TRANSLATIONS.... AGAIN

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Hello everyone,

I received excellent advise from you on this topic before. YuandDan told me to get the translations done by someone I knew (check); and then go to the Notary Public for the sworn part. Good. So I call a couple of notaries in Edmonton and they tell me that translations are already certified by the translator him/herself and that this request is utterly strange.

So my question is ..... what do I do? Should I then pay a "real" translator instead of using the assistance of my fluent friend? ARGHHHHH. Any advise would help.

Thanks, L&B

[YuAndDan 153]

I work with several people who are notaries, and this in not something strange. You should be able to find a notary at a bank. Have your friend Write up the translation, with the certification note at the bottom, but wait to sign it in front of the bank notary, then sign it in front of the notary, the notary is just witnessing your friend signing the translation and stating that your friend is the person signing the translation.

I find it strange that the consulate is specifying that it needs to be notarized, when people sending these things in to USCIS when adjusting status only need the translation, and the translator, certifying the translation by signature.

You may want to ask the consulate by email if notarizing is really necessary.

[payxibka 10,047]

You may want to ask the consulate by email if notarizing is really necessary.

In this particular situation the notarization really adds little if any value (legitimacy) to the document.

[China Rob 0]

I work with several people who are notaries, and this in not something strange. You should be able to find a notary at a bank. Have your friend Write up the translation, with the certification note at the bottom, but wait to sign it in front of the bank notary, then sign it in front of the notary, the notary is just witnessing your friend signing the translation and stating that your friend is the person signing the translation.

I find it strange that the consulate is specifying that it needs to be notarized, when people sending these things in to USCIS when adjusting status only need the translation, and the translator, certifying the translation by signature.

You may want to ask the consulate by email if notarizing is really necessary.

Having my Chinese Fiancee just complete the interview and receive her Visa, I advise you to go to a certified translater. which will then give credibility to the document. The Guangzhou Embassy is very sensitive to fraudulents document and anyway, albeit somewhat strange, will waylay any possible delays. My fiancee went to the interview with a large pile of documents,ie, hotel, taxi, airline receipts, emails, instant messages, photos. Innundate them with documents proving that you have a valid relationship and she/he won't be sent away without the Visa.

Rob

[lucyrich 20]

Normally, for documents submitted to the USCIS, translations don't need to be notarized. The person doing the translation needs to sign a statement certifying that they have the required language ability and that the translation is accurate and complete. Anyone can do the translation, and no translator credentials are required or recognized.

But since you're talking about DCF, you're no longer dealing with a USCIS service center, but instead you're dealing with the consulate's rules. Consulate practices vary widely. Most, but not all, consulates will accept anything in English or in the official language of the host country with no translation. Where translation is required, rules vary widely -- sometimes notarization or other credentials are required.

Look at your consulate's website to see if you can find clear rules, or if that doesn't work, call them and ask what their policy is. Don't take other people's experiences as necessarily applicable to your situation unless they went through the same consulate as you are going through.

[meauxna 15]

FWIW, I have *never* heard of a translation needing to be notarized.

The only thing left in the whole immigration process that needs notarizing is the I-134.

I'd also think that for a common American language like Spanish (making a guess at the language you need) that a translation by a fluent person willing to sign the statement is fine.

Montreal is not China.

Where is the Consulate saying that you need a notarization?

[payxibka 10,047]

FWIW, I have *never* heard of a translation needing to be notarized.

The only thing left in the whole immigration process that needs notarizing is the I-134.

I'd also think that for a common American language like Spanish (making a guess at the language you need) that a translation by a fluent person willing to sign the statement is fine.

Montreal is not China.

Where is the Consulate saying that you need a notarization?

I am a bit confused. The OP's profile says he/she is from Edmonton, AB and the fiance(e) is from Mexico. Is this a US or Canadian immigration question? The answer may not be any different, but it may....

Edited November 20, 2006 by fwaguy

[Chica Yeyé 41]

FWIW, I have *never* heard of a translation needing to be notarized.

The only thing left in the whole immigration process that needs notarizing is the I-134.

I'd also think that for a common American language like Spanish (making a guess at the language you need) that a translation by a fluent person willing to sign the statement is fine.

Montreal is not China.

Where is the Consulate saying that you need a notarization?

I am a bit confused. The OP's profile says he/she is from Edmonton, AB and the fiance(e) is from Mexico. Is this a US or Canadian immigration question? The answer may not be any different, but it may....

Details on us: Hubby is USC, I'm Mexican, we live in Edmonton, filing DCF for CR1.

The document checklist that MTL sent us says: "All documents not in English must be accompanied by certified translations into English. Translations must be certified by a competent translator and sworn to by him before a Notary." So, my official birth certificates etc. are in Spanish.

Thanks for the responses. I will keep reading on and probably email MTL soon enough. This is LOCO!!! He he.

[YuAndDan 153]

Details on us: Hubby is USC, I'm Mexican, we live in Edmonton, filing DCF for CR1.

The document checklist that MTL sent us says: "All documents not in English must be accompanied by certified translations into English. Translations must be certified by a competent translator and sworn to by him before a Notary." So, my official birth certificates etc. are in Spanish.

Thanks for the responses. I will keep reading on and probably email MTL soon enough. This is LOCO!!! He he.

You answered your own question, it dose not need to be notarized, just certified, your friend can do that, just by stating "I certify that I am competent to translate from [Language] to English and that the above [identify the document and to whom it pertains] is a correct and true translation to the best of my knowledge and belief."

Signed:_______________

Address:______________

Telephone:____________

Date:_________________

Don't confuse Notarize with Certify, even the notaries were telling you the correct thing, that when your friend signs it that he "Certifies" it by default.

[lucyrich 20]

Details on us: Hubby is USC, I'm Mexican, we live in Edmonton, filing DCF for CR1.

The document checklist that MTL sent us says: "All documents not in English must be accompanied by certified translations into English. Translations must be certified by a competent translator and sworn to by him before a Notary." So, my official birth certificates etc. are in Spanish.

Thanks for the responses. I will keep reading on and probably email MTL soon enough. This is LOCO!!! He he.

You answered your own question, it dose not need to be notarized, just certified, your friend can do that, just by stating "I certify that I am competent to translate from [Language] to English and that the above [identify the document and to whom it pertains] is a correct and true translation to the best of my knowledge and belief."

Signed:_______________

Address:______________

Telephone:____________

Date:_________________

Don't confuse Notarize with Certify, even the notaries were telling you the correct thing, that when your friend signs it that he "Certifies" it by default.

I think you missed the part where the consulate said the translations must be certified "and sworn to him before a Notary."

This consulate has different rules than the USCIS. When dealing with the consulate, follow the instructions given by the consulate.

[meauxna 15]

The document checklist that MTL sent us says: "All documents not in English must be accompanied by certified translations into English. Translations must be certified by a competent translator and sworn to by him before a Notary." So, my official birth certificates etc. are in Spanish.

Bien loco. Apologies for my earlier declaration--now I've heard it.

Contact MTL; I think you'll find that that statement does not actually need to be notarized. Then again, if it is not a problem for your translator to get the notarization, it's probably easier than trying to get an answer out of the Consulate!