There’s a possibility that you may feel overwhelmed when preparing your application for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) because we all know it can be a rigorous process.
The language your documents should be in can be a contributing factor to your stress if you don’t have all the necessary information.
The IRCC has mandated all supporting documents for immigration applications be submitted in either French or English, as those are the two official languages of Canada.
This rule applies to every applicant, it doesn’t matter if you’re submitting an application for your work permit through International Experience Canada (IEC), an application for your permanent residence through Express Entry, or any other type of immigration application.
As with everything in life, there are exceptions to this rule as the IRCC might permit you to submit documents in a language other than French or English without a translation, but in such cases, the IRCC will specifically indicate this on your application.
When no specific indication isn’t done on your application, you ought to provide translations for all your documents that are not in French or English.
Today in this guide we would be outlining every information you need to know about what documents to translate while simultaneously answering all the common questions about the translation of documents for the purpose of Canadian immigration application.
What documents do I need to include with the translation?
The Canadian IRCC is very stringent when it comes to what documents you ought to include with your immigration application.
Failing to include a required document or including the wrong kind of document can lead to rejection and be tagged incomplete.
Solely for this purpose, it is crucially important to fully understand the document requirements.
When we talk of translating documents as regards Canadian immigration, an official translation of all your supporting documents that need to be submitted but are not written in either French or English language, except otherwise stated by the IRCC.
What documents do I need to translate to immigrate to Canada?
Any document that needs to be translated must include the following to be considered complete and acceptable.
- Must be translated into French or English language by a certified translator; and
- Must carry an affidavit from the individual who translated the document; and
- Must include a certified photocopy of the original document.
Every one of the three aforementioned requirements must be met in order for your translation to be considered admissible.
In other not to create any confusion we would further break down what each of these documents means exactly.
What is an affidavit for translations for Canadian immigration applications?
We stated above how translated documents must carry an affidavit from the person who translated the document.
This simply means a document signed by the certified translator while in the presence of an authorized person certifying the truth of the translations.
Every country has its own rules about who has the authority to issue an affidavit, so please check to confirm who can do that in your country before proceeding.
In most cases, certified translators are aware of the laws governing affidavits and have the authority to swear affidavits quickly and easily.
Typically, certified translators possess a stamp that has their certification, and that easily lets them relay their credentials to the Canadian immigration authorities.
Kindly know that it is very possible for the affidavit to be actually included in the same document as the translation.
Who can translate the documents?
Such translation must be carried out by a certified translator, and cannot be carried out by the applicants themselves, members of the applicant’s family, or others.
This includes parents, siblings, partners, lawyers, notaries, or non-certified translators.
Who is a certified translator?
Certified translators are professionals who are accredited members of a professional translation association either in Canada or abroad, and their certification is confirmed by a stamp or seal corresponding to that of the aforementioned association.
The IRCC highlighted in this new update that those translators who have not received official certification but are in the process of receiving it, will not be considered certified translators.
What to do if you don’t have a certified translator?
In the event that the applicant cannot opt for a certified translator, all supporting documents must be accompanied by an affidavit that ensures the accuracy of the translation and the translator’s command of the language.
Notaries public or commissioners of the oath are the only people capable of providing an affidavit, and it will depend on whether the applicant is in or out of the country.
What is a certified photocopy for translations for Canadian immigration?
Certified photocopies of original documents refer to the photocopy of any original document that has been certified by an authorized professional, in this case, the translated documents.
The certified photocopy ought to be readable so the certified translator can compare the documents and then marks the photocopy by putting:
- their name and signature;
- their position or title;
- the name of the original document;
- the date they certified the document; and
- and compulsorily put the phrase “I certify that this is a true copy of the original document.”
Sometimes, the same professionals who are authorized to swear affidavits are also given the authority to certify photocopies.
If you will be needing to translate your documents as a part of your application, ensure your translation meets all the above-listed requirements, and please start your application process on time to make sure you have ample time to find a certified translator.
My family member speaks English or French. Can they translate the document for me?
The answer is No, we earlier told you that only certified translations are admissible by the IRCC.
Even if that family member of yours bagged a Ph.D. in English Literature, you would still need to get a certified translator to translate all your documents.
It’s just a page, do I really have to provide a translation?
The answer to this common question is yes. The Canadian IRCC has mandated translations for every supporting document except on conditions where they themselves indicate otherwise.
And true, we at immigly.com cannot give guarantees about the rejection of an application if you fail to include the translation of a page during your application.
These things are solely the decision of the immigration officer handling your case file, he might let it slide but what if he doesn’t. Like the old saying goes “it’s better to be safe than sorry”.
The application of new measures and changes in the application requirements for Canadian citizenship and immigration programs continue.
Expiration of the certified translator’s signature
In relation to the expiration of the translation of the documents, if the signature of the certified translator has expired, the translation will remain valid.
However, if the original document has expired or changed, a new certified translation will be required.
Applications submitted without a certified translation will be returned as incomplete applications.
It is a wrap, we’ve come to the end of this scintillating guide about the translation of documents for the purpose of Canadian immigration, we believe this guide was helpful if you think so please share, and if you think there’s a piece of information we omitted and is vital to this topic please use the comment section. Good luck!
