Marriage Certificate Translation for U.S. Spouse Visa

When we find the person we want to spend the rest of our lives with and finally tie the knot, we like to think that the stressful times of wedding planning and legal document signing are over and nothing can separate us from our spouse. Unfortunately, for the millions of Americans who are married to a non-U.S. citizen, the honeymoon period is fraught with legal consultations, the search for supporting documents, and the fear of separation. While marrying a U.S. citizen is one of the easiest ways to get a visa or a Green Card, immigration is still a stressful, lengthy, and expensive process. Even if everything goes according to plan, couples can wait for several years and pay thousands of dollars in admission and legal fees. If the foreign spouse isn’t from an English-speaking country like the U.K. or Canada, they will need to have their marriage certificate and other supporting documents translated, which adds to the already high cost of a Green Card application. In this article, we are going to look at the experiences of U.S. citizens trying to bring their foreign-born spouses and fiances to the United States and discuss the precautions you can take to make your Green Card application go smoother. We have also compiled a list of supporting documents that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services can ask for during the application process.
In the second half of the article, we will share useful information about the translation of marriage certificates and other official documents. You will learn:

• How to obtain a translation certificate for marriage certificate translation
• How much does marriage certificate translation cost
• Who can translate a marriage certificate
• How to choose a translation agency for marriage certificate translation
• How to submit your official documents for translation
• How long will the marriage certificate translation take

What to expect when you are applying for a Green Card through marriage

You have a marriage certificate in your hand and your spouse by your side. What’s next?

A long application process

Even though becoming a legal U.S. resident through marriage is easier and a lot more common than becoming one through employment or asylum, it is far from being a walk in the park. USCIS takes issues such as illegal entry and marriage fraud very seriously, and proving your marriage is in fact “real” and your spouse has not come to the U.S. through illegal means can be a challenge. Even when you are legally married, if your spouse has ever come to the U.S. illegally, worked in the U.S. without a work permit, or overstayed their visa, it is unfortunately very difficult to get a Green Card. When we look at the immigration stories on myimmigrationstory.com, we see this sad event happening again and again: a non-U.S. citizen finds love during their visit to the U.S., overstays their visa to spend more time with their partner, and gets a 10-year bar from reentering the United States when they apply for a Green Card.

“We continued living together till we went to a lawyer and advised me to go back to England as that’s the only way for my hubby to apply a petition for me. Meanwhile we took his advice I came back to UK so when he tried to process for me the petition we found out that I have ban for 10 years as I overstayed my visa more than 1 year.” — Londoner, Oregon
Depending on your spouse's status, the immigration process can take less than a year, a couple of years, or you may have to wait decades before their travel ban is lifted.

Expensive fees

Just like every other long legal process, Green Card applications can get expensive very quickly, and the submission fees are just the tip of the iceberg. You might need to pay translation fees for translating your official documents to English, legal consultation fees if you need to consult a lawyer, and accommodation fees if you ever need to stay in a foreign country waiting for the approval of your visa. American citizen Lauren Krupp and her Cuban husband Doriel Acosta say that they had to pay more than $20,000 during the application process, and the travel and accommodation fees alone cost more than $12,500.
It is also possible to come across fraudulent lawyers when you are looking for legal help. To avoid scam artists looking to prey on the vulnerable, you should always choose the legal firms you are working with very carefully.
“My recent lawyer was indicted for scam. I lost my job 5 weeks ago because my lawyer was arrested and he kept all my documents to return to work.” — Denise

Many forms and documents

The first step in applying for a Green Card through marriage is to complete and submit forms I-130 and I-130A to USCIS. I-130 has questions about the petitioner (the spouse who is either a U.S. citizen or a Green Card holder), and I-130A has questions about the beneficiary (the foreign spouse). For I-130, you also need to submit supporting documents such as:

• Proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency (copy of birth certificate, passport, Green Card, etc.)
• Marriage certificate
• Evidence of a bona fide marriage (proof of living together, a joint bank account, old photographs, etc.)
• If the spouses were previously married, you need to submit evidence that shows the previous marriage has legally ended (divorce decree, death certificate, etc.).

If any of these supporting documents are originally in a foreign language (for example, if you got married in Mexico and have a marriage certificate in Spanish), you would need to translate them to English. All translations of official documents should also have a translation certificate. The translation certificate needs to include information about the translator's language proficiency, and the translator should verify that the translation is complete and accurate. If you are unsure whether you have all the necessary documents, you can find a complete checklist for form I-130 on USCIS’s website.

Personal questions

When the form is approved, it is time for interviews. These interviews are done to prove you have a bona fide marriage relationship and have not married your spouse just for the Green Card. You can expect questions about your first date, your wedding ceremony, your kids, and your daily routines. Even though these are relatively easy questions anyone in a real relationship can answer, sometimes people can misremember events or get confused due to stress. To increase your chances of passing this interview, it is a good idea to practice answering these kinds of personal questions before attending the interview.

A happy life in your new home & stability

“Education, work experience, abiding by governing rules—none of these things offers true security. That’s where a green card comes in.” ― Jordan Arellano, What My Green Card Love Story Taught Me About Immigration
As with every bureaucratic procedure, the Green Card application will be a very stressful process, but it’s absolutely worth it. When you have a Green Card, you won’t need to apply for visas over and over again. Neither will you live in fear of deportation or separation from your family. Having a Green Card is the most reliable way of achieving stability for mixed-status families.

Uniting for Ukraine

If either you or your spouse is Ukrainian, and if you don’t think that it is safe to wait for the long Green Card application process, there is an easier pathway to temporary residency for Ukrainians. This is called Uniting for Ukraine. You can check USCIS’s website to learn about eligibility and the necessary documents. If you are currently applying for a visa or a Green Card and would like to learn more about marriage certificate translation from Ukrainian, keep reading.

Marriage Certificate Translation

If you or your spouse aren’t from an English-speaking country, you will need to submit certified English translations of your marriage certificate and other supporting documents, such as passports, birth certificates, apartment leases, health insurance documents, and divorce certificates. As the number of supporting documents you submit is largely up to you, the cost of an official translation service can easily rack up. While it might be tempting to go with the cheapest translation service for your marriage certificate, working with subpar translation agencies and submitting inaccurate or incomplete translations can cause your application to be rejected. When even the filing fee costs more than $500, not to mention all the other fees that you incur while waiting for a Green Card, it can be a good idea to not leave the translation quality to chance—but how do you know if you are choosing the right translation service for your Green Card application? Also, how can you make sure you are not overpaying for marriage certificate translation when there are countless other fees draining your wallet?

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How to choose a translation agency for marriage certificate translation

Similar to other official translation services you may need for government forms, there are three main factors to look for when you are choosing a marriage certificate translation service: accuracy, speed, and affordability. Here are our tips for lowering your chance of being rejected due to low-quality translations and ensuring you are getting your money’s worth.

Accurate marriage certificate translation

USCIS states that all official translations should be complete and accurate. How do you make sure that’s the case? We suggest reading the claims of official translation service providers with a critical eye. You may see an agency claiming to provide the best marriage certificate translation service. Try to find out how they are backing up their claim. You can look for answers to these questions:

Is their pool of professional translators large enough to complete translation tasks on time without cutting corners?

The translation industry is rife with agencies that work with a very small group of translators and give them the absolute minimum of time to work on your projects. Little time usually translates to low quality, and this cost-saving tactic can cost you your Green Card application. If an agency cannot back up their claims of fast and high-quality service with a large translation team, we’d say just skip it.

What can MotaWord offer?
MotaWord’s translation team has more than 24,000 professional translators. The combination of this large talent pool and MotaWord’s unique collaborative translation system makes it possible to offer high-quality official translation in 110+ languages. If you need an accurate marriage certificate translation and need it to be delivered quickly, MotaWord will not let you down.

Does the agency have positive reviews or customer testimonials?

Every large professional translation agency worth their name—and your money—should have a long list of positive reviews that show that they have experience in a particular field and offer a good service.
What can MotaWord offer?
You can find client testimonials on MotaWord’s service page for certified translation service for USCIS. MotaWord has worked with countless law firms to create error-free translations of marriage certificates and other supporting documents needed for immigration. You can also check MotaWord’s client showcase to see some of the important companies MotaWord has partnered with.

Does the translation agency know the marriage certificate translation requirements for USCIS?

Someone can be a great translator, but what good does their talent do if they do not know the translation requirements for USCIS? Every country and immigration system have different rules for official translations, and you cannot translate official documents accurately or provide an admissible translation certificate if you are not familiar with these rules.
What can MotaWord offer?
MotaWord is committed to making translation for Green Card applications as smooth as possible. If you are applying for a Green Card and need to translate your marriage certificate to English, you can get help from MotaWord’s resources to learn more about the immigration process and USCIS requirements. To find out more about the official translation of marriage certificates, you can head over to MotaWord’s complete guide for official translation. If you would like to read more about certified translations for USCIS, we suggest reading this blog post.

Fast marriage certificate translation

Immigration procedures tend to have this weird conundrum: you feel like things are taking way too long and everything is moving way too fast at the same time. The whole process can take years, but when you need to submit documents, you need to find and translate them in a short time period. This fast-paced environment makes it essential to find a fast translation service.

What can MotaWord offer?
Translation speed is one of MotaWord’s strongest suits. Thanks to its experienced translation team and its innovative translation system, MotaWord can deliver translated marriage certificates in a matter of hours without sacrificing translation quality.

Affordable marriage certificate translation

If you are looking for a marriage certificate translation for USCIS, it usually means you have already spent thousands of dollars due to marriage and immigration related expenses. If your budget is limited and you don’t want to spend top dollar for marriage certificate translation, you are in the right place.

What can MotaWord offer?
MotaWord offers affordability and price transparency. When you work with MotaWord, you know exactly how much you are going to pay before you receive your translation, and you won’t ever see unexpected additional charges such as minimum fees or certification fees. Visit MotaWord’s quote page to find out more.

Translation certification

For your marriage certificate translation and other official document translations to be admissible, you need a translation certification. A translation certificate is a document that translators or translation agencies sign to verify that the translation they have provided is complete and accurate. If this is the first time you are hearing about this document, you don’t need to worry at all because MotaWord offers a free-of-charge translation certificate to all clients that need it. You can download a translation certificate template here.

Frequently asked questions

We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions about marriage certificate translation for USCIS. Can’t find your questions here? Please don’t hesitate to contact MotaWord’s customer support team.

Do I need to translate my marriage certificate for USCIS?

If the original marriage certificate is not in English, you need an English translation. This requirement applies to all supporting documents you may need for the I-130 form, including but not limited to bank statements, death certificates, residential lease agreements, or birth certificates. For more information on USCIS’s translation requirements, you can check USCIS’s official tips for filing immigration forms.

Who can translate a marriage certificate?

Translation agencies and professional translators that can prove their proficiency in both English and the source language can translate marriage certificates and create translation certificates. Unlike many European Union countries, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services do not require notarization or the use of sworn translators.

How can I find a marriage certificate translation service near me?

The immigration process requires a lot of driving around, doesn’t it? Luckily, you don’t even need to leave your house to look for the nearest marriage certificate translation service, as you can easily find the best translation service online. MotaWord provides a quick and easy way to send translation projects. You can send your documents in any format you like. MotaWord will try to maintain the formatting as much as possible and deliver a translated PDF file at record speeds.

How much does it cost to translate a marriage certificate?

Translation fees usually change according to the language of the original marriage certificate and the length of the text. For example, if you got married in Russia and need a marriage certificate translation from Russian to English, the translation rate you get will most likely be different from the rate given to a couple married in China.
Some translation agencies will ask for a “per page” fee, and some will charge you on a “per word” or “per character” basis. If you are looking to choose the most affordable marriage certificate translation service, we suggest looking for agencies that use “per word” translation rates and have no minimum fees. As marriage certificates have little text on them, paying per page can greatly increase the translation costs.
If you are looking for an affordable translation service, you cannot go wrong with MotaWord. MotaWord does not have any minimum fees or certification fees. You only pay the amount you can easily find on the translation quote page, not a cent more.