Is certified translation of marriage certificate necessary in the US?
A certified translation of marriage certificate is necessary in the US especially if one or both partners are foreigners. If it is not translated your marriage may not be considered valid in the USA. The proof of marriage is even more needed if your spouse is a US citizen who is petitioning for your naturalization.
When you need certified translation of marriage certificate
If your personal documents are not in English, when dealing with immigration to the US, or when wanting to continue your studies in the US, or when you want to get a job in the United States, you’ll need certified translation of your documents.
Who can do the translation for you?
Not all of us are lucky enough to have our marriage certificate in English. If your marriage was conducted overseas and it is in a language other than English, you will need certified translation of marriage certificate. For immigration, a “Certificate of Accuracy” must be included, thus making it certified translation. With this the translator swears to the completeness and accuracy of the accomplished translation. You should also include a notarized copy of the translation and there are only a few companies able to provide it.
Instead of searching for freelancers, it is better to just go to a well-known translation company in the United States, especially one that has been doing translations for legal matters and certified translation of marriage certificate for years. You won’t need to prove their ability, and you won’t wonder if they truly did an accurate job. The little extra expense can mean your peace of mind.
There are other reasons to get certified translation
Apart from immigration and naturalization, you will need your marriage certificate for many things once you have settled in the United States. For one thing, married people enjoy significant tax deductions. A spouse can give assets to the other without gift tax. Only married couples can enjoy each other’s social security benefits, especially if the other passes away. Employee benefits are given to legal spouses only, including special leaves.
Special discounts are given to legally married couples only. You can take a leave from work if your spouse is sick, or a bereavement leave even if it was the family member of your spouse who had died. No inheritance tax is charged if you are legally married to your spouse, and they still get whatever you have even if you didn’t make a will. If you don’t want to, no court can force you to testify against your spouse. If a couple ever splits up, having a marriage certificate assures them of joint parenting rights to their children.
Even though some people deem it as only a piece of paper, being legally married unlocks many advantages that you could never get otherwise. And a certified translation of marriage certificate will give you that key.
