Services · Certified Translation
Certified translation, accepted where it counts.
Complete, accurate translations with a signed Certificate of Accuracy, for USCIS, courts, universities, and agencies. Certified human linguists, 300+ languages, and self-serve delivery in as little as 24 hours.
A certified translation is a complete, accurate translation accompanied by a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy from a competent translator. In the United States, "certified" refers to that signed statement, required by USCIS, courts, and universities for official documents. It is not a government license, and it does not by itself require notarization.
Why it matters
With official documents, the certificate is the point
What agencies check isn't just the translation, it's the certification behind it, and whether it holds up.
"Certified" means the certificate
In the U.S. there's no government "sworn translator" system, a translation is certified when it carries a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy from a competent translator. That statement is what USCIS, courts, and agencies require, and it's what we issue on every certified job.
A rejection restarts the clock
An incomplete or inaccurate translation gets bounced by USCIS or a court and sends your case back to the start. Certified, human-reviewed translation, with every seal, stamp, and signature accounted for, is how you avoid the round-trip.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 ACS · Migration Policy Institute · 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3).
Accepted, and built to be
What a certified translation includes, and who takes it
Every certified job is built to the standard the receiving agency is checking for.
USCIS & immigration
Every foreign-language document filed with USCIS needs a certified English translation; ours meet the federal standard (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)).
Courts & agencies
Certified translations for evidence, filings, and government submissions, each backed by a signed statement of accuracy.
Universities & WES
Certified English translations of diplomas and transcripts for admissions and credential evaluators such as WES.
Signed Certificate of Accuracy
A dated, signed statement of completeness, accuracy, and translator competency, with our company seal and a reference number.
Complete & mirror-formatted
Nothing summarized or omitted, seals, stamps, and signatures noted, and the layout mirrors your original for side-by-side review.
Notarization & apostille
Optional notarization (a notary attests the translator's signature) and apostille for documents used in other countries.
Requirements referenced: USCIS certified-translation rule (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)) · WES credential evaluation · U.S. Dept. of State apostille. Final acceptance always rests with the receiving agency.
Two ways to get it
Self-serve in 24 hours, or fully managed
One document you need fast, or a complex, high-volume, regulated project, the same certified standard either way.
CertiDoc, certified in 24 hours
The self-serve way to certify a single document: upload it and get a signed, certified translation back, fast.
- Self-serve upload for individual documents
- Signed certification, back in 24 hours (12-hour rush)
- Transparent per-page pricing
- Accepted by USCIS, universities & courts
Full-service certified translation
For complex, high-volume, or regulated work, with a project manager and multi-tier human QA.
- Any document, subject, or volume
- Certified linguist + independent editor & QA
- Legal, medical & academic specialists
- Notarization & apostille on request
What we certify
The documents official life runs on
From a single vital record to a full set of academic or legal documents.
- Birth certificates
- Marriage & divorce certificates
- Death certificates
- Name-change & civil documents
- Passports & driver's licenses
- Police & background records
- Immigration filings & support
- Affidavits & declarations
- Diplomas & degrees
- Transcripts & grade reports
- For admissions & WES evaluation
- Enrollment & completion letters
- Contracts, powers of attorney & affidavits
- Bank statements & corporate filings
- Medical records & reports
- Court & regulatory documents
Have something not listed? If an agency, court, or school needs it certified, we can certify it.
Have a single document to certify?
Upload it to CertiDoc for a signed certified translation back in 24 hours, or ask us to manage a larger, complex project.
Why MLT
Why people trust us to certify
Certified humans, real QA
Every certified translation is done by a qualified human linguist and independently reviewed, not machine output with a stamp.
Accepted where it counts
Built to meet USCIS, court, university, and agency requirements, with a signed Certificate of Accuracy on every job.
Two ways to get it
Self-serve via CertiDoc for single documents in 24 hours, or full-service for complex, high-volume, and regulated work.
20+ years, 300+ languages
Two decades certifying documents across immigration, legal, academic, and medical needs, as an ATA member firm.
Do you need it certified?
When a certified translation is required
| Certified translation | Standard translation | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Immigration, court, academic & government submissions | Internal, marketing & reference content |
| What's included | The translation plus a signed Certificate of Accuracy | The professional translation |
| Required when | An official body must accept the document | No agency needs to accept it |
Not sure which you need? Tell us who's receiving the document and we'll confirm.
Certified is not notarized
Certified vs. notarized translation
Certified translation
The translation plus a signed Certificate of Accuracy stating the work is complete and accurate. This is what USCIS and most academic and court submissions require, no notary is involved.
Notarized translation
A notary public witnesses the translator signing that certificate. The notary confirms the signer’s identity, not the translation’s quality, a layer some courts and foreign authorities ask for on top of certification.
Bottom line: certification vouches for the translation; notarization only vouches for the signature. USCIS asks for certified, not notarized, but if your recipient requires notarization, we arrange it.
FAQ
Certified translation questions
A certified translation is a complete, accurate translation accompanied by a signed statement, a Certificate of Translation Accuracy, in which a competent translator attests it's complete and accurate. In the U.S., "certified" refers to that signed statement, not a government license.
Certified translation is usually priced per page (about 250 words). Single documents can be certified self-serve through CertiDoc at transparent per-page rates; complex or high-volume projects are quoted by word count and language pair. You'll always see the price before any work begins.
Single documents through CertiDoc are typically back within 24 hours, with a 12-hour rush option. Larger or specialized managed projects come with a firm timeline in your quote.
Usually not. USCIS does not require notarization, only the signed certification statement. Notarization (where a notary attests the translator's signature) is an optional add-on that some courts or foreign authorities request, and we offer it when you need it.
A certified translation that meets 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), a signed statement of completeness, accuracy, and translator competency, satisfies USCIS requirements. As with any submission, final acceptance rests with the receiving agency.
No. USCIS requires a certification statement from a competent translator, not from an individually ATA-certified translator. "ATA-certified" is a specific personal credential; a valid certification statement can be signed by any competent professional translator. MLT is an ATA member firm.
Standard translation delivers the translated text. Certified translation adds a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy, with a company seal and reference number, attesting completeness and accuracy, which is what official, legal, and immigration use requires.
I've had the pleasure of working with Frank Wei and his skilled team of translators in Santa Clara. They exemplify professionalism and commitment to delivering high-quality work.
Natalie Q. · MLT client
One US-based partner for interpreting, certified documents, and AI-assisted translation, verified by professional human linguists.
Get it certified. Get it accepted.
Upload a document for certified delivery in 24 hours, or tell us about a larger project for a clear, itemized quote.