Certified Translation Services in Washington, DC
Certified translations for USCIS, the Annandale, Sterling, Hyattsville and Baltimore immigration courts, and DC Superior Court, prepared online by professional human translators. $22.99 per page, with 24 hour delivery for documents up to 3 pages.
We prepare certified translations online for people in the District and its suburbs, from Fairfax, Arlington and Loudoun to Montgomery and Prince George's counties. Your scan or phone photo is translated and returned as a signed PDF within 24 hours for up to 3 pages. We work online only, with no DC office.
- Certified translation services Washington DC residents order cover USCIS and court records, and translation services in Washington DC and its suburbs all work online
- The region has four immigration courts, in Annandale, Sterling, Hyattsville and Baltimore, and each needs an English translation with a signed translator certification
- DC Courts' interpreters do not translate evidence; the court says you may hire your own interpreter to prepare a translation before the hearing date
- Fairfax County is 30.9% foreign-born, and Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Arabic are among its most common home languages
Immigration Courts and USCIS Around Washington
People in DC and its suburbs have hearings at four immigration courts, two in Virginia and two in Maryland. Your hearing notice tells you which one.
| Office | Address |
|---|---|
| Annandale Immigration Court | 7619 Little River Turnpike, Suite 400, Annandale, VA 22003 |
| Sterling Immigration Court | 21400 Ridgetop Circle, Suite 200, Sterling, VA 20166 |
| Hyattsville Immigration Court | 3311 Toledo Road, Suite 105, Hyattsville, MD 20782 |
| Baltimore Immigration Court | George Fallon Federal Building, 31 Hopkins Plaza, Room 440, Baltimore, MD 21201 |
| USCIS field office (Washington or Baltimore) | Use the office and address printed on your interview or appointment notice |
The courts list public hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and window filing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday except federal holidays. USCIS field offices do not take walk-ins, so confirm the address on your appointment notice. Sources: the Executive Office for Immigration Review and USCIS.
What USCIS and the Immigration Courts Look For
Both agencies want the whole document in English, plus a signed statement from the translator. For USCIS, 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) asks for a full English translation that the translator certifies as complete and accurate, along with a certification that they are competent to translate.
Immigration courts use 8 CFR 1003.33. The translator signs a certification stating that they are competent to translate the document and that the translation is true and accurate. The Immigration Court Practice Manual also wants the translator's address and telephone number on it.
USCIS says the Washington Field Office oversees adjudications in the Europe, Middle East and Africa regions, which includes naturalization for military members stationed there.
The translator signs and dates each certificate and adds their name and contact details. See USCIS certified translation for the full certificate, and legal translation for police records and court judgments.
Translations for DC Superior Court
DC Courts provide interpreters for hearings, but those interpreters do not translate evidence. On its language access page, the court answers the question directly: "No, the Courts' interpreters do not provide interpretation/translation services of evidentiary materials."
The same answer goes on: "You may hire your own interpreter to prepare a translation of the document/audio prior to the hearing date."
Is a foreign birth certificate, contract or text message part of your case? Then plan the translation well before the hearing.
Child support cases between states have their own rule. Under D.C. Code 46-357.13, a record filed that is not in English must be accompanied by an English translation. We translate court evidence in full and sign a Certificate of Accuracy; see legal translation.
Embassies in Washington
Foreign countries keep their embassies to the United States in Washington, so residents can often get passports and civil records through their country's embassy in the city. A record an embassy issues in its own language still needs an English translation for USCIS or a court.
The State Department no longer publishes its Diplomatic List of embassy addresses; the last issue, from spring 2020, is in its archive. Check the embassy's own website for the current address and appointment rules.
Virginia DMV, for foreign documents used to title a vehicle, asks for a translation from an embassy or an accredited school of foreign language rather than a translation company. In that case, ask the office what it will take before you order. Our passport and national ID translation covers identity documents.
Marriage and Vital Records in DC and Fairfax
In the District, the DC Superior Court Marriage Bureau issues marriage licenses and certified copies. It is in the Moultrie Courthouse, Room JM-690, 500 Indiana Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001, and it keeps DC marriage records from 1811 to the present.
Birth, death and domestic partnership records registered in DC come from the DC Health Vital Records Division at 2201 Shannon Place SE, Washington, DC 20020.
In Fairfax County, the Public Service Division of the Fairfax Circuit Court issues marriage licenses. It is on the first floor of the courthouse at 4110 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 116, Fairfax. Both parties must appear, be 18 or older and show photo ID such as a driver's license or passport. The fee is $30.
If you married abroad, your foreign marriage certificate is the record USCIS will see, and it needs a full English translation. See marriage certificate translation.
Languages Spoken Across the Capital Region
About 108,500 DC residents, 15.5%, were born outside the US. The suburbs have higher shares: 30.9% in Fairfax County, 33.7% in Montgomery County and 26.0% in Prince George's County.
| Language | People who speak it at home (age 5+) | Our translation page |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | About 62,000 in DC, 153,000 in Fairfax, 184,000 in Montgomery and 189,000 in Prince George's | Spanish |
| Korean | About 36,000 in Fairfax | Korean |
| Chinese | About 31,000 in Fairfax and 7,600 in DC | Chinese |
| Vietnamese | About 28,000 in Fairfax | Vietnamese |
| Arabic | About 24,000 in Fairfax | Arabic |
| French, Haitian Creole and Cajun | About 13,000 in DC, 24,000 in Montgomery and 22,000 in Prince George's | French, Haitian Creole |
| Russian, Polish and other Slavic | About 10,000 in Fairfax and 4,900 in DC | Russian, Polish, Ukrainian |
| Tagalog | About 10,000 in Fairfax | Tagalog |
Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year estimates (tables DP02 and C16001). In DC, about 22,000 people speak languages the Census groups as "other and unspecified", which includes Amharic. In Fairfax, about 76,000 speak "other Indo-European" languages, a group that includes Hindi, Urdu and Persian. We translate Amharic, Hindi, Urdu and Farsi at the same price.
Documents From the Capital Region's Language Communities
Spanish, Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese are among the most spoken home languages around Washington, and the Census counts Amharic in DC's "other languages" group. These are records we translate from those communities.
| Language | Documents | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Amharic | Ethiopian birth certificates, kebele ID cards and residence letters | Ethiopian calendar dates are 7 or 8 years behind; we add the Gregorian date in brackets |
| Spanish | Peruvian RENIEC birth and marriage records | Records include the DNI number, which we keep as written |
| Korean | Basic certificates and marriage relation certificates | A basic certificate covers one person's birth, death and name changes; a marriage relation certificate covers marriage and divorce history |
| Vietnamese | CCCD identity cards and police residence confirmations | These replaced the Ho Khau book for showing residence from 2023 |
| Chinese | Notarial certificates from mainland notary offices | The notarial certificate is translated in full, including the notary's seal and certificate number |
Tigrinya documents from Eritrea are covered on our Amharic page.
Live in Northern Virginia? Virginia Rules Apply
Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria and Loudoun residents follow Virginia's statewide rules on driving with a foreign license, birth certificates for children adopted abroad, medical licenses and Virginia courts. Our Virginia translation services page explains them, with sources.
Certified Translation in Washington, DC Pricing
One flat rate covers your document in full. The total is shown before you pay.
- Signed, dated certificate with the translator's contact information
- Prepared for USCIS, immigration courts and DC Superior Court
- Same rate for every language
- 24 hour standard delivery for documents up to 3 pages
- Free revisions for 14 days after delivery, full refund if an authority rejects a certified translation
Optional add-ons
No hidden fees. Free revisions for 14 days after delivery. Compare all translation rates. Need it sooner? See rush translation.
100% Acceptance Guarantee
If the office or court your translation was prepared for rejects it because of the translation, send us the rejection notice and we will refund your order in full. Free revisions are included for 14 days after delivery; after that, a small revision fee applies.
Related Guides
- Court document translation for immigration cases: judgments, police records and court orders
- USCIS certified translation requirements: what the certificate must say
- Why certified translations get rejected: common mistakes and how to avoid them
Translation in Washington, DC: Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
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