My Ethiopian birth certificate has dates in the Ethiopian calendar. How do you handle that?

Amharic Translation

Amharic to English Certified Translation for USCIS

Certified Amharic-to-English translation of Ethiopian birth certificates, kebele documents, and civil records for USCIS.

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Ethiopia uses the Ethiopian (Ge'ez) calendar and the Amharic Ge'ez script for civil documents. Birth and marriage records are issued by the kebele (local administrative unit) and have a distinctive format USCIS officers recognize.

Source countries we cover: Ethiopia.

Documents we translate by country

Ethiopia

የልደት ምስክር ወረቀት (Birth Certificate from kebele)
የጋብቻ ምስክር ወረቀት (Marriage Certificate)
Police clearance from Federal Police

8 CFR §103.2(b)(3)

What USCIS requires for a foreign-language document

Full English translation
Every word, stamp, seal, and marginal note on the foreign document must be rendered into English — not summarized.
Signed Certificate of Accuracy
The translator certifies, in writing, that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate from the source language to English.
Original visible alongside translation
USCIS expects the certified English translation to be submitted together with a legible copy of the original foreign-language document.
Independent translator
The translator cannot be the applicant or beneficiary. Self-translations are routinely rejected, even when accurate.

Common pitfalls with Amharic documents

Ethiopian calendar dates

The Ethiopian calendar is roughly 7–8 years behind the Gregorian. Every date must be translated with the Gregorian equivalent in brackets.

Kebele inconsistencies

Different kebeles use slightly different formats. The translator must identify the kebele clearly so USCIS can verify the issuing authority.

Frequently asked questions

We translate dates as they appear and add the Gregorian equivalent in brackets immediately after — '15 Tikimt 1985 [25 October 1992]'. USCIS officers expect this format for Ethiopian filings.

USCIS Accepted