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How do you show that translation costs were necessary for dossier compliance?

For the EB-2 NIW, what matters is submitting a certified translation of any foreign-language documents, not proving how much it cost. Understand what actually counts for dossier compliance.

Written by

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Updated on July 16, 2026
1 min read
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In the EB-2 NIW, documents not written in English must be submitted with a certified translation. This is a procedural requirement of the process, so the translation itself is genuinely necessary for dossier compliance.

The key point to understand is that the cost of the translation is not a criterion evaluated by the USCIS. What the agency verifies is whether the translation exists, whether it is faithful to the original, and whether it includes the required certification, not how much you paid for it.

To keep your dossier organized and compliant:

  • Include the certified translation of each foreign-language document, along with the translator’s declaration of accuracy.
  • Keep the original document alongside the translation to facilitate review.
  • If you need to account for expenses in a response to an RFE, retain receipts and invoices, but treat them as a transparency measure, not as proof of quality.

Since formatting requirements can change, it is worth checking the latest USCIS guidelines and, when in doubt, seeking the support of a qualified specialist.

Learn more about EB-2 NIW

Category
EB-2 NIW Green Card
Self-petition
Allowed (no sponsor needed)
PERM
Waived
Processing
12-36 months
All about EB-2 NIW

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.

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How do you show that translation costs were necessary for dossier compliance?

For the EB-2 NIW, what matters is submitting a certified translation of any foreign-language documents, not proving how much it cost. Understand what actually counts for dossier compliance.

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