USCIS requires that any foreign language document you submit be accompanied by a full English translation. While you could translate your documents yourself or ask a friend, using a professional service is the best way to ensure your translations meet USCIS standards.
But how do you know if your chosen company or translator is qualified? This article will discuss the top four questions to ask a translation company before placing your order.
Certification
A certification is a signed statement by a translator that the translation is complete and accurate. Any document containing a foreign language submitted to USCIS must be accompanied by a full English translation certified by the translator. The translator must also sign a statement that he or she is competent to translate from a foreign language into English.
Noncitizens seeking admission as nonimmigrants or immigrants to perform labor in the United States must present credentialing documents verifying that they meet the occupation’s minimum statutory and regulatory requirements, including education, training, experience, licensure, and English proficiency. These documents are sometimes referred to as “certified credentials” or “certified qualifications.”
To obtain a permanent labor certification for a position in the United States, an employer must first file an immigration petition with the Department of Labor (DOL). The permanent labor certification is used to demonstrate that the job offered meets the definition of a permanent position and that no qualified U.S. workers are available to fill the job. In some cases, the requirement that an employer have a job offer to support a permanent labor certification is waived for professionals with advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability.
When a petition supported by an approved permanent labor certification is filed after the expiration of the certificate’s validity period, USCIS denies the petition unless the petitioner shows that the original certificate was lost or destroyed and that DOL did not issue a duplicate. In addition, the petitioner must show that the original permanent labor certification was filed on ETA Form 9089 and was approved before March 28, 2005. Alternatively, the petitioner may file an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) if he or she believes that DOL’s failure to issue a duplicate permanent labor certification was due to a mistake of fact or law.
Accuracy
In a legal context, accuracy is the quality of a translation or an interpreter’s performance. This can be assessed in a variety of ways, including by the number of incorrect classifications (true positives and false negatives) divided by the total number of evaluations. The percentage of correct responses on a test or survey can also be measured.
The USCIS Identity, Records and National Security Directorate (IRSDD) oversees two mission-critical programs: E-Verify and SAVE verification. Both of these programs verify the immigration status and work authorization of individuals working in the United States. This information is provided to federal, state, and local benefit-granting agencies and is used for fraud detection and national security purposes.
E-Verify is a web-based system that allows employers to check the employment eligibility of their employees. This program is used by hundreds of thousands of businesses to prevent unauthorized work and ensure that all employees have been legally authorized to work in the U.S. Its accuracy rate is high – less than 1% of workers who complete the process receive inaccurate work authorizations. However, there are a few things that can affect E-Verify’s accuracy. One is that it may not be able to detect certain types of phony documents. Another issue is that the system can sometimes mistakenly identify a person who has been convicted of a crime as eligible to work in the United States.
Another factor that can affect E-Verify’s reliability is the lack of integration with other government databases. This could lead to duplicates and other errors in the system. USCIS has made improvements to E-Verify and is looking into additional ways to improve the system.
When filing for a visa, including all the required documents is important. This will reduce the chances of a Request for Evidence (RFE) and delays. It is also a good idea to submit your application well in advance of the deadline. This will give USCIS time to review your application before it is due and ensure that all the information is accurate. Additionally, submitting certified translations for non-English documents can help to speed up the processing time.
Format
USCIS uses a variety of formats for forms, evidence, and other documents submitted to our office. Please submit documents and evidence in the format described in applicable regulations and form instructions. For example, if we ask for a particular type of proof or other information to establish eligibility for a benefit request, you must provide that evidence in the requested format.
For instance, if the regulations or form instructions require a person to sign their immigration benefit request in English, that signature must be in person and on the original document. A valid signature may be written in cursive handwriting or typed, but it must be signed with the full name of the person signing. A person who signs a document must affirm that they have the authority to do so and that they are responsible for the accuracy of the facts and claims in the document.
If you must submit original documents with your request, they may become part of the record and will not be returned to you automatically unless specifically requested in applicable regulations or the form instructions. You must clearly label the documents as “Original Documents” or “COPY” at the top of each page. Place tabs on the bottom of the pages rather than on the side for easier scanning into our electronic database systems.
Time
USCIS’s reporting of processing times can be misleading. Often, this information is out of date even before it’s posted to the agency’s website. This is because of the way in which USCIS calculates its statistics. Generally, they report processing times for specific field offices and service centers by application type. These are reported on a monthly basis and do not directly correlate to real-time. This makes it difficult to determine an accurate timeline for when your case will be processed.
For example, you may see that the processing time for your form is four months, but it could take a much longer amount of time than this at another location or for a different type of application. This is because USCIS uses a formula that includes factors such as the number of new applications received in the past month and how long it takes to complete 93 percent of adjudications.
Consequently, this approach has significant flaws and does not accurately reflect the average amount of time it takes for a particular office to process cases. Additionally, the formula does not consider how old an application is when it is filed. For these reasons, it is important to consult with your attorney and understand how USCIS calculates their processing times.
The agency is responsible for providing accurate and timely processing times so that individuals can make informed decisions about their immigration applications. This will help them manage expectations and plan their life and career accordingly. Moreover, it will enable them to pursue their dreams without unnecessarily waiting.
Unfortunately, USCIS is currently falling behind its goal of improving processing times and reducing backlogs. In response, they are increasing capacity and improving technology to improve the process. They are also taking steps to hire more employees and increase the efficiency of their staff.
Regardless of these improvements, many USCIS customers are still having to wait for their cases to be completed. This is frustrating because it often causes families to put professional, family, and travel plans on hold. Consequently, many of these individuals are seeking legal assistance from the CIS Ombudsman’s office and their Members of Congress to get answers about the status of their cases.
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