Translation Question

[sunshinelove 52]

We're getting ready to send in our AOS paperwork and have to translate my wife's birth certificate. We were going to have it professionally done via an online translation site but we realized she can translate it herself because she's fluent and it'll save us both time and money. So here's where we don't know what to do. It's in French and the way it's written is very confusing if translated word to word into English. Is it ok to rearrange some phrasing so that it makes perfect sense in english? I'll include an example of a word for word translation we have:

 

The year [year] on [date], at 2:20 am, was born in [hospital], [address] : [wife's Last name, First name], female, child of [her mother], born in [city], [her date of birth], residing in [commune], at [address] and her spouse [father], born in [city], [his date of birth], residing in [commune], at [address] . This certificate is established on [date], at 10:00 am after recording and under the father’s statement by [registrar's name], Mayor, Registrar, who once the reading has been done, signs with the declarer. Approved deletion of a letter. (There was a typo on her birth certificate and that is what that last sentence is referring to. They struck out a letter). 

 

As you can see that's super confusing and not like US birth certificates. Can we add words and change the order to make things make more sense? Also, there is a side note on the certificate stating that her last name isn't her last name, even though it is. The only name she's ever used is the one on her birth certificate so the side note doesn't even make sense and I feel like it's just going to confuse USCIS. What should we do? 

[KULtoATL 1,551]

It doesn't sound like a straightforward translation. Maybe better to have a professional translating the birth certificate to make sure that it is properly translated while she translates all other documents?  On a lighter note, it's awesome that she's at the AOS stage!

[sunshinelove 52]

We can make it a straightforward translation. That's what I'm asking. Would a professional translator change things around to make it sound like perfect english. We can do that. We just don't want it to be considered inaccurate, even though the information would be correct and accurate.

[MrHanky 1,377]

Just make sure you can translate it yourself, I have to look into that soon myself, I was under the assumption it maybe needed to be in a certain format by a certified person, but maybe thats what the translators want you to think.

[sunshinelove 52]

I was going to use the online service rush translate, but that's like $40 and I read that they translate it word for word and that that sometimes means the phrases don't make exact sense. I figure for that much, we can translate it word for word and save time and money. 

[lala52 25]

I translated my aunt's birth certificate which was similar to your wife's. It need's to follow the same style but yes you may modify word/sentence structure to make sense in English. It should mimic the presentation of the original. Don't forget to include bracketed descriptions of where images and signatures appear.

 

Your wife can translate it but you will have to have a friend or relative who speaks/writes both languages sign the Certification by Translator at the end or attached to the document.

 

Best.

[MrHanky 1,377]

7 minutes ago, lala52 said:

I translated my aunt's birth certificate which was similar to your wife's. It need's to follow the same style but yes you may modify word/sentence structure to make sense in English. It should mimic the presentation of the original. Don't forget to include bracketed descriptions of where images and signatures appear.

 

Your wife can translate it but you will have to have a friend or relative who speaks/writes both languages sign the Certification by Translator at the end or attached to the document.

 

Best.

That's good to know, Certification by Translator sounded like to me needed to be actually certified.

 

 

[MrHanky 1,377]

You also need to include a letter according to this.

The thing im wondering is "All documents not written in English, or in the official language of the country in which you are applying for a visa"

So does that mean if its in the native language of your country you don't need to translate it?

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.html

 

 

[Eternati 13]

I translated my birth certificate on my own as well.

I really don't see what confuses you here? Birth certificate is an official document, not a fiction novel. Just translate it line after a line, if you feel like a certain phrase can sound a bit better, if you switch the words etc, just do it. As long as it has all the information translated (name, date, place of birth, parent's names, nationality) properly - you're good. 

[MrHanky 1,377]

34 minutes ago, Eternati said:

I translated my birth certificate on my own as well.

I really don't see what confuses you here? Birth certificate is an official document, not a fiction novel. Just translate it line after a line, if you feel like a certain phrase can sound a bit better, if you switch the words etc, just do it. As long as it has all the information translated (name, date, place of birth, parent's names, nationality) properly - you're good. 

what does "certified translations" mean then?

[Eternati 13]

59 minutes ago, MrHanky said:

what does "certified translations" mean then?

I'm really not sure where you got that from. I applied for AOS in October 2016, and used all of the official guidelines, and none of them said anything about "certified" translations. 
I even bothered to check USCIS web-site right now, and here what it says: 

• Supporting documents must be in English or accompanied by a complete English translation.

https://www.uscis.gov/forms-filing-tips

 

So that's what i wrote in the bottom corner:

I, <your name>, certify that the following document is a translation of a birth certificate, translated from <....> to English, and that I am competent to render such a translation.
(Your Signature)
(Your Name)
(Insert Date)

 

Hope that helps

[MrHanky 1,377]

29 minutes ago, Eternati said:

I'm really not sure where you got that from. I applied for AOS in October 2016, and used all of the official guidelines, and none of them said anything about "certified" translations. 
I even bothered to check USCIS web-site right now, and here what it says: 

• Supporting documents must be in English or accompanied by a complete English translation.

https://www.uscis.gov/forms-filing-tips

 

So that's what i wrote in the bottom corner:

I, <your name>, certify that the following document is a translation of a birth certificate, translated from <....> to English, and that I am competent to render such a translation.
(Your Signature)
(Your Name)
(Insert Date)

 

Hope that helps

That part does help thanks.

 

I got it from the link I posted above, department of state website about collecting and submitting forms to NVC

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.html

 

 

[Eternati 13]

2 minutes ago, MrHanky said:

That part does help thanks.

 

I got it from the link I posted above, department of state website about collecting and submitting forms to NVC

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.html

 

 

Well, that's the difference - you apply for a U.S. visa from your home country, but you apply for the AOS when you're already the States. In the first case all of the documents provided have to be in English OR in your native language (or rather the language of the Embassy you apply through). In the second case - in English.

Since we're talking about the adjustment of status here, it's handy to use USCIS official web-site for instructions.

[MrHanky 1,377]

5 hours ago, Eternati said:

Well, that's the difference - you apply for a U.S. visa from your home country, but you apply for the AOS when you're already the States. In the first case all of the documents provided have to be in English OR in your native language (or rather the language of the Embassy you apply through). In the second case - in English.

Since we're talking about the adjustment of status here, it's handy to use USCIS official web-site for instructions.

Ah sorry, its hard to keep track with all the emails I get, thanks for the clarification though.