Certified Translation Services in Chicago
Certified translations for USCIS, the Chicago Immigration Court, the Cook County Clerk and Cook County courts, prepared online by professional human translators. $22.99 per page, with 24 hour delivery for documents up to 3 pages.
Chicago and Cook County residents order certified translations from us online for USCIS, the immigration court, the County Clerk and local courts. A scan or phone photo is enough, and documents up to 3 pages come back signed within 24 hours. Everything happens online; there is no Chicago office.
- Whether you need certified translation services Chicago immigration offices will review or Spanish translation services Chicago families use for civil records, you order online
- The USCIS wants a full English translation, and the Chicago Immigration Court an English translation, of every foreign-language document, each with a signed translator certification
- The Cook County Clerk asks for a notarized English translation when a foreign birth certificate is used as ID
- Spanish, Polish and Chinese are the most common home languages in Cook County after English
Immigration Offices and Courts in Chicago
These federal offices handle immigration cases in the Chicago area. Each expects an English translation of anything not written in English.
| Office | Address |
|---|---|
| Chicago Immigration Court | 55 E. Monroe St., Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60603 (also reachable through the building's E. Adams St. entrance) |
| USCIS Chicago Asylum Office | 181 W. Madison Street, Suite 3000, Chicago, IL 60602 |
| USCIS Chicago Field Office | Use the address printed on your interview or appointment notice |
The Asylum Office does not take walk-ins, and other USCIS offices see people by appointment. Confirm the address on your appointment notice before you go. Sources: USCIS and the Executive Office for Immigration Review.
What the Chicago Immigration Court and USCIS Expect
For applications and interviews, USCIS follows 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). Each foreign-language document needs a full English translation. The translator certifies that it is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate from that language. A summary or partial translation does not meet the rule.
The Chicago Immigration Court works under 8 CFR 1003.33. A foreign-language filing must include an English translation plus a certification signed by the translator, confirming competence and accuracy. The Immigration Court Practice Manual says the certification must include where the translator can be reached by mail and phone.
Every translation we deliver includes a signed, dated certificate with the translator's name and contact details. Read more on USCIS certified translation, or see legal translation for police records, court orders and judgments.
Consulates in Chicago
Chicago has a large consular corps. A certificate or record that a consulate issues in its own language still needs an English translation for USCIS or an Illinois office.
| Country | Address | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 204 South Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL 60607 | Consulate General |
| Poland | 1530 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60610 | Serves Illinois and 10 other Midwestern states |
| India | 455 N. Cityfront Plaza Drive, Suite 850 (NBC Tower) | Passport, visa and OCI applications, and since August 1, 2025 other consular services, go through VFS Global at 180 North Stetson Ave., Suite 2075 |
| Philippines | 122 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60603 | Consulate General |
Check each consulate's own website for hours and appointments before you visit.
Cook County Clerk: Vital Records and ID
The Cook County Clerk's Bureau of Vital Records issues birth, death, marriage and civil union records for Chicago and suburban Cook County. Its downtown Chicago vital records office is at 118 N. Clark St., Room 120.
To order a record, you show identification. The Clerk's ID list says a foreign birth certificate used as ID needs a notarized English translation, and you must pair it with a second ID. A foreign passport counts only with a current US-issued visa.
Notarization is available on request; contact us before you order. Our notarized translation page explains how it works, and birth certificate translation covers the document itself.
Cook County Courts: Wills and Interpreters
The Circuit Court of Cook County has a specific rule for foreign-language wills. Under Rule 12.3(d), anyone who petitions to probate a will written in another language must file a translation. A qualified translator prepares it and certifies that it is correct.
Do not confuse this with the court's Office of Interpreter Services. That office provides spoken-language interpreters during hearings. Spanish and Polish interpreters are available first come, first served, and other languages need at least 48 working hours' notice. Its page says nothing about translating documents, so written exhibits need their own translation.
For other Cook County filings, Illinois court guidance applies: the filing must be in English, with a certified translation attached. See our legal translation page for wills, estate papers and court records.
Languages Spoken in Cook County and Chicago
About 1.19 million Cook County residents, 22.9%, were born outside the US. In the City of Chicago the figure is about 597,000, or 22.0% of residents.
| Language | Cook County (age 5+) | City of Chicago (age 5+) | Our page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spanish | About 1.04 million (21.1%) | About 618,000 (23.9%) | Spanish |
| Polish | About 113,000 (2.3%) | About 31,000 (1.2%) | Polish |
| Chinese | About 80,000 | About 62,000 (2.4%) | Chinese |
| Arabic | About 60,000 | About 14,000 | Arabic |
| Ukrainian or other Slavic languages | About 45,000 | About 15,000 | Ukrainian |
| Tagalog | About 44,000 | About 17,000 | Tagalog |
| Russian | About 33,000 | Not among the city's top six | Russian |
| Korean | About 31,000 | Not among the city's top six | Korean |
Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year estimates (tables B05002 and B16001). After English and Spanish, Polish is the most common home language in Cook County, while Chinese holds that place within city limits. Smaller groups have overlapping margins of error, so treat their order as approximate.
Documents From Chicago's Language Communities
Spanish and Polish are the two most spoken home languages after English in Cook County. These are records we translate from the area's main languages.
| Language | Documents | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Polish | Odpis skrócony and odpis zupełny civil records | The full copy reproduces marginal notes such as later corrections, and we translate them all |
| Polish | Partition-era records (1795 to 1918) and parish records | May be in Polish, German, Russian or Church Latin, depending on the region and year |
| Spanish | Actas from Mexican civil registries | Each acta is translated in full, including the CURP |
| Chinese | Hukou extracts listing a whole family | Covers a whole household; every person listed is translated |
| Tagalog | Pre-PSA local civil registry records | Older records are more often entirely in Filipino or a regional language, so they need a fuller translation |
Our Polish page explains how records changed between historical periods.
Statewide Illinois Rules Apply in Chicago
Secretary of State translations for licenses and IDs, the court guidance on certified translations, IDPH adoption records and IDFPR nursing applications follow statewide rules. Our Illinois translation services page covers each one with its official source.
Certified Translation in Chicago Pricing
One flat rate covers your document in full. The total is shown before you pay.
- Signed accuracy certificate that names the translator and how to reach them
- Prepared for USCIS, the immigration court and Cook County offices
- 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 Chicago 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 to avoid
Translation in Chicago: Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
Need a Certified Translation in Chicago?
Polish, Spanish, Chinese or another language, send the record now. A signed translation of up to 3 pages arrives within 24 hours, prepared for USCIS or a Cook County office (notarization on request).
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