Immigrant Visas: Why English Translations are Important for Original Documents
By: Roohan Adeel Posted on Wed, 01-05-2024
The process of getting an immigrant visa can be stressful, exciting, and frustrating all at once. Moreover, the massive amounts of paperwork, interviews, and navigating various requirements can be tiring, to say the least. People usually move to countries like the UK, USA, Australia, and areas in Europe. English, is the most common language of administration in most first-world countries. This is why English translation services are often in high demand in this industry. Accuracy is of prime importance when it comes to immigration translations and a reason why availing professional certified translations should be given immense importance.
Our blog today focuses on the importance of English translation for immigrant visa applications. Exploring why professional services are important and a guide on getting your translations accurately done.
Table of Content
Why Does One Need English Translations for Immigration?
Most of the world's government agencies have English as the language of administration in the country, along with their native tongues. While a few countries may accept additional languages when filing your immigration papers, many will not. Another factor is equal opportunity for all applicants, by using the same standards for everyone.
It is also very difficult for any country's immigration department to handle so many applications in various languages. The hiring process would have to be unreal to cater to everyone equally.
Common Documents that Require Translation for Immigration
Though each country has its specific criteria for documentation they may require. But the most commonly translated documents are:
- Police records
- Academic transcripts
- Bank statements
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Divorce certificates
FYI: Passports do not need an English translation.
Why Should One Choose a Professional Translation Specialist/Company?
Although, you can find many AI translation tools online that are either free or require very minimal investment and you will also come across various freelance translators on platforms like Fiver and LinkedIn. Though such resources are good, but in sensitive matters where accuracy is of paramount importance, only professional linguists should be used.
Because AI tools are prone to making silly mistakes and freelance individual translators may lack industry knowledge, as well as have zero quality assurance measures in place. While those offering professional document translation services via office have industry standards to adhere to, or they may lose their ISO certifications that give them credibility. Let’s talk about this in more detail:
Quick & Accurate Translations
Your immigration case is based on the information that you present to the visa officer. Hence, English translations are of course vital for them to assess the merits of your application. Using a professional firm to handle your translations for immigration documents can ensure the right formatting, accuracy of translations, and quick turnaround time. While many freelancers are known to delay tasks or make silly mistakes.
Confidentiality
Your visa paperwork often contains some very private information that you would want to keep private. When getting your translations done through professionals, you can rest assured that your data is discarded after the completion of the service. You can even have professional translation companies sign a non-disclosure agreement and hold them liable to legal action in case this unfortunate event does occur.
Legal Requirement at Times
There are many countries that specify that you need to translate your documents from certified translators. You may also have to get it signed and stamped as proof. Hence, availing of non-certified translation services can also be a waste of time and money. Even worse, your immigration request can be denied due to documentation errors.
Expertise & Credibility
A certified translator is trained and experienced in various forms of translation tasks. Hence, they understand nuances in both target language and source language. Moreover, firms are known to hire industry experts and native language speakers to build credibility.
Standards
A certified translator is familiar with the formatting that may go into various countries' immigration requirements. Moreover, they may even advise or guide you on how you can improve your application or profile.
Finding the Right Translator
Your application success rates are highly dependent on finding the right translation service providers. Here is how you can make an informed decision while choosing the right English document translators:
Qualifications
You should be on the lookout for certified translators, and this certification has to be internationally recognized.
Experience
Practice makes perfect, and it is much better to have an experienced person doing this task than someone who is new to the industry. Someone who is already familiar with the immigration process can give you better value for money.
Language Proficiency
You need to be sure that your translator is a fluent speaker of both the target language and the source language.
Reviews, Ratings, & References
Read online reviews to see what other people's experiences have been like. You can also ask your friends, family, and relatives for recommendations.
Turnaround Time & Cost
You need to see how long it takes for your translator to complete the translation task.
Tips for Smooth Translations of Immigration Documents
Here are a few pointers and tips to ensure that your English translations for your immigration visa are successful:
Go Through All Requirements
There are multiple documents that need to be translated during the immigration process. Some documents may even be asked later on, hence try to get a list of all documents so you can get them translated at once. Moreover, this will also help you get a better cost of translation services.
Accuracy Matters
Remember, any firm from which you avail translation services is liable to ensure the accuracy of your documents. Especially if the firm is ISO or ATA certified.
Completeness
Even professionals can make mistakes. Moreover, technology can also fail us at times. So ensure that all the documents given were translated. Furthermore, ensure that the proper formatting is done, and all relevant information is present in the translation document.
Keep Original Documents Safe
You should always send scanned copies or photocopy the original when submitting documents. Always keep the original safe and with you. If you lose such a document, it can take a long time to get a replacement and can even be costly at times.
Final Thoughts
Ensuring accuracy for your immigration document translations is just as much your responsibility as the service providers. So do your due diligence and go for a translation firm that is ATA and ISO-certified, is experienced, mentions the language pair in question, and has good reviews online. You need to clearly communicate your requirements and also ensure a timeline beforehand. This will help you avoid delays and get accurate translations.
If you want to get your immigration documents translated in English or any other language, Mars Translation has got you covered. We have a vast network of native, skilled and highly experienced translators to translate your documents as per international standards. Get in touch for more details!
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