USCIS issues an RFE (Request for Evidence) on translations for nine recurring reasons. Avoiding all nine is the difference between a smooth case and a 60–90 day delay.
The nine recurring reasons
1. Missing or unsigned Certificate of Accuracy. The single most common cause. The translator's signed statement is what USCIS officers physically look for.
2. Summarized translation. Translations that paraphrase or condense the original instead of rendering it word-for-word.
3. Skipped stamps, seals, or marginal notes. Even small omissions on the original make the translation incomplete.
4. Self-translation by the applicant, spouse, or sponsor. Translators must be independent of the parties to the case.
5. Translation by a non-competent friend or relative. Technically allowed but routinely RFE'd because the certification language doesn't match what professional services use.
6. Inconsistent name spellings across documents. When a name appears one way on a birth certificate translation and another way on a marriage certificate translation, USCIS sees what looks like two different people.
7. Wrong document submitted. Submitting a Mexican short-form acta when USCIS prefers the long-form, or a Brazilian short certidão when the inteiro teor is needed.
8. Date format errors. Translating DD/MM/YYYY as MM/DD/YYYY swaps days and months and creates timeline contradictions with your I-130.
9. Untranslated apostille or legalization stamps. Many filers translate the underlying document but forget the apostille, which is itself a foreign-language document.
How to bulletproof your filing
Bundle translations from a single professional service so name spellings, date formats, and certification language are consistent across every document. Order long-form vital records when both long and short exist. Confirm the certification on each translation is actually signed and includes 'complete and accurate' and 'competent' language.
Key takeaways
- RFE = Request for Evidence — a 30–87 day pause on your case.
- Most translation RFEs trace to one of nine recurring issues.
- Bundling translations through one provider eliminates the most common cross-document inconsistencies.
- Always order long-form vital records when both long and short are available.