Messages already in English are reproduced and marked [in English in the original].
- Images, voice notes and stickers are described in brackets ([photo], [voice message, 0:42]); voice notes are not translated unless transcribed first.
- Emoji are kept, and described in brackets where their meaning matters to the case.
- Deleted messages are noted as they appear ([message deleted]).
Slang, abbreviations and mixed languages
Chats mix languages, use regional slang and abbreviate heavily ("q" for que, "tmb" for también). We translate for meaning and add a translator's note where a word has more than one plausible reading, rather than choosing the one that suits a party. A note might read: "[translator's note: this word can mean 'I'll get you' or 'I'll pick you up', depending on context]". That honesty is what makes the translation hold up when the other side challenges it.
How much to translate
For a marriage-based petition, a representative selection across the relationship, in date order, is usually better than thousands of messages. For litigation, start with summaries of a long chat and certify full translations of the parts that will be exhibits. Everything you file with USCIS must be translated in full.
Privacy
Personal chats contain other people's information. We handle them only for the translation and delete them on request after delivery.
Voice notes and calls
Voice messages are increasingly common evidence. They need a transcript in the original language first, then a translation, and both are certified. Audio quality decides what can be transcribed with certainty; unclear passages are marked [inaudible] with a time stamp. Send the audio files themselves (exported from the app), not recordings of a phone speaker.
Social media posts and comments
Posts, comments and direct messages on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or VK follow the same rules: capture the account name, date and the full thread, and translate each item with those details. A screenshot of a single comment without the post it answers is hard to interpret and easy to challenge.
Group chats
Group chats need every participant identified. Give us the names behind phone numbers or nicknames, and we use them consistently in the sender column, with the number or nickname as shown kept in brackets the first time, so the reader can match the translation to the original screenshots.
What we need from you
- The chat export, or ordered screenshots showing names, dates and times.
- Who is who in the conversation, and which messages you will file.
- Where it is going: USCIS, immigration court, a civil or criminal court.
How it works
- Upload the document. The quote tool counts the words and prices the job before you commit to anything.
- Translation. The whole document - every page, stamp, seal and annotation - with the layout kept close enough to the original that a reviewer can read the two side by side.
- Certification. A State Court Certified Translator signs the certificate of accuracy.
- Delivery. A print-ready PDF by email, typically within 24 hours. Notarization, an apostille or mailed hard copies are added here if you need them.
Turnaround
Standard turnaround is 24 hours. Expedited service is +50% for 6-8 hours and +100% for 1-3 hours. Tell us your deadline when you order.
Pricing Information
Priced by word count: $39 for the first 250 words into English, then $0.116 per word. Timestamps and names are not counted as words to translate. Voice-note transcription is quoted separately.
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