No. USCIS does not require notarized translations. The federal regulation (8 CFR §103.2(b)(3)) only requires a signed Certificate of Accuracy from a competent translator — not a notary's seal.
What the regulation actually says
The exact text from 8 CFR §103.2(b)(3): 'Any document containing foreign language submitted to USCIS shall be accompanied by a full English language translation which the translator has certified as complete and accurate, and by the translator's certification that he or she is competent to translate from the foreign language into English.'
Notice what's missing: any mention of notarization. The translator certifies — not a notary. A notary public's role is to verify the identity of the person signing a document; they cannot verify the accuracy of a translation.
Why some translation companies still upsell notarization
Notarization adds $20–$50 to the order with no value to the USCIS officer reviewing your case. Some translation services include it by default to inflate prices, or list it as a premium add-on.
Honeycutt Translations doesn't add notarization unless you specifically need it for a non-USCIS purpose — like a foreign government, a U.S. court proceeding, or an apostille. For USCIS, the signed Certificate of Accuracy we include at no charge is the document the officer actually wants.
When notarization IS required
Some U.S. state courts, foreign embassies, and apostille requests require notarization on the translator's certification — not on the translation itself, but on the certification. If your filing is going somewhere other than USCIS, check the receiving authority's specific requirements.
Key takeaways
- USCIS does not require notarized translations.
- 8 CFR §103.2(b)(3) requires only a signed Certificate of Accuracy from a competent translator.
- If a translation company is charging extra for notarization on a USCIS filing, you're paying for something USCIS doesn't want.
- Notarization may be required for U.S. court filings, foreign embassies, or apostille requests — not USCIS.