Yes — USCIS rejects certified translations regularly. The most common outcome isn't an outright denial, but a Request for Evidence (RFE) that pauses your case for 30–87 days while you submit a corrected translation. A bad translation can also trigger a Notice of Intent to Deny in serious cases.
What 'rejection' actually looks like
USCIS rarely uses the word 'rejected' for a translation issue. Instead, you'll receive one of three things: an RFE asking for a corrected translation, a Notice of Intent to Deny if the translation issue is serious, or — in the worst cases — a denial citing 8 CFR §103.2(b)(3) (the federal regulation that defines what a certified translation must look like).
An RFE (Request for Evidence) is a formal letter from USCIS that pauses your case until you respond. You typically have 30 to 87 days to submit the corrected document. Miss the deadline and your case is denied as abandoned.
The five reasons translations get rejected
1. No Certificate of Accuracy. The translator's signed statement is the document USCIS officers physically look for at intake. Without it, your translation is treated as if it doesn't exist.
2. Incomplete translation. Skipping a marginal stamp, a registrar's seal, or a signature line is the single most common reason. Every word, mark, and stamp on the original must appear in the translation.
3. Self-translation by the applicant or sponsor. The translator must be independent of the petitioner and beneficiary. A spouse translating their partner's birth certificate is rejected.
4. Translation by a non-competent translator. USCIS requires the translator to certify they are 'competent to translate from the foreign language into English'. Family members who 'speak the language' but aren't professional translators don't meet this standard.
5. Mismatched information. Names, dates, or places that don't match across documents in your filing — even if each individual translation is technically correct — trigger an RFE.
How to spot a bad certification before you file
A compliant Certificate of Accuracy includes: the translator's full name, signature, date, and statement that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate from the source language to English. Anything less is a red flag.
Watch out for translation services that include only a stamp or a generic 'certified translation' watermark with no signed statement. USCIS officers are trained to look for the actual certification language, not for stamps.
Key takeaways
- USCIS rejects translations through Requests for Evidence (RFEs), not outright denials.
- An RFE pauses your case 30–87 days. Miss the deadline and the case is denied as abandoned.
- Most rejections trace to one of five issues: missing certification, incomplete translation, self-translation, non-competent translator, or mismatched information.
- Always confirm the translator's Certificate of Accuracy is actually signed and includes the required language before filing.