Translation for Asylum Applications
Certified translation of the evidence behind an asylum claim: identity and civil records, police, court and medical documents, letters and news reports.
Reviewed by Murat Saymaz, Global Certified Translations · Facts checked 4 November 2026
The short answer
Every foreign-language document filed with an asylum application needs a full English translation certified by a competent translator: under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) for an affirmative Form I-589 with USCIS, and under 8 CFR 1003.33 in immigration court. An asylum application generally must be filed within one year of arrival (8 CFR 208.4(a)(2)), so start translations early.
Rules that apply
Each rule links to its source. Checked 4 November 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the office that will receive your documents.
| Rule | Source |
|---|---|
| Foreign-language documents filed with USCIS need a full English translation certified as complete and accurate by a translator competent in both languages. | 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) |
| Foreign-language documents offered in immigration court need an English translation and a certification signed by the translator. | 8 CFR 1003.33 |
| An asylum application must generally be filed within one year of the applicant's last arrival, with limited exceptions for changed or extraordinary circumstances. | 8 CFR 208.4(a)(2) |
| Where the adjudicator decides an applicant should provide corroborating evidence, it must be provided unless the applicant does not have it and cannot reasonably obtain it. | 8 U.S.C. 1158(b)(1)(B)(ii) |
| Form I-589 instructions require translations of foreign-language documents with the translator's certification of competence and accuracy. | USCIS, Form I-589 |
What is usually translated
Asylum cases rest on the applicant's own account, and on documents that support it. The documents vary with the claim, but most cases include several of these:
- Identity and nationality: passport, national ID card, birth certificate, household or family registers.
- Relationship: marriage and children's birth certificates, for family members included in the application.
- Evidence of harm or threat: police reports, court summonses, arrest warrants, medical and hospital records, death certificates of relatives.
- Membership and activity: party or church membership cards, union records, letters from organisations.
- Statements: letters and affidavits from witnesses, family and neighbours.
- Country evidence: news articles and reports in the local language.
Translate everything you file, in full
A translated summary or "relevant parts only" does not meet the rule. If a news article is long and only one paragraph mentions the applicant, either file the whole article with a full translation or ask your attorney how they want to handle it; do not file a partial translation as if it were complete. Stamps, seals, signatures and handwritten notes are translated or described, because officers and judges look at them when deciding whether a document is genuine.
Names, dates and consistency
Inconsistencies hurt asylum cases. A name spelled three ways across documents, or a date that differs between a translation and the applicant's declaration, can be taken as a credibility problem. We spell every name as in the passport (or as your attorney instructs if there is no passport), give dates with the month in words, and keep one spelling across the whole set. If a document's date or detail differs from what the applicant told us, we translate what the document says and do not "correct" it; tell your attorney about the difference.
Handwritten and damaged documents
Summonses and letters are often handwritten, photographed on a phone, or damaged. We translate what can be read with certainty and mark the rest [illegible] or [damaged]. A guessed word in an asylum exhibit is worse than a marked gap.
Confidentiality
Asylum files are among the most sensitive we handle. They are seen only by the translators on the job, never shared, and deleted on request after delivery. We do not contact anyone named in the documents.
What we don't do
We translate documents; we do not give legal advice, prepare the I-589 or declaration, or interpret at asylum interviews or court hearings. Asylum officers and immigration courts provide or require interpreters under their own rules.
Documents we translate for this
Birth Certificate translation
Certified birth certificate translation accepted by USCIS, courts and universities, with the certificate of accuracy included.
Police Certificate translation
Certified translation of FBI background checks for use abroad, and of foreign police certificates for USCIS and the NVC.
Medical Records translation
Certified translation of medical records, vaccination records and reports for treatment, immigration medicals and insurance claims.
Passport translation
Certified translation of foreign passports, internal passports, visas, stamps and endorsement pages for USCIS, courts and foreign authorities.
Text Messages translation
Certified translation of WhatsApp, WeChat, SMS and social-media messages as evidence for USCIS, immigration court and civil or criminal cases.
Price
$39 for the first page (up to 250 words) into English, $49 into any other language, then $0.116 per additional word. Each file is priced on its own. The signed certificate of accuracy is included.
Full pricingTurnaround
24 hours standard for most documents. Expedited service is +50% for 6–8 hours and +100% for 1–3 hours. Large files are quoted with a delivery date before you pay.
Questions
Does an asylum translation need to be notarized?
No. USCIS and immigration courts require a translator's certification of competence and accuracy, not notarization.
Can a friend or relative translate my asylum documents?
The rules require a competent translator who certifies the translation. A relative or someone involved in the case invites doubts about accuracy; an independent translator is safer.
Do I need to translate my whole passport?
Translate the pages you file. Stamps and visas often matter in asylum cases for dates of travel, so ask your attorney which pages to include.
How fast can you translate for a filing deadline?
Most civil records in 24 hours, or in hours with expedited service. For large evidence packets, tell us the filing date and we schedule the most important documents first.
Related
Prepared by Global Certified Translations, Edgewater, NJ. Translations are signed by a State Court Certified Translator. This page explains translation requirements; it is not legal advice.
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