USCIS can read passports issued in English, French, Spanish, and several other common languages. If your passport contains a language USCIS officers cannot read, or if you are submitting it as evidence in a proceeding that requires English-language documentation, a certified translation is required.

Under 8 CFR § 103.2(b)(3), any foreign-language document submitted to USCIS must be accompanied by a full English translation, along with the translator’s certification of accuracy and competency. Self-translation by the applicant, a sponsor, or a family member is not accepted, regardless of fluency, and can result in a Request for Evidence (RFE) that delays processing. Because discrepancies between a passport and other submitted documents are a common source of RFEs, names, dates, and identifying details should be translated consistently across your full application packet.

A compliant translation includes:

• Complete translation – every element on the biographical page, including stamps, watermarks, and barcodes. Illegible marks are noted as “[Illegible]” rather than omitted.
• Translator certification – the translator’s name, the date, and a signature (physical or verified electronic).
• Accuracy statement – a clause confirming the translation is complete and true to the source document.
• Competency declaration – a statement that the translator is qualified to translate the given language pair.

Certified vs. Notarized Translation:

• Certified Translation: a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy confirming the translator’s competence and completeness. This is what USCIS requires for immigration filings.
• Notarized Translation: a certified translation that a notary public has additionally witnessed and sealed. Typically requested by courts, embassies, and academic institutions – not required by USCIS.