Translations for documents

[slim 1,530]

I called the embassy one time and it was to postpone my fiancee's interview. They complied. I forget the exact charge but it was something like $6 for only a few minutes. Definitely not the most efficient way to gather information. If you have a specific purpose for a call, it may be worth it. If not.... e-mail!

[mendeleev 68]

For example - her Police report is in Russian and now it needs to be translated in English.

Why does it need to be translated into English? Based on personal experience and the instructions in the embassy packet the police certificate if issued within Russia does not need to be translated. On the same note, most translation services in Russia are very cheap in comparison to services here and notary functions usually accompany their services.

Who knows why her Police Report needs to be translated in English? The arguments I read on this thread all make sense in arguing that they do not. But we all know the first rule of governments: it an argument makes sense, it is probably wrong.

However, in the instruction packet my wife and I reviewed last weekend (before leaving her home city to come to Moscow) we caught a clear instruction that Police Reports were to be translated. There was no caveat about Russian police reports needing no translation.

Perhaps this text in the instructions document is new, perhaps not. But no one on this thread commented on the fact that the clear instructions from the embassy to the applicant state unambiguously that she (or he) should translate or get a translation of the police reports into English.

[Satellite 1]

However, in the instruction packet my wife and I reviewed last weekend (before leaving her home city to come to Moscow) we caught a clear instruction that Police Reports were to be translated. There was no caveat about Russian police reports needing no translation.

Today my wife had her interview here in Moscow.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=87351

I'm dumb founded, didn't she already go through the interview? What are you trying to pull here, how many wives you trying to bring over

Agpk, We did NOT have the police report translated despite my translators instance that it was required. To the best of my knowledge it did not cause a bit of problem and I am quite sure it does not need to be translated.

People waste a lot of time and money getting the police report translated and it is not necessary. I did not get mine done for either of the K-1's I have done.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=86937

After reading this, what makes you think you need it translated? His lady did just fine just a few days ago!

I am not sure what her "new" instructions said but if I still kept ours I'd be able to show that the Russian instruction said translations when describing the birth certificate and divorce decree and did not use that word for police certificate. Based on simple language construction, the word "translation" has special meaning and the absences of it implies just that.

[Turboguy 6]

Here are the instructions on the US Embassy in Moscow's website as of this minute.

Original birth certificate, photocopy and translation into English.

Police certificates in all names as well as all dates of birth ever used. Police certificate must contain references to each place (subject to the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation) in which the applicant lives or has lived for more than six months since attaining the age of 16. This includes localities where applicants have lived during university studies. If the applicant was on military service, he/she should bring the certificate from the local draft board. If an applicant has lived abroad for more than one year, a police certificate must also be submitted from the country in which he/she lived. Police certificate validity is one year since the date of issuance.

Evidence of termination of prior marriage(s) (if applicable), original, photocopy and translation into English.

Please note that there is no mention of a translation of the police certificate.

It does not need translated.

[Neonred 3,614]

Just be sure to get translations for any police certificates that are not from Russia.

My wife had to provide a police certificate from Germany and that one did need to be translated.

[Blues Fairy 0]

I've just received my Packet 3/4 and the pink instruction page does state the translation for police report is necessary.

[Turboguy 6]

I've just received my Packet 3/4 and the pink instruction page does state the translation for police report is necessary.

Perhaps they are starting to change the procedure but not enforcing the rules too much yet.

[Fettman 0]

I've just received my Packet 3/4 and the pink instruction page does state the translation for police report is necessary.

Perhaps they are starting to change the procedure but not enforcing the rules too much yet.

Forgive my ignorance, but is it safe to assume this packet 3/4 thing is the checklist and documents the foreign national needs to fill out/collect?

[slim 1,530]

You're right, Fettman.

Some of the other embassies have a packet 3 they send to the applicant, the app. fills out some papers then sends it back, then the embassy sends them a packet 4 with the final instructions and interview invitaion.

Moscow only sends one packet with nothing needed to be sent back in, only specific instructions on what to do for the interview.

[mendeleev 68]

I've just received my Packet 3/4 and the pink instruction page does state the translation for police report is necessary.

This is *EXACTLY* what we saw -- and what I'm trying to alert the group about!

The procedures may be changing and those with dogmatic past experiences may lead those going through this process in near future into unnecessary problems. Those of us with more recent documentary experience should be respected, not questioned and criticized.

[Satellite 1]

Moscow only sends one packet with nothing needed to be sent back in, only specific instructions on what to do for the interview.

I bet there is a direct correlation with the quality of mail service in Russia and why the embassy only does one packet.

The procedures may be changing and those with dogmatic past experiences may lead those going through this process in near future into unnecessary problems. Those of us with more recent documentary experience should be respected, not questioned and criticized.

The easiest way to clarify this problem is to write an email to the embassy. In just a few days you will know the answer of whether you should waste your time and money. Likewise, until someone on here posts, I got a pink slip for lack of having a translated police certificate, I'd stick with the old method. The website would certainly have highlighted this rule change in some creative way if it was significant.

[mendeleev 68]

The procedures may be changing and those with dogmatic past experiences may lead those going through this process in near future into unnecessary problems. Those of us with more recent documentary experience should be respected, not questioned and criticized.

The easiest way to clarify this problem is to write an email to the embassy. In just a few days you will know the answer of whether you should waste your time and money. Likewise, until someone on here posts, I got a pink slip for lack of having a translated police certificate, I'd stick with the old method. The website would certainly have highlighted this rule change in some creative way if it was significant.

Who said anything about wasting time and money? The instructions said "translate it" so she sat down and translated it in five minutes. When we saw the clear, written instructions sent by the embassy, during our final review of our documents Sunday morning (we flew to Moscow Sunday afternoon) there was no longer time to send them a note, "Do you really mean what you wrote, as opposed to what all those guys on visajourney.com say?" I was surprised at the embassy's instructions on this point, since the August Wisdom here was adamant that it wasn't necessary...

We translated the police certificate. Her documents were perfect. Her interview lasted two minutes. DHL sent the parcel to her two days later and we await its delivery.

My recommendation: follow the instructions in packet 3/4 -- but if you want, follow Satellites lead and roll the dice. It probably wouldn't result in anything worse than a delay. But it won't be his wife who runs the risk; she is safely here. It will be your risk, or your fiance's or wife's.

Edited September 15, 2007 by novotul

[Turboguy 6]

1. Nothing was said Tuesday about the police report needing to be translated.

2. The website still says nothing about the police report needing to be translated.

My guess is they are changing to process and not enforcing it yet. Are you sure the packet said "police report and it's translation into English" and not just that all documents must be translated? Are you sure it did not say if it was in a language other than Russian or English it needed to be translated? I am not doubting you but will feel more sure when someone confirms it. Sometimes people can misread things and many have misread the police report part in the past.

[apgk 0]

1. Nothing was said Tuesday about the police report needing to be translated.

2. The website still says nothing about the police report needing to be translated.

My guess is they are changing to process and not enforcing it yet. Are you sure the packet said "police report and it's translation into English" and not just that all documents must be translated? Are you sure it did not say if it was in a language other than Russian or English it needed to be translated? I am not doubting you but will feel more sure when someone confirms it. Sometimes people can misread things and many have misread the police report part in the past.

My fiancee also told me that the pink colored paper she received in her packet from embassy clearly says that the Police certificate needs to be translated.

The problem is what does it mean and who can translate - we have translated the certificate - no big deal.

The issue is that in Russia for some reason, such translation need to be certified (and typically having

a stamp/seal of somesort of some office/agency/person who did this translation). This is not clear if the

translation needs to be certified or not?

[Turboguy 6]

Sounds like confirmation to me. Someone in the Embassy should get off their fanny and update the website.