Corporate Document Translation: Reports, Minutes, Resolutions
Certified translation of annual reports, board minutes, resolutions and articles for US banks, the SEC, USCIS and US subsidiaries of foreign companies.
The short answer
Foreign company documents need an English translation whenever a US body must rely on them: a foreign-language document filed with the SEC needs an English translation (Exchange Act Rule 12b-12(d) and Regulation S-T Rule 306), and banks verify who owns and controls a company before opening an account (31 CFR 1010.230). L-1 petitions prove the corporate relationship with these records.
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 |
|---|---|
| A document filed with the SEC under the Exchange Act that is in a foreign language must be accompanied by an English translation (with limited exceptions for summaries and versions). | 17 CFR 240.12b-12(d) |
| Electronic (EDGAR) filings must be in English; a foreign-language document must be submitted as a fair and accurate English translation, summary or version. | 17 CFR 232.306 (Regulation S-T) |
| Banks must identify and verify the beneficial owners of legal-entity customers when an account is opened. | 31 CFR 1010.230 |
| An L-1 petition must show the qualifying relationship between the US and foreign employers (parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate). | 8 CFR 214.2(l) |
| Any foreign-language document filed with USCIS needs a full English translation certified as complete and accurate by a competent translator. | 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) |
Who asks for these documents
US banks. Opening an account for a US subsidiary, or for a foreign parent, means proving who owns and controls the company. Banks typically ask for the articles or statutes, a recent extract from the company register, the shareholder list, and the board resolution that authorises the account and names the signatories. Each of those is a foreign document, and the compliance officer needs to read it.
USCIS. An L-1 transferee, an E-2 treaty investor or an EB-1C manager proves the company structure with annual reports, share registers, organisational charts and minutes. Every page filed must be fully translated and certified.
The SEC and investors. Foreign private issuers file in English. Annual reports prepared in another language are translated in full or, where the rules allow, as an English summary.
Minutes and resolutions
Board and shareholder minutes are short, formal and full of legal effect: who attended, whether there was a quorum, what was resolved, and who signed. The translation keeps the structure exactly, including the numbering of resolutions, the attendance list and the notarial or registry endorsements that often follow the signatures. A resolution translated with "may" where the original says "shall" changes what the signatory is authorised to do.
Annual reports
An annual report mixes narrative, financial statements and notes. For a bank or USCIS file, the parts that matter are usually the management report, the balance sheet, the income statement and the auditor's opinion. Ask whether the full report is needed: translating 120 pages to prove one subsidiary relationship is rarely necessary, but for USCIS everything you file must be translated, so file only what you need. Financial statements follow the terminology of the accounting framework they were prepared under; see our financial statement page for how IFRS and local terms are handled.
Extracts and certified copies
A certified translation covers exactly the pages we receive. If you only send an extract, the certificate says so. Where the receiving body asks for a translation of a "certified copy", send us the copy with its registry certification so that the certification is translated too.
What we don't do
We translate and certify. We do not prepare filings, advise on corporate structure, or audit figures. Where a document must be apostilled abroad before use in the US, that is done in the issuing country.
Documents we translate for this
Business Registration translation
Certified translation of foreign company register extracts, articles, licences and tax registrations for US banks, USCIS, state filings and partners.
Financial Statement translation
Certified translation of balance sheets, income statements, audit reports and notes for banks, investors, the SEC, USCIS and auditors.
Contract translation
Certified translation of contracts and leases: supply, distribution, employment, rental and sale agreements, for signing, courts, lenders and USCIS.
Power of Attorney translation
Certified translation of powers of attorney and affidavits for use abroad or in the US, with the order of notarization, apostille and …
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
Do board minutes for a US bank need a certified translation?
Banks set their own rules; most ask for a translation they can rely on, and a certified translation is the safe choice. Ask the bank if it also wants it notarized.
Can you translate only part of an annual report?
Yes, for most uses. The certificate states which pages were translated. For USCIS, every page you file must be translated, so file only the pages you need.
Do foreign corporate documents need an apostille as well?
Often, for a bank or a US court. The apostille is issued in the country where the document was made, before translation, and we then translate the apostille too. USCIS does not usually require one.
How are company names and legal forms translated?
The registered name stays as registered. The legal form is explained, for example "GmbH (limited liability company)", so the reader knows what it is.
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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