# Can a family member translate your documents for USCIS? > USCIS asks for a complete translation and a signed statement, not a specific translator. See why a relative invites questions and when it is not allowed. https://roxotranslations.com/us/blog/can-a-family-member-translate-documents-for-uscis/ USCIS requires every foreign-language document to come with a full English translation and a certification from the translator that it is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)). The rule does not name who the translator must be, but translating your own document, or asking a relative, invites questions about impartiality. That is why an independent professional translator is the safer choice. Other immigration systems are stricter: Canada’s IRCC does not accept translations by the applicant or by a family member at all. ## Key takeaways - USCIS asks for a complete translation and the translator’s signed certification. - A translation by you or a relative invites questions about impartiality. - An independent professional translator is the safer choice for an immigration case. - Canada’s IRCC does not accept translations by the applicant or a family member. - Other agencies set their own rules: check what the receiving agency asks for. ## Table of contents - What USCIS asks for - Why impartiality matters - Where a relative is not allowed - What to check in any translation - FAQ ## What USCIS asks for USCIS asks for the full English translation of every foreign-language document and the translator’s certification of competence and accuracy. It does not require notarization, although some schools, courts and other agencies do; at Roxo, notarization is available as an option. ## Why impartiality matters An immigration case is reviewed by an officer who needs to trust the documents. A translation signed by the applicant or by a relative, however accurate, can raise the question of whether something was softened or left out. A signed statement from an independent translator removes that question before it is asked. Who translatesUSCISIRCC (Canada) Independent professional translatorAccepted, with the signed certificationAccepted, with membership or affidavit The applicantInvites questions about impartialityNot accepted A family memberInvites questions about impartialityNot accepted, even if the relative is a translator ## Where a relative is not allowed IRCC, Canada’s immigration department, does not accept translations done by the applicant or by a family member, such as parents, children, spouse or partner, siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces and first cousins, even when the relative is a translator. If your documents may also go to Canada, plan for a professional translation from the start. ## What to check in any translation - The translation is complete, including stamps, seals and notes. - It comes with the translator’s signed statement of accuracy and competence. - The translator’s credential can be verified, such as ATA membership. - The format matches what the receiving agency asks for. Our certified translation for immigration page shows what the translation includes, and our help center answers other questions before you send. ## FAQ ### Can I translate my own documents for USCIS? The rule asks for a complete translation and the translator’s certification. Translating your own document invites questions about impartiality, so an independent professional is the safer choice. ### Can my bilingual cousin translate my birth certificate? For USCIS it invites questions about impartiality. For Canada’s IRCC, a family member’s translation is not accepted. ### Does USCIS require a notarized translation? No, but some other agencies do. At Roxo, notarization is available as an option for the certified translation. ### What does the translator’s statement say? That the translator is competent in both languages and that the translation is complete and accurate, with name, signature and date. ## Want a translation nobody will question? Send your document, see the price and the deadline instantly, and receive the certified translation as a PDF with the signed statement and, if you choose it, notarization. Related topics: certified translation for USCIS | certified translation | pricing | help center Related article: Do you need a local certified translator?