My Soviet-era birth certificate names a city that doesn't exist anymore. What do you do?

Russian Translation

Russian to English Certified Translation for USCIS

Certified Russian-to-English translation of vital records and civil documents for U.S. immigration.

USCIS Accepted

Submit your Russian document for certified translation

Upload, pay, and we begin immediately. USCIS-accepted, next business day.

Russian-language documents come from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine (older Soviet-era records), Kazakhstan, and other former-Soviet states where Russian remained the civil registry language. We translate Soviet-era and modern Russian Federation documents alike, including the apostille format used since Russia joined the Hague Convention.

Source countries we cover: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan.

Documents we translate by country

Russian Federation

Свидетельство о рождении (Birth Certificate)
Свидетельство о браке (Marriage Certificate)
Свидетельство о расторжении брака (Divorce Certificate)
Справка о несудимости (No Criminal Record Certificate)
Внутренний паспорт (Internal Passport)

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 Russian documents

Patronymic names

Russian names include a patronymic (Ivanovich, Petrovna). USCIS forms don't have a patronymic field. We render it as a middle name and flag the convention to the officer.

Soviet-era documents

Pre-1991 documents may show place names that no longer exist. Preserve the original name and add the modern equivalent in brackets.

Frequently asked questions

We translate the city name as it appears on the original and add the current name in brackets. USCIS officers see this regularly with Ukrainian and Belarusian filings.

USCIS Accepted